MEET ME ON UMBRELLA ALLEY

Once upon a time there lived a 16 year old girl going on 17 named Ella.

She was named Ella because of her
amazing birth story. 

The night of her birth headlines read:

Meet Ella our counties first baby born on Umbrella Alley.

What a sight it was a beautiful starry night under the swaying umbrellas.

And, a cheering crowd who celebrated the birth of this single red head baby.

And, so Umbrella Alley was always very special to Ella.

She grew up riding her bike under the swaying cloud of umbrellas

On the little red brick alley.

She would close her eyes and smell the intoxicating sweet smell of

roses and lilacs as they began to bloom nearby.

She stayed young in heart longer than usual.

Wheras most of her sibblings seemed to be interested in other things.

You know...it was normal teenage stuff like electronics ...computers....sports...fashion...cars...movies...music.

Really, her sibblings fit into the average mold among themselves .

They were all above intelligence,  on the honor system.

Mostly,  they could be described as normal, sarcastic, growing up

teenagers.

However, Ella was not quite in the same mold.

She was the opposite of all of her sibblings.

She loved rainbows, and climbing trees. Yes, even at age 16, she could be seen climbing trees.

And, she really loved splashing every puddle in her flower boots.

No matter how ridiculous she looked.

That really embarrassed her 4 sibblings.

Or, she could be seen twirling her umbrella be it with the suns

glow on her face, or, dancing in the pounding rain.

She was smart when she needed to be.

For Ella had an intelligence about reading people.

And, knowing their need for love.

Love was Ellas gift to those in her life.

She was generous, kind, and forgiving.

She loved chipmunks, and squirls that greeted her each day.

She loved bunnies, giraffes at the zoo, and leaping deer.

Yes, Ella loved all creatures great and small.

Why she even loved grasshoppers,  spiders, and ants.

She would move those creatures out of harms way.

Whereas , Ellas four sibblings resented her warmth.

She had two brothers named , Derrick ,and Danish.

And, she had two sisters named Blondie, and Cupcake.

Oddly, they seemed identical.

As, they should since they were quads.

All were blond...all We're blue eyes.

And, all were age 17 going on 18.

Ella was the youngest.

She had red hair.

She wore head bands, and pony tails.

She wore casual work clothes, since she also

Dashed to work after school.

Her sibblings were glad Ella liked it there...

For their parents needed at least someone to help.

If Ella volunteered it got them off the hook.

It was easier that way for a simple truth.

Sometimes, she just felt like the oddball with them.

She was so different they would tease her and call her adopted.

So, she centered her life with her amazing parents.

It's pretty obvious her parents loved all things pastry.

They even named the quads after pastries.

They had the best bakery in the whole county.

People drove for hours to taste their famous brownies.

Ella spent a lot of time working the bakery; as, she shared the

same love of all things pastry.

She loved them.

And,  they loved Ella very much.

Now, Derrick and Danish love to eat the baked goods.

But, their hearts were more in racing cars and computers.

And Blondie and Cupcake avoided pastries to stay skinny.

They loved fashion...online shopping...cheerleading...and texting.

With all those activities their life was full.

Let Ella help their parents.

Maybe the quads would have spent more time with their parents

If they knew how precious time can be.

It's a truth Ella seemed to be born with.

And, so of the five. She had no regrets.

For, one very sad night the phone rang.

And, these five kids would be forever changed.

Ring.,.ring....ring.

"Hello" answered Cupcake.

"No....no...no..." she droped the phone.

"What? What's going on?" Asked  the other four.

"It's mom and dad...their gone." Sobbed Cupcake.

Shock...despair...confusion climbed up their stomach into their throat.

The quads remained in silence. However, Ella ran out the door.

She had to prove them wrong.

Her parents weren't gone.

It's all been a terrible misunderstanding.

She ran straight to umbrella alley.

She kept telling herself it's not real.

I know if I go there mom and dad are going to meet me at our special place.

I'm going there...
They will meet me at Umbrella Alley as they've  always done.

But, she waited in vain for hours; They never showed.

Yes, in that moment Ella felt grief like she never felt before.

She didn't go into the future and worry about tomorrow.

Today, had enough woes.

Perhaps it's good she didn't worry about tomorrow's trials.

The new reality was Ella was more alone than she ever was before.

There was not a single sibbling or neighbor who came for her that evening.

So, she laid on the ground...and wept bitterly.

And, then beneath the stars...beneath the umbrellas Ella slept ;

She was Hoping for just one more glimpse of her parents in her dreams.