(Complete) Joe Walch was in love with the girl of his dreams. Everything was perfect until it all changed...
Ella Burke had a wonderful family, a job she loved and a man she was completely in love with until her dreams were shattered.
Can Ella lear...
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When Joe told Ella about his visit with her father she didn't know whether to kiss him or to cry. "What did he say?"
"He listened and it went the way I expected until I blamed him for being the one making you unhappy."
"You did?" It was true. Although she had been desperately trying to hide it, Joe hadn't bought it.
"El, you should have gone with your family to church."
She had considered it, but the truth was she didn't want to be reminded of the time when they lost her grandfather. She had missed Joe so much the loss had almost done her in. She was at her lowest when she called Joe, and he told her he would always love her. She didn't admit it to herself, but she believed he would come back.
"I want to be with you, so until you're welcome."
"Your father will never accept me." Joe moaned.
Ella felt optimistic. "We shouldn't underestimate the power of Julie Burke."
On Saturday night, Ava and Tony came to see Ella perform. Joe stayed home, because Caleb's social life worried him. Ella agreed to one drink at the bar next to the venue but wanted to go home and crawl in bed with Joe.
Ava started right away. "I was scolded like a child and it was your fault."
Ella sighed, "Everything is my fault. Soon I'll be blamed for climate change and the drop in vaccination rates."
Tony said, "Aunt Clare mentioned something called Fifth's Disease making its way around the elementary school. Bridget had it and she's worried about her pregnant patients."
Ava smiled at him. "You paid attention to our conversation."
"I had to. I'm behind the curve on all your medical jargon. I need to catch up."
They were sickeningly sweet. She didn't think she and Joe were, but Caleb definitely did. Ella said, "I never bothered. They drone on and on and I ignore them or talk to the kids."
"I was trying to tell you about dad." Ava complained.
"Right. So what did I do?"
"Because he's in a mood over you, I got yelled at for staying at Tony's. I couldn't tell him I was at your apartment. It would have just made it worse."
Tony said, "Uncle Michael told me that Clare put up a sign warning not to poke the bear."
Ella felt responsible. "The only kind of bear he used to be was a teddy bear."
Ava sighed. "He still is. He's just wearing a grizzly bear costume. I heard them talking."
"Who?" Ella was curious.
"Mom and Dad. It was after he yelled at me. He told her how much easier things were when we were little. Mom laughed and said only because he came home and played with us and cuddled with a storybook. She had to deal with fights and tears and drama."
