Addicted To Greed Page 11

  “I’ll give you a penny for your thoughts Ella!”

  Ella soon snapped out of the past and replied playfully, “You couldn’t afford them, they’d cost you millions!” “Glad this love business hasn’t taken away your sense of humor; I was worried for a moment that you’re on the way to getting all serious and boring!”

  They engaged in conversation, debating on what Ella should wear. Destiny opened the top compartment of her suitcase and Ella gasped in disbelief as she laid eyes on every possible accessory for any occasion.

  Destiny handed over a small gift wrapped box, “This is my surprise for you, go ahead and open it!” Ella couldn’t believe her eyes upon opening the gift wrap revealing a small green leather box. Opening the box gently she gasped breathlessly, they were the daintiest diamond earrings she had ever seen.

  “I can’t possible accept these, they are far too extravagant a gift!” “ Nonsense, I was holding out for your birthday next month, but couldn’t any longer, as now you have the perfect occasion to wear them. They’ll bring you luck and I’m not going to face the embarrassment of returning them, there yours and if you don’t accept them, I’ll be deeply offended!”

  Ella looked directly into Destiny’s eyes realising she was adamant, it was pointless arguing with her little sis, as she could be so stubborn, and Ella knew that she meant it well.

  “These are the best gift I’ve ever received. I’ll treasure them, thank you so much sis!” Ella couldn’t contain her excitement, she put them straight into her pierced ears, and they looked beautiful. After talking endlessly all morning and afternoon, about their mother, father, and Chase and the heartache they both shared for their mother and Chase in the absence of their selfish father, Destiny reached for her bag.

  “It’s time I was going, I can’t miss my nail appointment and besides I’m sure you’ll find the perfect outfit, now we’ve rearranged the entire contents of your closet. Remember don’t forget to accessorize!”

  “No problem D estiny, how could I forget, you’ve left me all the accessories any woman could ever dream of. I had no idea you had so much, you lucky thing. Good luck with your nails, what weird and wonderful colour are you experimenting with today?”

  “Not sure yet thinking about a deep metallic purple, or maybe even black with silver sequences.” They both exchanged hugs and said their goodbyes. Ella assured Destiny that she’d be the first to know how her date goes with Ian.

  With much deliberation Ella settled for her black lace evening dress as it hid a multitude of sins, making her waist look tiny and her legs long and lean, flesh colored satin tights, as they were all the craze in the nineties, no girl or women was without them and her sequenced black ballerina pumps as she recalled that she was a few inches taller than Ian and they wouldn’t add to her height. She applied minimal make up with the lightest shade of fuchsia pink lipstick, black mascara to accentuate the great length of her eyelashes. In Destiny’s dreamy accessory case, she opted for a green Esmeralda facet ring, a necklace with the daintiest green sparkle. Once finished she admired her silhouette in her oversized full length mirror, happy with the final result. She felt and looked amazing, stunning in fact, without been over the top, now all she had to do was wait for her prince charming and not over indulge into her third glass of wine, as she was already feeling a little tipsy, it had clearly settled her nerves although she couldn’t stop the butterflies in her lower stomach.

  When Ian finally arrived it was a few minutes past seven thirty, it felt like a lifetime of waiting, those extra two minutes feeling like decades. Ian dressed in a dark slim fit Gucci suit, with a tint of green undershirt; he looked so much more hansom than she had remembered. Ian then led her to his car engaging in small talk, both in agreement that they would go to the exclusive Biennium Oyster Bar, as they were both avid seafood lovers.

  The setting of the bar itself seemed informal, with tiles and pictures depicting great races of the past, the mood there was so relaxed, luxurious without been pretentious. Ella instantly felt her nerves beginning to fade, or was it the atheistic effect of the wine she drank earlier, she wasn’t sure but she wasn’t going to waste her time pondering on it, while she was in the wonderfully mysterious presence of Ian.

  Ian excused himself poli tely to go to the little boy’s room, she couldn’t help checking out his manly walk, and especially the way he held his broad masculine shoulders. Taking both menus from the waiter, she began searching through the champagne and wine lists, when Ian returned, he gave her his killer watt smile, instead of taking the seat opposite her, he took the one next to her, she was pleasantly surprised, he clearly hadn’t any intimacy issues, she liked a man sure of himself. Ian didn’t even bother to take his menu; they both shared just one agreeing on a bottle of vintage Dom Perignon and sharing a starter of hummus and aubergine with pitta bread. They both hit if off again immediately, sometimes fighting for the next

  conversation.

  After their first date they became pretty much inseparable and realised after just three weeks that they’d fallen head over heels in love with each other, within four weeks Ian had moved in with Ella and to her surprise she fell pregnant within two months of meeting him, much to her mothers and fathers

  disappointment. Her father never approved of Ian as Ian didn’t work for a living and lived off his moderately rich parents. Although Ian was highly educated, he wasn’t interested in working; a concept Ella’s father never agreed on and pointed out each and every time they spoke. Her mother hid her disapproval well, but Ella sensed it and then there was Destiny in complete and utter shock, but with an overwhelming excitement on the prospect of been an aunty.

  Eight months into her pregnancy and Ian announced that he´d been offered a job as he was keen to support her and their baby but it was over four hundred miles away, which meant he was only home on weekends, arguing that the money was so spectacular he couldn’t possibly turn it down. Ella reluctantly agreed, knowing her maternity pay from the wedding boutique would run out in a month’s time and was far too proud to ask her father for any financial help as she had turned out to be such a disappointment to him and she could no longer rely on her mother’s weekly handouts forever. It was time to show them she could do this without them whilst Ian would become the main provider, then they may think differently of him. She was so desperate for her parent’s approval; she never once stopped to ask herself why? It wasn’t like she showed her father any disapproval on his new wife, in whom was eighteen years his junior, she wouldn’t have dared to show any disrespect, but she secretly hated the woman with a passion for taking their father away from them.

  Ian began settling into his new job, in the four weeks she had left of her pregnancy, she spent most of the time cleaning and decorating the spare room into a nursery for their new and exciting bundle. After seventeen hours of painful excruciating hours of labor Ella’s beautiful son Broody Pearson, came in to the world weighing in at a massive 10lbs. Ella felt an overwhelming sense of emotions for this tiny little person, new into this world, love, protection, and a deep maternal bond that would never break. Ian couldn’t be there for his son’s arrival, and missed the life changing experience, due to his work commitments, but Ella had her mother there as well as Destiny and Chase for all the moral support she needed. Her mother never once left her bedside, she was the first to hold her first new grandchild and was completely smitten with him, it was hard for her to let go of him and return him unless it was for his feeds. Destiny wouldn’t keep her eyes away from him, always in need of a hold of him; she didn’t really get much of a look-in with Ella and their mother. Chase was over the moon that he was a boy vowing to teach him football and karate, Chase, no longer a boy himself just turning eighteen.

  “I am going to make sure that he never has to worry if his father isn’t around because I’m gonna to be the best uncle yet. I want him to know I’ll always be there for him all his life!”

  It wasn’t often Chase had a lot to say about anything a
nd their mother, Destiny and Ella all exchanged sad glances to one another, knowing Chase had a number of issues with his father or to be very blunt lack of one, that he was still coming to terms with.

  Four days passed in a whirl and Ella was taken home with little Broody, all ready to leave the hospital, health checks had been satisfied she was then introduced to their new midwife, who would in turn visit them both each week. Destiny drove Ella home, she was so excited that she would have some quality time her little man, no more doctors and nurses poking and prodding them with their unfriendly instruments, she was also looking forward to seeing her big man, who would be home early the same evening.

  Upon the opening of her the apartment door, she noticed things were missing, the television set wasn’t in its familiar haunt, no sign of the stacked music system, that had been a gift from Ian’s parents a few months back. Ella couldn’t help but thinking that this must be Ian’s idea of a practical joke, or simply Ian wanting to re-arrange the apartment on her and Broody´s return as a surprise? If so, how thoughtful! Then her eyes stumbled upon what seemed to be a sealed envelope addressed to her with Ian’s handwriting on it, Destiny also noticed, they both stared at each other with a confused expression and wide eyes. Destiny reached out and took hold of Broody carrying him into his fab new brightly coloured nursery sensing Ella’s need for privacy.

  Ella could feel her heart thudding through her rib cage, what in the hell was all this? With an overwhelming desire to find out she ripped open the envelope, revealing just one page of Ian’s neat slightly swerved handwriting:

  Dear Ella, Please forgive me, I can’t handle the thought of been a father, I don’t feel ready! It wasn’t my job that kept me from coming home or to the birth, it was me, I was so desperately scared and couldn’t face it. For a while now I have felt things have moved at an alarming rate between us and I’ve never summed up the courage to tell you until now. There was no job, I am so sorry, I spent the last four weekends at home with my family, plucking up the courage to let you know I am not ready for fatherhood and I don’t think I’ll ever be. Jesus, I can’t even sort my own sad miserable existence out. My parents have been very supportive and have offered to give you a monthly allowance to cover all the baby costs as you’re aware of my financial situation.

  Please accept my apologies, it was never my intention to hurt you or the baby, I still have feelings for you but not enough to carry on with this charade. I have taken my television and stereo back as I need them.

  Its better you and the baby forget about me, I have nothing to offer you both, feel free to contact my parents regarding money. A thousand apologies

  Ian Ella couldn’t believe her eyes; she re-read his letter over and over again. Destiny offered her shoulder to cry on that’s what she did for what seemed an eternity.

  ♣ Ella now looks into the same eyes of Ian in her eldest son, at the tender age of thirteen, and quite often a lump comes to the back of her throat, never been able to imagine what her life would be like without him in it. It’s amazing how the years can fly by and how you learn to deal with things, she never heard from Ian again and never contacted his family for any money; likewise they never contacted her to see their grandchild. It was as though Ian and his family had forgotten about them; they ceased to exist in the world of the Dumbridge´s.

  Chase stuck to his word and never left Broody alone, Ella was so grateful for this Chase would never know how much and vowed to herself that if Chase was ever to have any children of his own, she´d make sure she´d be the best aunty in the world.

  Ella was suddenly brought back to the present; she placed a call to Wallace’s office and left him a voicemail, asking him to recommend a real estate agent. Ella knew it was time for a change to move on, try and forget the past, move on into the future. She couldn’t help feeling a renewed sense of herself as the money was opening up a world she´d felt quite alienated from until now. What the hell was she going to do with all her money?

  Chapter 7

  “Good Morning Ella, How are you dear?”

  Ella immediately recognised the friendly voice of Mr Wallace on the other end of the telephone.

  “I’m great thanks Mr Wallace and yourself? Did you get my voicemail?” “Yes dear, I am very well thank s, and yes I did get your voice mail. Why on earth you don’t call me at home is beyond me, Margret would love to hear from you Ella!”

  “I don’t like to intrude, I figure if its business, it should stay in business hours!”

  “You’re just too polite for your own good kiddo. Well I guess your father would have approved.”

  As soon as they exchanged pleasantries, it was straight down to business. “I’ve some good I have contacted a close colleague of mine here at Wallace & Brothers, regarding real estate, with whom I have spoken with on your behalf, explaining you’re interested in buying a modest house for you and your children. The name of the property consultants is Strut & Barker, very reputable firm, I have done my research on the firm, I won’t bother you with the history, however I have to say I am very impressed!”

  “Wow ! Thanks Mr Wallace.”

  “Please Ella dear call me Anthony, I hate to use formalities with friends.”

  “Okay I’ll try not to forget for next time!” “I have setup a meeting for you with a chap called Frank Chapman for ten o clock this morning, at Strut & Brothers if it’s convenient for you? I know its a little short notice, however it’s the only slot he has available until next month and I know you’re keen to find an appropriate home sooner rather than later.”

  Ella couldn’t hide her excitement any longer and replied without thinking, “Yeah of course I´ll attend.” Hoping she could get hold of Mrs Walsh in time.

  Wallace gave her the address, contact details and directions on where to find them offering to also attend to discuss any legality that maybe covered, free of charge as it would be a privilege in honor of her late father. Ella was rather touched by his gesture and agreed, after all she needed all the guidance of a solicitor she knew and could trust, before she could embark on owning her very own property.

  It didn’t take much persuading for Mrs Walsh to come over to look after Anna, much to her relief for a few hours, getting the boys off to school was the hardest, since she told them of the money that was left they were nagging her constantly to skip school and go shopping with her for the day. She couldn’t help but kick herself for been so honest to the boys and wondered if she had done the right thing, she could hardly keep up with their daily demands for new things and knew she would eventually have to be firm and say no, this would be the hardest part as she knew overly spoiling them wasn’t the best for them as she wanted then to learn the value of money.

  Mrs Walsh arrived, placing her handbag down on the table to relieve Ella of Anna, who was just starting to dose off after her bottle.

  “Good morning Ella my dear, you look radiant and bright, do you have a date?”

  “Thanks, no not a date, Mrs Walsh but a very important appointment with a contact from Strut & brothers!”

  Ella forgot she hadn’t told Mrs Walsh of her plan to move judging by the surprised expression on Mrs Walsh’s face. Mrs Walsh could see that Ella was in a mad rush and decided not to pry any further as it wasn’t really any of her business. “I will tell all when I get back, it could be a little over two hours, at the most, hope that’s ok?” “Not a problem, take the whole day and enjoy it, Mr Walsh is doing some overtime, I don’t expect him home until after eight thirty, and I am looking forward to seeing the boys after school, thought I could treat them with one of my goulashes with dumplings!”

  “Oh Mrs Walsh that would be great, some decent home cooked food! It’s just what we all need after indulging in too many take outs recently.”

  Ella gave Anna a quick kiss on her cheek and praised Mrs Walsh for being a gem and quietly made her way out not to wake Anna. Strut & Brothers wasn’t the easiest property consultants to find, situated in the remote outskirts of Beckwith, with l
arge beautiful Victorian houses, hidden away by a vast array of oak and cherry and blossom trees. Ella was beginning to feel a little out of her depth here driving in her ten year old little Peugeot, she couldn’t bring herself to replace, since it was her eighteenth birthday present from her parents all those years ago, it held far too much sentimental value for her to consider getting rid of it just yet. She couldn’t help laughing out loud at the irony of the situation, here she was going to buy a multimillion house and she was still roaming around in a beat up old banger, which was definitely on its last legs.

  Ella vowed years ago in her late teens that if she ever won the lottery of inherited a load of cash that she wouldn’t let it change her, she would still work for a living, carry on as normal forget it, insistent on investing it to make her more money for her future and retirement, so she could enjoy it in her mature years, setting up trust funds for any children she may have had, a very wise teenage notion that she was proud of until she grew up and entered the real world. Here she was outside Strut & Brothers she found herself with a sudden attack of the good old butterflies.

  The first thing she noticed when she entered Strut & Brothers was the wall to wall oak wood paneling and floors, the light scent of lemon polish, it was like walking into another century, the desk clerks behind the reception were all smartly dressed in navy tailored suits. The women were wearing pretty embodied white neck ties, whilst the men were wearing crisp conventional thick white ties. What struck Ella as truly fascinating was that all the staff seemed to have identical perfect smiles; the whiteness of their teeth matched their uniform whites; if she didn’t know better she´d have thought she was entering a very exclusive cosmetic dentistry practice for the rich and famous.