Love's Autograph (11 page)

The next day she was awakened by the vibration of her phone. It was 3:00 p.m. and the sun was shining into her bedroom. She had stayed up most of the night recording music and writing songs.

She slid open her phone screen. There was a picture from Ria. It was a pile of papers spread
out on her counter. Chords were drawn all over the paper.

Ria's
text read,
This is what Maggie was doing in school all day instead of work and skill building. You're in trouble, Miss Ellie.

Ellie replied
,
Einstein was known to do equations during gym class.

Ria asked
,
You're summoned for dinner tonight. Make it?

Menu?

Ria said,
My favorite Puerto Rican Dish. At 6.

Ellie texted,
Already there.

Great see you then.

Ellie said,
Ria, YOU woke ME up this time.

Ria texted,
Payback is a bitch.

Ellie smiled as she slid the phone screen
closed. Ellie jumped in the shower and then got dressed. She heard a knock at the door. She looked out the peep hole and saw Robert. She opened the door and he barged into the kitchen.

“
We alone?” he asked.

“
Good morning to you too,” Ellie said.

“
EJ, it's almost four,” Robert said. “I worry about you.”

“
No you don't. What's up?”

“
I'm here to accompany you to the photo shoot,” Robert said as he opened Ellie's fridge and pulled out a water.

“
Help yourself,” Ellie said sarcastically. “What? A photo shoot today?” Ellie pulled open her phone and saw the photo shoot in her calendar. “Reschedule.”

“
No, no can do. Let's go. They have wardrobe there. We have over twenty models waiting.”

Ellie answered,
“Ugh, I have to be done by dinner.”

“
We'll order in just like always,” Robert answered.

“
I have plans for dinner,” Ellie said. “This has to be quick.”

“
As quick as can be,” Robert answered.

“
Yeah, right, it usually takes seven hours,” Ellie said.

Ellie texted Ria,
So sorry. I forgot, I have a photo shoot. Hopefully over by 7, not sure though. Rain check?

Ria answered
,
Sure, but Maggie is a little disappointed.

Ellie said
,
Tell her I'm so sorry, please. I would rather be with you guys. I was looking fwd to it.

Ria texted,
Yes, okay.

Ellie's photo shoot was done by a slow and picky photographer. It didn’t end until midnight. Ellie and Ria scheduled for Ellie to come by for breakfast the next morning. Ellie arrived at the door with flowers in one hand and music books under her arm.

Ellie knocked on the door, and for a change Ria
, instead of Maggie, answered it. Ria was wearing a maroon t-shirt and blue-jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Ellie was speechless and stared at Ria. The smell of wonderful food wafted its way to Ellie
.

“
Hi, Ellie,” Ria greeted her.

“
Hi,” Ellie said.

Ria motioned her head toward the bedroom,
“She hasn't come out yet today.”

“
Oh,” Ellie said. “Anything I can do? I brought her some music books.”

“
I don't know Ellie. When she gets like this, I find it’s best not to push her,” Ria answered.

“
Oh, okay.” Ellie shifted in her stance and then remembered the flowers in her other hand. “This time for you, not your date.”

“
Thanks, these are great. Thank you,” Ria said as she accepted the flowers. “You didn't have to. You shouldn't feel guilty about last night. Things happen.”

Ellie said,
“I don't. Well, I do. You need to know, I'd much rather have been here.”

“
It was that bad, huh?” Ria said as she walked over to the kitchen, put the flowers down and stirred something on the stove.

“
No, it was okay. It’s only that being with you guys is simply amazing,” Ellie said as she walked over to the kitchen and leaned against the island opposite Ria. There was a long silence.

“
Uh huh. Can you put the flowers in water?” Ria handed Ellie a pair of scissor and a vase.

“
Yeah, I'm sorry. I tried to get out of the photo shoot, but my manager wouldn't let me. We had already booked the venue and the crew,” Ellie said.

“
It’s fine Ellie. We're not that exciting I know,” Ria said as she kept stirring something on the stove. Ellie slowly cut the stems of the flowers, and tried to muster up something else to say.

Ellie asked,
“Why can't you realize it's fun and nice for someone, for me, to spend time with you two?”

“
So nice that you didn't come last night?” Ria asked.

“
That had nothing to do with… I thought that you said not to feel guilty?” Ellie said.

“
I know. I just... First you can't come to dinner. Then Maggie gets all upset, and then Gwen doesn't have that much time for me. She's busy with work. I'm busy with work.”

“
Oh, sorry,” Ellie said.

Ria sighed and then said,
“Let's forget about it and have a good breakfast. I’m cooking my special omelet recipe with spicy sausage.”

Ellie said,
“Sounds great, and I'm really sorry for last night.”

“
Okay, let's just have an enjoyable breakfast,” Ria said as she mustered up a smile. Ellie's chest tightened and she took a couple of deep breaths.

“
Breakfast is ready!” Ria called. Ria and Ellie sat at the table and began to eat the omelets. There was a third plate sitting on the table for Maggie. Maggie trudged to the table.

“
Hey, Maggie,” Ellie greeted.

“
I'm coming out to breakfast, but I'm choosing to do a silent breakfast,” Maggie said.

“
Okay Maggie, be polite,” Ria said. Maggie wouldn’t look at Ellie. Ellie’s heart sank.

“
So Ellie, what are you doing this week?” Ria said. Ellie heard Maggie mumble something.

“
Maggie, remember if you're going to say something, you need to make sure others can hear it. But first make sure it's only appropriate things,” Ria whispered to Maggie.

“
Well, I'm going to be getting ready for some concerts. That's about it.” Maggie started to move her omelet around her plate quickly. Ria looked over at Maggie and back at Ellie.

“
How's your omelet?” Ria asked.

“
It's delicious. It has to be the best omelet that I've ever had,” Ellie answered.

“
What? Wait, no hot sauce? You have to,” Ria said as she shook the bottle over Ellie's plate. “Now, perfection.”

“
Why are you being so nice to her?” Maggie asked Ria.

“
Maggie, Ellie is our friend. Let's be polite,” Ria answered. Maggie glared at Ellie and kept eating.

“
If this is about having to cancel last night, I'm sorry,” Ellie said. “You can talk to me about it.”

“
Eighteen,” Maggie said.

“
What?” Ellie asked.

“
I said silent breakfast and you spoke nineteen words to me,” Maggie said.

“
Oh,” Ellie looked to Ria for help.

“
Now, twenty words!” Maggie yelled. “And twenty chords that I learned on your stupid guitar. You didn't even ask.”

“
I'm sure she would've asked if you hadn’t said it had to be silent,” Ria said. Maggie consumed forkfuls of her omelet, and gulped down her orange juice.

“
Excused?” Maggie asked. Ria nodded. Maggie walked back to her room and closed the bedroom door.

“
What no slamming of the door?” Ellie looked to Ria. “Any other kid would've slammed the door.”

“
She's anything but typical. I'm sorry about how she acted,” Ria said. “Unpredictability is hard for her. You can't tell her anything unless it's definite.”

“
Again, I'm sorry, and don't worry about the way she acted toward me. How can I help?” Ellie asked.

“
Time. Give her some time,” Ria answered. They ate breakfast as they made some small talk. Ellie insisted on cleaning up as Ria sat on the counter a few feet away.

Ellie finished the dishes and Ria said,
“Hey, I got you something,” Ria walked to a pile of bags in the living room. Ellie followed and sat on the couch.

“
What? It's not my birthday,” Ellie said.

“
How would I know when it was anyway? You're a secret pirate,” Ria laughed.

“
April ninth,” Ellie answered.

“
Well, happy belated or early birthday.” Ria handed her a blue bag.

Ellie pulled out a blue button shirt.
“I think it will look great with your eyes.”

Ellie held it to herself,
“Thanks, this is really nice.” Ellie glanced at the shirt and then back at Ria and smiled.

“
When I'm stressed I shop and I end up buying for everyone and their mother,” Ria said.

“
Everyone?” Ellie asked as she raised her eyebrow.

“
Well, you and some other people,” Ria said.

“
What did you get Gwen?” Ellie hated to ask. “Or is it private?” Ellie laughed.

“
Um, no, I didn't get her anything,” Ria said. “She's extremely picky. She probably wouldn't wear anything I bought her. You should see the shirts she wears. One costs more than my whole wardrobe costs.”

“
Well you can dress or undress me any day,” Ellie said as she winked at Ria. Ria threw a couch pillow at her. “Seriously, you have great taste.” Ria grabbed the remote and surfed the channels.

“
What are you stressed about?” Ellie asked.

Ria asked,
“How did you know that I was stressed?”

“
You said that when you're stressed you shop,” Ellie said.

“
Oh, I'm just stressed over work stuff, Gwen and our new relationship, and, as always, over Maggie,” Ria said.

“
Everything going okay with Maggie?” Ellie asked.

“
She's so fragile,” Ria said. “She's not strong enough to deal with all the things going on and I don't know how to make her stronger.”

“
Do you want my opinion?” Ellie asked.

“
Sure,” Ria said.

“
Well, you're her mother, but as I see it Maggie is perfect,” Ellie began to raise her voice. “Instead of her adjusting to the world, I think the world needs to adjust to her.” Ellie's eyes filled with tears and Ria stared into her eyes. They held each others' gaze for what seemed liked minutes.

“
You okay?” Ria asked.

“
Yes,” Ellie said. “I think about her a lot. I wonder what it's like seeing the world through her eyes. I hope every day that kids don't make fun of her. I know that they probably do. I wish I could be with her every second of the day,” Ellie stopped as she looked up at Ria. Ria's head was tilted to the left and her mouth was open. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”

“
You're right,” Ria said. “All this time, I was part of that. I was trying to find a way for Maggie to fit into all these environments. I keep holding out that she'll change and be normal. You're right. I'm trying to put a dove in a hawk’s cage.”

“
Totally,” Ellie said.

“
Thank you. Wow, you're amazing. How do you know all this?” Ria asked.

“
I don't know,” Ellie said. “I get her and I think Maggie gets me. It kills me that she's mad at me right now.”

“
She'll come around. Do you have time to hang out? Or do you have to go?” Ria asked.

“
I have my whole day free,” Ellie answered.

“
Would you like to watch something?” Ria asked. Ellie gazed at her face and Ria’s eyes seemed to twinkle in this light. “Well?” Ria repeated as she locked eyes with Ellie. A sharp jolt of butterflies shot through Ellie's chest.

“
Oh, I don't care,” Ellie said. “Whatever you'd like.”

“
This is a treat. I never get control over the remote,” Ria said. “Between Maggie and Faith,” Ria's voice trailed off.

“
Faith,” Ellie said. “You never said that name before. Tell me about her.”

“
Nothing to say,” Ria said as she kept flipping through the channels. “Nothing me and a highly paid therapist haven't already visited.” Ellie reached over and grabbed the remote.
Ria reluctantly but softly relinquished it. Ellie turned off the television.

“
So tell
me
,” Ellie said.

“
My ex-wife, Faith. We had been together since junior year in college. She was only my third girlfriend. She was gorgeous, smart, and my family loved her. I came out to my family when I was with her. Anyway, we got married and within a year I was pregnant. And within two months of Maggie being born, Faith was gone,” Ria said.

“
What happened?”

“
She said it was too much, too fast. Even though she was the one who proposed and she was the one pushing to have a baby,” Ria said. “She's married to some woman and living out in Ohio somewhere. She decided she didn't want anything to do with Maggie.”

“
You talk to her?” Ellie asked.

“
No,” Ria said.

“
Miss her?” Ellie asked. “You still have her picture.”

“
The only picture I have is in my—. You went into my drawers!” Ria stated.

Ellie answered,
“Oh, I was looking for clothes the night I slept over and saw it in your drawer.”

“
Miss Ellie, that's in my underwear drawer,” Ria said. “I'll have to count my underwear now.”

“
I only stole one pair,” Ellie said. “It was black and lacy.”

“
Couldn't have. I'm wearing that pair,” Ria said. Ellie's mind went to Ria's body in those black lacy panties. Ria was now staring into Ellie’s eyes.

“
I can't believe she left Maggie. I could never do that. So you didn't answer,” Ellie said. “Do you miss her?”

“
Yeah, I miss her still. She was originally from Boston. That's how we ended up here. I'm not a big fan of Boston. I hate the accent. Anyway, we settled here. I stayed because I was working at the hospital. I’m worried everyday that I'll run into her someday when she's back here visiting her family or friends.”

“
What would you do?”

“
No idea. I'm over her. Just miss her. Maybe I miss being with someone, the security. You know?” Ria said.

“
Yes,” Ellie answered as her gaze fixed behind Ria.

“
I feel like there is a story behind that ‘yes,’” Ria said.

“
Yes, I've had my heart broken. No warning and pretty humiliating,” Ellie said.