Saving Ella by Kirsty Dallas Page B

place burns down the insurance won’t cover us if we’re over our quota, and if my memory serves me correct, last night was a full house. So how did we end up with a plus one?” I rolled over to look at my mother. She still had her head buried in that damn paperwork.
                  “Eli and Sam put us over capacity weeks ago. And since when do you care about that shit anyway?” Finally she looked up and smiled. My mum was beautiful. She had blonde hair and grey eyes just like me, but she was tiny, like a doll, a defiant and determined doll. Nobody crossed Mercy. The fact that her heart was bigger than Texas made her as damn near perfection as anyone could get. I threw my legs over the side of the couch. I was way too big for it and the bed that I had dragged up from the basement for Ella wasn’t much better, but I rarely worked the night shifts anymore so when it came to uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, I dealt. My bed at home was a King, enormous and comfortable. I sighed just thinking about it and found myself wondering if Ella ever had a nice big comfy bed like that.
                  “You’ve been holding out on me Jax.” Curiosity got the better of me and I glanced over at my mother. She was holding the pictures that Ella had drawn last night.               “If I had of known I would have put you to work years ago. These would be hanging in galleries all over the world and we would be rich.” I couldn’t help but laugh. More likely they would be stuck to the front of her fridge, along with all the other pictures the kids who crossed our threshold gave her.
                  “Our plus one did them, pretty impressive huh?” The need to check on Ella was all consuming as I pulled on my boots.
                  “Impressive is one word. She’s talented. She shouldn’t be in here drawing with children’s crayons, that’s for sure.” I ran my hands threw my messy hair and tried to subtly check my morning breath.
                  “Yeah, you stink. I can smell you from over here.”
                  “I should, I lost my toothbrush again.” I grabbed a warm can of coke off the desk and had a swig.
                  “How the hell did you lose your toothbrush, again? And that’s disgusting Jax. Go home and cook yourself a decent breakfast.” I belched loudly. Yep, I was quite the catch.
                  “Now that’s impressive.” Mercy grunted. I made for the door.
                  “Body percussion, it’s an art form. I’m thinking of taking it up as a profession, and my toothbrush, beats me. One minute it’s in my locker, then it’s gone, vanished, disappeared into thin air.” Mercy scrunched up a letter and threw it in the bin.
                  “I know you were in my files again. Keep out or I will toss you out of here.” I couldn’t help but laugh again. My mother, all bark but no bite. “And no point in rushing out, she’s gone already.” Was I really that transparent? Was she really gone already?
                  “When?” I didn’t even bother refuting the fact I was in a hurry to check on Ella. Mercy looked up and smiled, that all knowing smile that infuriated me. I couldn’t keep a damn thing from the woman.
                  “She was at the door ready to leave when I got here. Something about working, finding share room accommodation.” I know the disappointment was written all over my face, and right then I didn’t care who saw it. “She’s pretty,” Mercy noted. My mother was far too perceptive for her own good. “She needs a bed and food Jax, not a date.” Did she really think I would go there? It pissed me off a little.
                  “I’m not a greenhorn Mercy. I know how to do my job and I’ve never gone there before, I wouldn’t.” Mercy smiled.
                  “I know honey.