Elsie & Ethan are back :)

Dear readers,

Hope you're all OK and are enjoying the beginning of the Spring...:)
I apologize for not writing sooner but I had (still have) a lot on my mind lately.

So, today, another extract on Elsie &Ethan's adventures, hope you still like it ;-)
Last time, we left them, Elsie had Ned visiting and Ethan nursing (or he will be) a hangover...

And now...

'So here we are on the different objectives we had previously...' the voice was closed but also seemed far away. Ethan hide a groan. Man, if I'm not dead before this presentation is over, it'll be a miracle! His hangover was indeed still there from the previous evening. The aspirin taken earlier had yet to take effect. He moved in his seat, trying to focus on what Miles, his colleague, was explaining. Usually, he'd found it interesting but today, it sounded like gibberish. Or something very dull. But he'd to set the examples and appear as if it was interesting. Easier to say than done...Ethan glanced at the window briefly. A whole other world...people coming and going in the street, cars, buses...
'....don't you agree, Ethan?'

He froze, as he finally registered his name had been called. Oh bugger! Ethan cleared his throat, trying to buy himself some time.

'Don't I agree?' Ethan repeated.
'Yes...' Miles replied. 'So?' He's not going to help me, is he? I'm on my own, aren't I?
'Um, I...I'm not sure exactly...'
'Oh. Why?'
'Well, um, I have think it over first...before I-we make a decision'
'Really?'
'Is there a problem?' Ethan frowned, looking Miles directly. 'When in doubt, always stand on your own two feet...and don't back down, otherwise your opponent is going to think you're a fool..' a famous sentence from his late grandpa. One he'd never forget...and seemed rather useful at the moment, even though Ethan wasn't so sure...
A few minutes or a few seconds (it could have been more) passed, and Ethan thought he was going to admit forfeit as Miles seemed perfectly capable and handling the situation, yet...

Miles looked away first. He cleared his throat. 'No, no problem. Take all the time you need. OK, next'
Ethan couldn't believe it. Thanks Grandpa! He hide a smile, as the rest of the meeting went on...

A few days later,

Different. Different can be good, right? There was no rules against it. It meant change. It could also mean a fresh start. If that was the case, why was she plagued by doubts ever since Ned's last visit? Why did his words sounded false? Elsie groaned, putting away her book. I'm going crazy. It probably means nothing anyway. Ned was just being...Ned. Kind and affectionate and thoughtful. It seems he wanted to make things work between them. Except...

'Elsie?' Came her mother's voice.  Oh boy, what now? Elsie wondered. 'We have a problem'
'What problem?' Elsie asked, as patiently as she could.
'This flat, it cannot continue like this!'
'Oh?' A flicker of hope appeared in Elsie's heart. Could it be?
'This isn't possible anymore' Could her mother realize it was time to go back to her dad?
'Um, what do you mean?'
'It's not going to work...this situation'
'OK...well, if you want to g-'
'This flat is a deathtrap! It's not safe!'
I should have known better than to hope. I should have known taking her in would mean she would never ever leave! Elsie wanted to scream.
'My flat is safe, Mum'
'No, it's not! It needs...babyproofing if you still call it like that these days'
'We do and Ned said-'
'I don't care what Ned said...you shouldn't trust men, didn't I teach you that, already?'
'Um...'
'Never trust a man that takes you for granted, let me tell you!'
Oh boy, here we go again...Elsie braced herself for another lecture.

                                                               *****
So, if I were a very important file, where would I be? Ethan looked around, once more. Not like  he hadn't been looking for the past hour but there you go. Actually, it wasn't only this hour, it had been going on for a while now and something, whether people realized it or not, was different. His office looked different. What was a usually well oiled machine, didn't look like one anymore. More like a rusty one. Damn it! Ethan swore. I'm pretty clever, usually, so why can't I figure it out? What's missing?

                                                             ******
Elsie closed the door of her appartement behind her. Enough. She needed to take her life back before it was too late...
To be continued....
Take care and see you soon for another article. Thank you again for following me and my stories :) xxx