Chapter 4 Ella's ejection from home

Ella bent, sweeping the floor of the bar of Bentley guest house, an upright lobby broom held firmly to her fists as she swept. She did the sweepings so well as though she was born to it. The right-hand sleeve of the puffer coat she wore that she earlier rolled to her arm to enable her to sweep well has loosened back to her wrist; she dropped the broom on the linoleum floor, rolled back the sleeve to her arm, and continued with the sweep. She woke up earlier than 7 am today to clean the guest house.

She stopped sweeping and took an enormous sigh as she sluggishly ambled to a stainless steel imperial leatherette bar chair. Reluctantly, she sat on it, exhausted already. She recalled what had brought her to Betley's guest house in Denver.

****

Three weeks ago

"You, this shameless girl, after I have watched over you for the past eleven years, all you could do is cause me shame by getting pregnant to a fucking-ass hole fellow," her aunt, Helga Max, raged. Her chubby body flung over her mini apartment as she tosses left and right at the apartment's porch. Ella was on the porcelain cobblestone floor sobbing profusely as she clutched to a black duffel bag where she had put all her belongings after they were flung out of her room by her aunt.

"Aunt, don't do this to me; I don't have anywhere to go," she cried and pleaded, rolling on the cobblestone floor. Miranda, the daughter of her aunt, also flared up as she perambulated on the porch; she became pissed off by the sight of the tears that flew down Ella's face.

"What crocodile tears are you shedding, you bitch and prostitute! Get out of our home; we don't want to harbor an ungrateful soul anymore; take your miserable pregnancy elsewhere," she cursed, kicking the black duffel bag with her feet.

An ocean of tears covered Ella's eyes. Her face and eyeballs turned red, her cheeks turned pink and bloated, and her eyelashes covered her iris with tears. She sluggishly crawled to her aunt as she held her legs tight with her hands.

"Aunt, don't do this to me; I have no one, no family except you; if you do this to me, I am ruined, totally ruined!" she muttered, weeping copiously.

Helga bent to her and patted Ella on the shoulder. Ella bows down, sobbing on her feet. She uses her hands to support her back like she wants to help her stand on her feet. She lifts her head with her hands to make it stand firm. Ella keeps weeping, believing Helga has heard her plea and wants to help her stand.

Miranda stood still, shocked by the sight of what her mum was doing to Ella. She thought her mum had forgiven Ella.

"Mum, what are you doing?" She yelled, questioning her mum.

Helga helped Ella to her knees, and she was about to stand on her feet when her right palm landed thunderously on her face, leaving the mark of her five fingers on Ella's face. Ella slumped on the floor as she wailed.

"To hell with you!" Helga stated, sauntered to open the door, and slammed it as she entered.

Miranda, whose all teeth are now out, laughed hectically at the sight of what just happened and moved close to Ella, where she stood still sobbing profusely with hands held to her face.

"I told you, you are looser," she sneered and guffawed, shuffled to open the door, and stood in the doorway with her terrible laughter.

"Bye for life," she mocked and slammed the door against Ella. Ella immediately struggled to get her body up, stood on her feet, and ran through the door, but Miranda had already locked it inside. She tried to open it, but it was to no avail. Then, she bangs on the door, calling out to Helga and Miranda.

"Aunt Miranda! Open the door, please. Where do I sleep tonight? Let me stay for the night, please." She pleaded, but to no avail; the door did not open. After a while, as she couldn't stay and sleep on the porch, she took her duffel bag and trekked to Rita's abode.

****

Ella jerked when he felt a soft tap on her shoulder. She was lost in thought and didn't know when Annabel walked closer to her.

"What are you brooding about to the extent that you didn't hear my footsteps?" Annabel asked her.

She looked exhausted, and her voice was timid as she replied.

"Nothing, Annabel, I am alright; when did you come? I didn't hear the gate open," Ella asked.

"When you are lost in thoughts, how will you know?" Annabel sneered.

Annabel held firmly in her hand a melamine plate of catfish and chips and some cabbages slightly chopped on top of the catfish. She placed it on the bistro table close to Ella's seat.

"I want to get something at the store. I will be back in an instant," Annabel replied and started walking out of the bar without allowing Ella to utter a word. Ella was speechless as she sat on a stainless steel imperial leatherette bar chair, gawking helplessly and staring intensely at the melamine plate on the bistro table. She signed heavily and paved the way for her dried throat as she finally mumbled.

"Thank you, Annabel

Annabel twinkled her raised right hand to Ella to indicate that she shouldn't bother thanking her as she dashed out of the bar. Ella couldn't take her eyes off her until she evaporated out of her sight.