Chapter Six

The crowd gathered in the grassy side-yard of Main Street Church was larger than anything Elle had ever seen after Sunday service.  Pastor Richey had a huge grin on his face as he mingled with his parishioners.  No doubt he considered the event a smashing success!  Considering all the people who were in attendance, he would be able to make a sizable donation to the local food pantry.

Everywhere Elle looked there was something going on.  Face painting.  Balloon art.  Ring toss.  Sand art.  Bobbing for apples. 

“This is crazy,” Elle said as she stood by the pie-eating contest table.  Never in her life had she seen people consume so much pie at one sitting.

“It’s for a good cause at least,” Regina said, chuckling. 

Regina had been Elle’s best friend in high school.  Although she’d moved away from Sugar Hollow, she still lived within a twenty-five-mile radius of town.  She’d come back today for the charity even to benefit the church.  As Pastor Richey’s daughter, Regina still supported all of his endeavors. 

Regina and Elle had never lost touch over the years.  Her friend had even visited her a few times in New York and attended some of her performances.  She had been incredibly supportive during her surgeries and recuperation.  Most importantly, Regina had prayed for her during the toughest time of her life.

Jonas waved at her from across the way.  He was standing with Zeb at the football toss game.  He flexed his arm muscle and made a goofy face, causing Elle to giggle at his silliness.

“So, what’s going on with the two of you?” Regina asked, her face lit up with interest.

“We’ve gone out on a few dates.  We’re taking it slow though and getting to know each other,” Elle explained.  “It feels good to be with someone solid.”

“He sure has changed since way back when,” Regina said with an appreciative smile.  “Who knew he was going to become such a hottie?”

Elle playfully nudged Regina.  “He’s way more than gorgeous.  Jonas is kind and smart and sensitive.  And he’s laid such a foundation for his future by owning the diner as well as his own home.”

Regina raised a brow.  “He sounds like the whole package.  Quite different than Sergei, huh?”

Just the mention of her ex-boyfriend’s name caused her heart to race.  Although she wasn’t still in love with him anymore, Elle was still a little wounded by their sudden break-up.  It never felt good to be dumped by someone you loved.  And they’d never really had any closure, other than a few tense phone calls.

Elle wrinkled her nose.  “Sergei is a completely different type of guy.  He thinks of himself first and foremost.”  She shook her head.  “I thought we loved each other, but as soon as my ballet world started crumbling, he was MIA.  And then he ended things.”

“Not the type of man you want for the long haul,” Regina noted.

“Nope, although it still hurt, me” Elle admitted.  Or should she say it still continued to hurt?  She wasn’t sure she’d gotten over the whole Sergei experience.  Some wounds took longer to heal than others. 

Regina patted her on the shoulder.  “Of course it hurts.  But one day it won’t.  And that’ll be the day when you know that you’ve moved past it.”

Elle grinned at her.  “When did you become so wise?”

Regina winked at her.  “I think it happened as a natural bi-product of being the pastor’s daughter.  Speaking of which, I think he’s beckoning me over.  I’ll be right back.” 

Elle decided to walk around the summer carnival for a few minutes.  It felt nice to see the joy etched on the faces of the children and the happy families enjoying the festivities.  It didn’t feel quite so awkward anymore to see old acquaintances.  She didn’t feel such a heavy weight on her shoulders any longer.  She didn’t feel as if she had disappointed all of Sugar Hollow by returning home. 

All of a sudden, a blonde-haired woman in her late fifties stopped beside her. 

“Why, Elle.  I thought that was you.  Don’t you look wonderful.”

It took a moment for Elle to recognize the woman’s face and voice.  It was her high school boyfriend’s mother.  Irene Fulton.

“Hi, Mrs. Fulton.  It’s been a long time.”

They reached out to each other for a hug. 

“It’s so nice to see you.”  Mrs. Fulton’s smile faltered.  “I assume you heard about Bobby and the trouble he got himself into.”

Elle nodded.  Although Bobby had been immature and hadn’t treated her very well, Elle didn’t relish his downfall.  Prison was a bleak place she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.

“Yes, I did.  I’m really sorry for everything he’s going through.”

She let out a sigh.  “He lost his way.  I always admired you for pursuing your goals, Elle.  I wish a little bit of it could have rubbed off on my son.”

Elle reached out and clasped Mrs. Fulton’s hand in her own.  “His life isn’t over.  When he gets out of prison he’ll need support.  He can turn his life around.”

Mrs. Fulton nodded.  “You’re right.  Redemption is possible.  I just wish people weren’t so awful about it.”

“Hold your head high.  I know it’s hard, but when you walk in your own truth, it’s easier not to worry about what others might say or think.”  She smiled gently at her.  “I know a little bit about the subject.  People aren’t always gracious when they find out my ballet career was sidelined due to an injury.”

The older woman made a tutting sound.  “I heard about that from your mother.  I hope you don’t mind that she shared it with me.  I’ve been praying for you, Elle.  And I know you’re going to make lemonade out of lemons.  You’ve always had such determination.”

As they said their goodbyes Elle couldn’t help but think that running into Mrs. Fulton had been no accident.  Elle was finding that life threw unimaginable challenges at most people.  No one was immune from loss or suffering or feeling bereft.  What mattered most is how you picked yourself up and continued boldly on your path.  It was okay for her to have floundered for a while as she licked her wounds.   But from this point forward she needed to keep moving forward.  No going backwards.  No pining for the life she’d left behind.

Jonas appeared in front of her, pulling her away from her thoughts.  “Cotton candy for the pretty lady?” Jonas asked, holding out a large cone of the sugary pink confection. 

“Yes, please.  I’ve never been able to resist the stuff,” she confessed, accepting the treat with glee.  She plucked a huge portion and stuffed it into her mouth.  “Mmm,” she said, closing her eyes as the sugar melted on her tongue. 

“That good, huh?” Jonas asked with a chuckle.

“Try some,” she said, pushing the cotton candy in his direction.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, stuffing some in his mouth.

“You look like a chipmunk,” Elle said, doubling over with laughter.

“Look who’s talking,” he said.  “You’ve got pink sticky stuff all over your face.” 

She crossed her eyes and made a silly face.

Spending time with Jonas was become her favorite thing to do.  He brought out her lighthearted side.  For so long Elle had been rather serious.  It was fun to kick up her heels and just enjoy simple pleasures.

Elle was getting used to Jonas and his strong, supportive presence.  He made her laugh like no other.  And every day she saw him commit random acts of kindness.  Jonas wasn’t just a good man.  He was good for her.  And lately, when she thought of the future, she could easily see Jonas firmly planted in her life.

***

One week later

Elle let out a tremendous sigh.  It was rapidly becoming one of those days!  The type of day that would go down in the history books as a horrific day of epic proportions.  Everything had gone wrong since the moment Elle had awoken this morning.  Her mother had talked her ear off about having a family dinner next Sunday, which made her late to work.  Bunny desperately wanted to have Jonas seated at her family table for Sunday dinner and she couldn’t stop talking about it. 

Jonas hadn’t been very gracious about her being late, she thought grumpily.  He had told her being late for her shift was considered a work infraction.  At first she’d thought he was kidding around with her.  But his facial expression had showed he was dead serious. 

She felt stung by his reprimand. Why had he sounded so harsh with her? 

 It was annoying!  Yes, she fully understood he was her boss, but did that mean he had to be a hard-nose about it?  He’d made her feel like an incompetent fool.  And it felt slightly awkward since they had been on another date last night.  They had gone to the movies and seen a classic black and white film. 

Today Elle didn’t want to be a waitress.  She was sick of the smell of greasy burgers and scrambled eggs and hash browns.  Her feet hurt!  And so far, she’d only received five dollars and fifty cents in tips.  Customers were being stingy.  Didn’t they realize how hard it was to be a waitress?

The ding of the bell hanging over the door alerted Elle to the arrival of new customers.

“I’ll be right with you,” she called out as she carried a tub of dirty dishes toward the kitchen.  Two people had called in sick today, and now, to add insult to injury, Elle had to bus her own tables.  She wiped a hand across her brow as she headed back toward the floor.  Although she knew smiling at customers helped make a favorable impression, all she wanted to do at this moment was snarl at them.

“Well, lo and behold, our princess has materialized.”

Elle froze in her tracks.  The slightly accented voice sounded so familiar.  Slowly, she swung her gaze up.  No! No! No!  It couldn’t be.  She was seeing things.  The man standing in front of her in a white button-down shirt and a crisp pair of shorts was not her ex-boyfriend, Sergei Petrov.  But, in reality, there was no mistaking the gorgeous, athletic blonde.  It was Sergei!

“Well don’t just stand there, Elle.  We’ve come all this way.  The least you could do is give me a hug and a kiss,” Sergei said, grinning at her before he pulled her into his arms for a tight hug and a swift kiss on the lips.

Elle stood and allowed herself to be embraced by Sergei.  Shock roared through her.  What in the world had brought Sergei all this way?  And what had he meant by using the word we?  Sergei released her and took a few steps away from her.  Suddenly, Elle was surrounded by a group of people—her New York ballet friends.  Kit.  Suzette.  Andre.  Penelope.  Jude.

“W-what are you guys doing here?” Elle asked.  It felt as if she was having an out of body experience.  Suddenly, her worlds were colliding.  New York City meets Sugar Hollow.

Kit grabbed her hand.  She was one of the only friends from the ballet world who had kept in contact with Elle.  With her dark hair, sepia colored skin and a heart-shaped face, Kit was a sweetheart.  “We had a performance about an hour from here, so we rented a car and drove out to see you.”

“Come on back to the city,” Sergei urged.  “We miss you.”  He softened his voice.  “I miss you.”

Elle’s heart hammered loudly in her chest.  Sergei was using his most persuasive, charming voice with her.  It was the same tone he’d used with her when he had asked her out for the very first time.  What in the world was going on?

“We’re going to sit down at a table and order a lot of food and give you a fabulous tip,” Kit said.  “Right, everyone?”

Everyone, with the exception of Penelope, loudly agreed with Kit.  People in the diner were beginning to stare.  Her ballet friends were acting in a boisterous manner and talking a little bit louder than the other customers.  She had to laugh.  They really stuck out like sore thumbs.

Penelope was looking around the diner with barely contained disgust.  Elle wanted to roll her eyes.  Penelope was a snob who pretended as if she’d been raised in the lap of luxury.  The truth was she’d come from humble origins, although she would never admit it in a million years.  She was a brilliant ballerina, but she tended to try and make others feel less than worthy.  Elle wasn’t sure what she was doing here.  She’d always treated Elle like the enemy.  It wasn’t a stretch to imagine her returning to New York and telling everyone about Elle’s fall from grace.  Oh well! So be it.

“Follow me, guys,” Elle said, leading them toward a large table at the back of the diner.  It would easily fit all six of them.  Everyone scooted in to the circular booth table and spread out.  Penelope picked up her fork and began holding it up to the light and scrutinizing it.

Elle wanted to say something sarcastic, but she bit her tongue.  She just wanted to make the best of this surprise visit.  Although she was genuinely happy to see Kit, she wasn’t really sure about the others.  Where had they been during her surgery and recovery?  Had they even sent her a single card or message after it was announced she wouldn’t be returning to the New York City Ballet?  And Sergei had been very dismissive of her when he’d broken up with her.  It had been soul crushing.

Why was he acting as if they were best buddies?  Elle wasn’t the same woman he had dated.  She’d grown and matured.  Life had thrown her a few surprises that had turned her world upside down.  She knew now that sincerity and loyalty were way too important to her.  Sergei had shown her nothing remotely like it.  He paled in comparison to Jonas.

After taking their order, Elle made her way to the kitchen.  On her way back to the floor, Jonas stopped her.

“What’s going on over there?  Do you know those folks?” Jonas asked.  His face looked tense.

“Yes, I do,” Elle said.  “They’re all part of my ballet troupe.”  She cleared her throat.  “My former troupe.”

Jonas jutted his chin in the direction of their table.  “Who’s the blonde guy who’s staring over here so intently?” he asked.  His voice had an edge to it.

“That’s Sergei, my ex.  He can be a bit intense.”

Jonas frowned.  “Sergei, huh?  What’s he doing here? It’s a long way from the Big Apple.”  Elle wasn’t certain, but she detected a hint of jealousy in Jonas’s voice.  She had to admit, it made her feel wanted.  For so long, she’d felt defective, as if no one would ever love or want her again.

“They just showed up spontaneously,” Elle said with a grin.  “I had no idea they cared that much.”

“So back to Sergei.  Are the two of you getting back together or something?”

“No,” Elle said with a vehement shake of her head.  “We’re just friends.”

“Hmm.  I wonder if Sergei knows that.  He’s looking at you as if he’s your guy.”

“Jonas! He’s not my guy!” she protested.  “You know better!”

What had gotten into Jonas?  Why was he acting so strangely?

“Wait.  Hear me out.”  His voice softened.  It didn’t have the edge to it any longer.  “I don’t want to stand in your way.  If the two of you still have feelings for each other, you should go for it.  Life is too short not to seize the moment.”

Elle couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  Was Jonas basically stepping out of the way for Sergei?  She was crushed.  Jonas had given her the impression he was really interested in her.  They’d kissed and even gone out on a few dates. They worked together each and every day.  They had been getting to know each other on a deep level.  Was it this easy for him to walk away from what they were building?   

“Wow.  So it would be all right with you if I walked off into the sunset with Sergei?” she asked, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

Jonas locked gazes with her.  Something flickered in the depths of his brown eyes—an emotion she couldn’t quite put her finger on. 

“Elle, I just want you to be happy,” Jonas said, his voice rich with emotion.

Her heart felt like it might shatter.  She had put so much faith in Jonas.  And now he was basically backing away from her and fobbing her off on Sergei.  He didn’t want her!  A feeling of rejection pierced her insides.  She was surprised she wasn’t crying out from the pain. 

“I decided a long time ago to do what’s best for me.  And I’ll continue to do so,” she said in a crisp voice. 

Jonas winced. “Elle, please don’t be upset with me.  Our friendship means the world to me.”

Friendship?  Now he was adding insult to injury.  Had he been toying with her this whole time?  The last time she checked, friends didn’t share intimate kisses.

“I-I need to get back to it,” she said in a low voice. “I’m going to take my break and lunch together so I can sit with my friends and catch up. Trina and Zeb are going to cover me.”

“That’s fine,” Jonas said as she walked away.  She wanted to turn around and see the look on his face, but she resisted.  Jonas had already hurt her enough for a lifetime. 

For the next hour Elle sat at the table and ate and talked with the group.  She was able to catch up on ballet news and the goings-on in the city.  Although there was still a kernel of hurt lurking inside her, Elle realized she had come a long way.  She could discuss upcoming shows without feeling as if her life had been torpedoed. 

Elle felt triumphant for Kit when she told her about her upcoming role in Giselle.  Her friend was beaming with the news.  Elle had the feeling Kit had held off on telling her until she felt Elle was in a good place.  Kit was such a sweetheart.  Elle couldn’t be more overjoyed for her.

“I’m going to try to come to New York to see you in it,” Elle said.  “I miss being there.”

Kit clapped her hands together.  “Oh, Elle.  That’ll be amazing.  I’ll be counting the days until you come.”

Kit reached over and hugged her.  Elle almost didn’t want to let go.  Kit had been one of the best things to emerge from her New York experience.  Faithful and true, Kit had never wavered in their friendship.

All too soon lunch came to an end.  Elle walked her friends to the door.  Sergei lingered after she’d said her goodbyes to the group and they headed outside.

“Elle, this can’t be the life you want for yourself,” Sergei said, looking around the place with a disgusted expression on his face.

“Sergei, I need a paycheck.  This isn’t going to be my forever job.  It’s fine for now though.”

“But this, it’s beneath you,” he said in a loud whisper.  She cringed at the way he was speaking about the diner.  Elle opened her mouth to say something, then closed it.  What difference did it make in the long run?  Sergei was on his way out of the diner, never to step foot in Sugar Hollow again.  She wasn’t going to try and convince him of something he didn’t want to hear.  The Sugar Hollow diner had been a lifesaver for her.  She knew the truth.  It didn’t really matter what Sergei thought about her life. 

“It’s just temporary,” she said, heat rising on her neck.  It really was time he left the diner.  He was beginning to sound like a broken record.

Sergei shook his head. “You belong back in the city.  Not here.”

“Goodbye, Sergei.  Be well,” she said, giving him a final wave as she gently pushed him out of the diner.  She stood for a moment and watched as her friends piled into the rental car and roared off down the road.

When she turned away from the door, she came face to face with Trina.  Her friend was looking at her with disgust.  Her cheeks were red and her eyes flashed with a fiery glow.

“So this is beneath you, huh?” she hissed.

Elle’s heart sank.  Clearly, Trina had overheard Sergei’s obnoxious comment. 

“Of course it isn’t.  Those weren’t my words,” she said in a raised voice.

“But you sure didn’t correct him, did you?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“I-I didn’t see the point.  He was leaving.  What should I have said?” she asked, knowing in her heart she’d made a huge error.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you that, Elle!” Trina said, before turning away and stomping off toward the kitchen. 

Elle let out a groan.  She couldn’t seem to get anything right today.  Now, she had alienated Trina.  And she had no idea what to say or do to get things back to where they’d been before Trina had overheard her conversation with Sergei. 

About half an hour later, Jonas crossed paths with her. 

“Trina’s pretty upset,” he said, his eyes roaming over her face as if he was looking for something.  “Is what she said true?”

“Trina got it all wrong!” Elle said in a spirited voice.  Jonas had told her he believed in her.  Had that gone out the window as swiftly as the breeze?  Shouldn’t he know better?

“Did she?” Jonas asked.  He shook his head and walked away. 

Elle felt numb for the remainder of her work shift.  When it was time to clock out, she slipped out of the diner without saying a word of goodbye to anyone.  Her spirits were incredibly low.  She had been of the belief that Jonas and Trina saw the new and improved Elle Harrington.  She’d thought the Sugar Hollow Diner was a place where she could find refuge from the storms of life.  Today it had felt like a war zone.

She was in tears as she got in her car and roared away from the diner.  Once she got home she didn’t get out of her car.  Elle simply sat in the driver’s seat with tears running down her face.  A sudden rapping on her door window caused her to jump.  She pressed a hand to her chest as she realized it was her father standing outside her car.  With his salt and pepper hair and tall stature, Dennis Harrington cut an imposing figure.  Growing up, all of her girlfriends had always told her how handsome he was.  At the moment, she desperately wanted to be held in daddy’s loving arms. 

He motioned for her to roll the window down.  As soon as she did, he asked her, “What are you doing out here?  And why are you crying?”

Elle opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.  Her lips were trembling.  She bowed her head. 

Her father walked around to the other side of the car and jumped in, seating himself in the passenger seat.  “So what’s the trouble?  What can I do to help?”

“Daddy, everything was going so well and now it’s all falling apart.  I got the job at the diner and it turned into this wonderful opportunity.”  She began to sob uncontrollably.

“There. There.  It can’t be all that bad.  Just get it all out,” he said as he soothingly patted her shoulder. 

In a halting tone, Elle told her father everything that had transpired over the course of the past few weeks, culminating in today’s disastrous events.

“So this Jonas character misjudged you, huh?  And so did your friend Trina?  And Sergei thinks he still has a shot with you, doesn’t he?  He never was the brightest crayon in the box.”  He stroked his jaw.  “Elle, I guess I haven’t told you how proud I am of you since you’ve been back, have I?’

“Not exactly,” she said in a soft voice. 

“I’m so blessed to have you for a daughter.  You’re wise and kind and you love with all of your heart.  I may be a little biased, but if someone doesn’t see you for who you are, then truly they’re not worth your time.”  He leaned over and pressed a kiss against Elle’s temple.  “I know how hard things have been for you as of late.  And honestly, no one deserves happiness more than you do.”

“Oh Daddy, thank you for always lifting me up,” Elle said as she threw herself against his chest. 

“Let’s go inside.  Your mother made her famous lasagna, Italian bread and watermelon salad,” her father urged. 

Elle felt grateful for having a safe place to fall.  Her family had shown through good times and bad that they always had her back.  They would never forsake her.  And she would always have strong, loving arms to shelter her from the storm.  Elle had thought Jonas might be that type of presence in her life—strong, true and loving.  Today that dream had exploded in her face.  But it wouldn’t break her. Her heart might be battered and bruised, but it wasn’t shattered.