Chapter 4: Changes

Clover was slowly realizing that the house was actually hers, the decor was god awful in her book, but that could easily be fixed. Well, if she had the funds, which she didn't.
Between paying back the money to Travis, since she insisted on it being done regardless what Travis said, and putting food on the table, it was hard to get anything else done.

Ellies room was something Clover did not neglect, she had all the toys she could possibly need. Most of them gifts from Travis and Liana, Clover smiled at the thought of the two. They had helped a lot. Clover had managed to snag a promotion to Celebrity blogger, not something she was overly proud of doing but it brought home cash and that's what she needed. She had also finally finished a book she had started about her first boss from her home town. It had somehow become a modest success, which is basically why they still have the house they life in.

Travis had told her about this library close to her home and advised her to check it out. Which of course she did. However one day when she was on her way to get some work done, since she didn't own a computer at home, she stumbled on a familiar face deeply buried in a thick book.

"Travis, didn't expect to see you here" she said, Ellie turned around in her arms.

"wunkle twavis" she squealed and reached her chubby little hands towards him.

Travis looked up and quickly put away the book, he looked slightly startled.

"Elliekins!" he got up and began tickling her softly which resulted in Ellie squealing in laughter. "Hey Clover, what brings you here at this hour." It was pretty late, but with a small child that rarely matters when it comes to sleep.

"Nothing much, just needing to finish up on some work, to get some books looked up" she lied about the last part since Travis would probably offer to buy her a computer. Where was he getting all this money anyways.

"Oh I see, well there's plenty of those here" he looked around nervously.

"What are you up to...Travis" Clover was suspicious now.

"Nothing" he laughed and leaned back on the couch he was sitting in, the book he had been reading fell down on the floor exposing its cover. 'A strange story, by Clover Darkmedow'

"You're reading my book?" Clover was confused "why are you so weirded out about that? If you wanted to read one I could of just send you a copy, signed" she added with a wink.

"I'm not wierded out, what, what are you talking about" He put his focus on Ellie to get away from Clovers prying gaze. "Look, she wants to go down." he was right, Ellie was squirming her way out of her mothers arms.

Clover sighed and put her daughter down. "Stay in sight, okey?" she told her.

"Look Clover, I don't know why I'm acting weird. Maybe I just wanted to pick your brain without you knowing it." he admitted, surprised by his own honesty it seemed by the look on his face. "Ehm.."

Clover blushed, why was this so hard, why was he dating her best friend. Travis looked like he was in physical pain. She understood, if he were to leave Liane for her nothing would work anyways. There was nothing neither of them could do.

"So ehm." Travis put a smile on his face. "I heard Ellie has taken her first steps"
Travis was sweet, he always wanted everything to be good. He cared deeply for Ellie, maybe he wanted children of his own. She wondered why they weren't trying.
"Yeah, It was amazing. She took a few stumbling steps, to what i thought was me, but she passed me and stumbled head first in to that toy create you got her." she laughed.

"I wish I could of recorded it. It was priceless."

"Wow, that sure sounds like Ellie" Travis looked over at the baby, who was gnawing on some books. "Was she okey though?"

"Well, after she hit her head on the fall in to the crate, which followed by a concert of crying and screaming, she was fine." Clover put a hand on Travis shoulder who didn't look convinced. "She was and is fine, just some kisses on that bruise and maybe a cookie or two and she wanted to walk around the house for the rest of the night."

They continued talking about Ellies antics until little Ellie fell asleep in Travis arms, Clover called it a night and headed home. They agreed that Clover would send both Travis and Liane signed copies of her book. Travis didn't look overly thrilled about the idea but he didnt argue.

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Eventually Ellie had grown out of her cot, time flies when you're buried in work, she thought to herself.

Clover hoped that her daughter wasn't noticing her absence as much as she did, she had been swamped in work. Landing another promotion meant that there was more money in the household coffers. So the house got a slight make cover, with some help of friends and neighbours the kitchen got a much needed face lift, she also got Ellie a new bed so she wouldn't have to bunk up with her mother. She was much too old for that now.

Ellie enjoyed her new room, however she was struggling in school. Her mother wasn't unknown in this city and 'everyone' knew about her missing father. It was more than Ellie could bare, she frowned at the task her teacher had asked her to finish til tomorrow. She was about to give up when she heard her mothers footsteps in the hallway.
Finally, shes home. She thought to herself. Her mother was 'never' around, which meant that Ellie knew pretty much how to take care of herself. She didn't care that her mother was trying hard to keep them under a roof. She was one parent short, was she going to be without the other as well? She might as well be an orphan.

"Hey, Honey. Do you need some help with the homework?" Her mother peeked in to her room, always caring, guilt dripping from her words.

"Fine" Ellie hissed at her mother, got her books and headed out to the kitchen.

Clover sat down next to her daughter, she felt the tension between them, it had been like this for a while now. She tried so hard to be both a good mom and a good provider to this family, it wasn't working. She wish she could split herself in half.

"So what do we have today?" She tried

"uggh, Math" Ellie groaned.

Clover tried to the best of her abilities to help her daughter out with her homework without getting on her ever so easily aggravated nerves.

"Mom!" Ellie exclaimed "Did you even go to school!? I'll just do this alone." Ellie got up and stormed off in to her room, slammed the door shut and that was the end of the conversation.

Clover sighed in defeat, she thought back to when Ellie was a toddler how happy she seemed back then, blissful child. She got up and headed for the computer for yet another night of writing.