Ella is a whole chapter in Dani’s life.
Dani is never happier than when they can be together, ideally day and night, without having to leave each other’s sight for a single minute. Only when one of them has to go to the bathroom.
But even then, Ella tries to hold on till it’s almost too late.
One time when she’d been hopping around with her legs crossed, her mother told her to go to the bathroom before an accident happened.
But Ella didn’t have time.
That was the time they’d pulled a whole lot of books from the shelves and played librarians.
They made library cards and they lent books and borrowed them back and paid all their fines.
It might not sound very special, but it was. Everything is special with Ella.
“I haven’t got time to pee!” she yelled at her mother.
“You do have time! Now do as I say!” her mother ordered.
“You can’t tell me what to do!” shrieked Ella.
“Yes, I can!” said her mother. “Until you’re eighteen. Then you can decide for yourself.”
“When I’m eighteen I’ll never stop to pee!” Ella shrieked and she rushed into the bathroom and was away for at least two minutes.
But that was a long time ago. Now they hadn’t played together for ages.
Every time Dani complains to her father that she can’t see Ella, he says it’s a shame but it can’t be helped.
“You have to learn to put things behind you and move on,” he’d say.
“But hello there,” Dani protested the last time he said it. “Ella is not a thing!”
That stopped him.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, and looked ashamed. “I do know how that feels…”
But what good came of that?
If Dani and Ella want to see each other, they have to arrange it themselves.
That’s how it is now.
Suddenly Dani had an idea as she lay there in the snow, a real lightning strike! She sat up.
Ella’s birthday was coming up…
That was it! It was at the start of the winter break. Ella had reminded her about it last time they spoke on the phone.
Eagerly Dani blinked away a snowflake that had landed on one eyelid.
She had thought up the world’s best birthday present!
Quickly she got to her feet and skied back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
She took off her skis, rushed up the steps and put her thumb on the doorbell. She didn’t take it off until Grandma opened the door.
“Could someone drive me to Northbrook?” she puffed.
Grandma looked at her in surprise.
“It’s Ella’s birthday!” Dani explained.
She lifted her nose and sniffed the air. What was smelling so good?
“Help, my jam cakes!” cried Grandma and she ran back to the kitchen.
