Is he your boyfriend?

The days that follws, Dane and Ella started to be close to each other. Ella began to trust and grow to be comfortable in his presence. Dane on the other hand  try to uncover some of the truth behind Ella's condition through the stories she share about her childhood.

 They enjoy each others company, Ella would explain to him How the farm operates. They have tourist regularly, some come by for a day and some stay overnight, or book for days.They have separate accomodations for these people, situated a distance from the main house and the livestock, it is condusive for seminars , team building, purely educational or retreat. Dane learned that she developed this ideas all by herself when she first saw this farm. Gab and her father provided the financial side but Ella vowed that she will return it  once the farm resort will be more  established,  because she doesn't  like the idea of being indebted to their father.

Dane observed that she have resentment towards their father whom he is yet to meet. He observed that behind her illness lies a very determined and very intelligent young woman whom he persive to be succesfull in her future undertaking once she will be able to escape from the clutches of her condition which hinders her stability.

Her father was not really bad as  what she recall, eventhough she was alienated to him. He used to carry her on his shoulder and play with them.They would go on picnics and go on driving  for a distance just to buy her favorite food. she was a daddy's girl before. But all of it stopped then came the abuses and the fights, as a child she would hide in the closet and blocked everything just like how she hides everything inside and hope it will be forgotten with time.

They became distant to each other. She choose to be with her mother and blames him for the separation.

She took a stroll to her favorite spot of the river that flows in the farm it supplies the  water needed for the  plants and animals and at the same time it separates  the livestock from the fruit trees  when she came here there are trees and animals lives together it took time for her to come up to the idea of separating them.

The water was very clear and bluish in the deepest part, the sound that emitted by the flowing of the water soothes and calm her. She gives in the temptation of dipping on ts cool waters. While she was enjoying the water,  she heard a distant voice singing and playing a guitar so she went to inspect.

"Who could it be." She thought, it gave her some pleasant memories of her happy days spent when she was very young. She went through some  rocks and boulders until she saw Dane sitting under a big tree singing and playing a series of country songs. the songs that she used to hear while she was young living with her family in Memphis.

So she settles behind him under another tree to shade her from sun and just listening and enjoying the free live performance.

She clapped her hands in appreciation which surprised Dane. 

"How long have you've been there?" He smiled and asked her.

'Umm about,,, uhmm since 'king of the road' I guess."

" Are you a country music fan Ella?"

" Sort off... my mom was a country artist before she married my dad and decided to quit when she got pregnant but continue to be a songwriter."

"Really Gab never mentioned it."

"He's not into it. It's like 'I'm a little bit counry. He's a little bit rock and roll' thing. Some of mom's compositions was recorded as pop music that's where we're in the same boat."

"You always mention your mom when you talked about happy days. I guess she must be a remarkable woman." He asked probing.

"Yes she is! Gab probably doesn't talked about her that much because we were separated when he was in his teens and I was ten years old. He has many interest and me just learning the life outside the family," she was so animated in telling her tales that Dane enjoyed the way she talks. Her eyes and hand gesture    adds to her lively conversation.

"How about you Dane, do you have a brother and sister like me and Gab?" 

"I have two brothers, an older and a younger, I have a sister, next to me but she died when she was a baby."he in turned talk about his family.

They spent the remaining of the day strolling and sharing experiences on their way home. But the happy atmostphere they build was ruined when Ella saw who is watching them approached from the front door.

" Ella! where in the heavens have you been? We were wondering and waiting for you, You're dad is wondering why your phone is out of coverage area." Her step-mother asked but her gaze is directed to the man on her side and so with her step-sister who is showing so much interest with Dane checking him out.

Ella and Julia doesn't get along because Julia  has no other interest but boys. The whole time she spent on the farm her topic was always the opposite sex. She also doesn't like her step-mother because she always meddles with what  she is doing in the farm keeps on  dropping ideas contrary to what she suggest to her father, making it difficult for Ella to ask for funding if not for Gab interferring on these issues.

"I changed my number. I haven't got the time to contact him because I was busy. Where is he?"

"Which is why he send us to checked on you, he's out of the country  on bussiness trip."

"I should contacted earlier to save you coming here."

"It's alright dear, Why don't you introduce your companion to us." She gave out her sweetest smile towards Dane.

"I'm sorry aunt Sophie, Julia this is Dane. Gab's bestfriend,  Dane this is my step-mother aunt Sophie and her daughter Julia."  Julia extend her hand to shakes his hand and said maliciously.

"Gab's friend huh!  Is he your byfriend? I think he is your boyfriend by the way you are talking and laughing on the way here." Her comment infurates Ella and her face turns red in disgust.

" A man and a woman can laugh and talk to each other with out having a romantic involvement."

"Hi nice to meet you ,Mrs. Navarro , Julia. Me and Ella are friends we share the same interest you can say were good friends."  He flashed his  ready smile.

"Girls, girls, show some respect to our guest." But she was looking at Ella.