Catching Up (Tag: Ellen)

[Drew Conner]

It hadn't taken long for Drew to gain a new found respect for parents forced to juggle work with family.  Even as a teenager he was the type of person who could lose himself for hours in his numerous pursuits and now that his professional goals were much more clear (and difficult, for that matter) Drew constantly worried he would forget to leave enough time for his family.  Erika was usually good at keeping his ever-present urge to work under wraps, which had become something he was eternally grateful for.  It was never a lack of desire or want that kept him in his office well into the evening but rather a constant, nagging feeling of the work that needed to be done rattling around in the back of his mind.

This was more than likely why Erika was vehemently against regularly using their nanny for anything more than an extra set of hands to help with the energetic two year old boy.  Why Erika preferred to utilize Ellen Banks  as a babysitter instead of the kind hearted woman who had been Isaac's nanny since he was born, Drew would never know.

As usual Drew was early.  Isaac wasn't scheduled to be picked up from the apartment Ellen shared with her 'roommate' for nearly another hour, though he doubted the blonde would mind.  He figured she'd probably welcome the early reprieve given her perpetually dour demeanor.  Regardless, Drew had found himself busy in the days leading up to the holiday and forced himself to take the rest of the week off in order to return his focus to what was really important.  Rubbing the cold of his hands away, Drew moved down the hall toward the apartment door.  He'd been there many times before to drop off or pick up Isaac along with the handful of times he and Erika had visited.  Reaching out he pressed the doorbell, sending off a soft chime within the apartment before drawing his hands up and blowing warm air into them.  He didn't think he'd ever get used to winters outside of California.

[Ellen Banks]

Erika liked to see her in pain, that was the rationale Ellen had come to long ago, Ellen was flattered to be named one of the god parents of the little prince….Stunned and taken aback mostly but flattered nonetheless she didn’t really know much about the duties of a god mother (Or a mother in general to be honest) so she assumed this was just another name for friend of the family or something to that effect.

She couldn’t possibly be more wrong….

Had she known that “Godmother” was just a glorified baby sitter quite frankly she’d have doubts about taking the role, oh but Erika was smart wasn’t she? She left that little tiny detail out. Of course, if she did tell Ellen that she’d assume that she would be a last resort, when Felix. Franc. Elsa, her family or any other of her extended group of friends weren’t around and there wasn’t some stray pack of wolves to take him in, they’d come to Ellen. So the fact that Ellen seemed to be the first port of call confused her greatly considering Ellen had made her views on childrens perfectly clear

All Ellen could say was thank God for Ash, who seemed to have a way with the child, she really did enjoy looking after Isacc and seeing her like that brought a smile to her face despite herself. Thankfully it wasn’t long before Drew managed to knock on her door and it wasn’t long before Ellen answered the door, giving her usual customary gaze of derision “Mr. Bellefonte….Your prince is asleep”

[Drew Conner]

That familiar Conner smirk came out in full force the moment the scathing comment left Ellen's lips. He fully expected it and had even come to enjoy Ellen's little jabs. He almost considered them tiny, endearing gestures, as if that was Ellen's way of admitting they were in equal footing. There was no denying the two of them were part of each others lives now. Erika was the tie that bound them, they might as well get along.

"Being read a bedtime story by your own princess, no doubt." Drew replied without missing a bit. He stepped inside the apartment, casting a short, politely thankful nod in Ellen's direction. "Thanks again for keeping an eye on him." Drew said, slipping briefly into 'dad mode'. "Hope he wasn't too much trouble."

[Ellen Banks]

Urg. That smile. That look that seemed to say: “Oh look at how rich and important I am” How can anyone resist slapping him in the face let alone fall in love with it, was simply beyond Ellen.

….Even though Ellen wasn’t exactly the best judge for gauging the attractiveness of men for obvious reasons…

Ok, Ok Ellen be calm, be civil. Remember Erika’s husband….bizarrely. Play nice, for the moment at least….

Ellen was in the mists of letting him walk by making way, but the moment she made that princess comment, she seemed to just freeze in place for several moments and just glared at Drew. Just glared at him , looking him up and down her brow furrowed “ My ROOMMATE is reading her a story….” Ellen was very quick to correct him “If I see any princesses I’ll let you know……”

Ellen eventually stopped staring and walked by Drew “Is there a reason you two keep coming back to me? Over and over? and no he wasn’t much trouble he slept a lot mostly..”

[Drew Conner]

The smirk came out to play once more, increasing in strength as Ellen gave her obviously perturbed response. Drew didn't truly know what was going on with Ellen and the young woman whose company she kept and he didn't care much. Ellen was able to do whatever she wanted with whoever she chose, Drew was hardly one to judge. He didn't even have a particularly vested interest in Ellen's personal life or the hardships she'd endured as a child. For all he knew the dark haired woman who shared Ellen's apartment was, as she said, merely a roommate. What he did know was that Ellen seemed very protective and sensitive about her. And ribbing Ellen about it gave Drew endless amounts of amusement. "Fine. Fine. Roommate." He corrected himself.

"Well..." Drew frowned a little as he turned to face Ellen. Underneath it all Drew did harbor a certain soft spot for Ellen and what she'd accomplished in a few short years. He would never like Ellen Banks, of that he was sure. But that didn't mean he couldn't respect her. And even then she'd made it abundantly clear she wasn't the most comfortable when it came to watching Isaac. She was right. He and Erika did call upon Ellen and Ashley more often than they probably should. There was, however, a very good reason for that. "He... asks to come here." Drew admitted, the smirk fading and giving way to a genuine smile. Gone was the smarmy, cocky businessman and in his place stood a humbled father of a picky two year old. "He's always talking about his 'Aunt Ennen'." Drew offered a bit of a sheepish shrug. "He adores you and Ashley, he really does." But Ellen's stance was clear and Drew sighed. "You're right, it's not fair we keep calling you. It's just... so hard to tell him 'no' when his eyes light up every time he says your name."

[Ellen Banks]

No.Drew didn’t know what was going on with her relationship with her room mate. And the reason for that? Because Ellen had no intention of letting him know and quite frankly it was none of his business to know. Why would he know the private business between her and Ash? Ellen never really pretended to care about whatever it was that THEY got up to in their free time, not that they would have a lot considering they have a small child….but then again that was what Ellen was for right? Giving them peace and quiet while they did…..Whatever (Personally it made Ellen feel a little sick to think about what that might be…

The point was this was a two way street. Ellen didn’t care, so Drew shouldn’t care….

Ellen wasn’t going to discuss it any further….Her face thin and stoic looking not trying to give anything away on her face, or any kind of vulnerability….but that was until Drew revealed exactly why he always seemed to pick Ellen to be the baby sitter, She stopped momentarily in place turning towards Drew with an eyebrow raised in confusion “.....Excuse me?” Could he even talk? Ellen had never heard him once utter a word just gurgle and giggle like a child was liable to do, and she continued to stare at Drew as he explained why he kept sending him to him “You’re kidding…” Ellen blankly muttered totally incredulous as horror slowly started to dawn on her “You’re kidding” She repeated again shaking her head back and forward her mouth slightly a gasp

Aunt- Oh no no

Why does THIS always happen!? Was Ellen cursed? Was this some kind of joke?! All Ellen EVER wanted was to be left alone, she was solitary person and didn’t like most people which was VERY obvious. There wasn’t a single person she WASN’T rude to. She kept people at a distance, but oh no. Even a little brat just FALLS in love with her like everyone else, Everyone was just CLAMORING to be in Ellen’s circle.

God only knows what would happen if she actually tried, she might be able to start her own cult….

“....Seriously, what is it with you people? Mastatists everyone one of you…”

[Drew Conner]

A thin smirk surfaced as Drew watched the near horror spread across Ellen's face. The realization that she may have endeared herself to her godson in spite of her best efforts was met with nothing less than amusement. Still, Drew's expression lacked any sort of arrogance or hints of snark. In truth, he found it all to be on the more adorable side of things. Isaac had quickly developed a mind of his own and his vocal love for his 'Aunt Ennen' certainly hadn't come from either of his parents, regardless of the repairs Ellen and Erika had made to their relationship in recent years. "You should see him when we pull up in front of you apartment." Drew continued, still studying Ellen's reaction. "His little face lights up and I swear he starts to vibrate with excitement."

The patriarch of the Conner clan let out a low sigh and shook his head. The smirk had gone away, replaced with an almost whimsical smile. Even Ellen's dour mood and mortified reactions weren't enough to quell the contentment that came with talking of the little boy who was in the other room. Drew's eyes lifted briefly as a dark haired young woman peeked into the living room from the hallway. Drew gave her a polite nod and a short wave which was reciprocated before she slipped back down the hall and into the bedroom. "Anyway." Drew turned his attention back to Ellen. "We appreciate you and Ashley looking after him. Not leaving him with a babysitter or nanny is a huge load of Erika's mind."

[Ellen Banks]

The more that Drew seemed to speak, the more Ellen was trying to convince herself

that somehow Drew was trying to get her riled up and annoyed for no other reason than the thought of Ellen getting angry was the exact type of thing that Drew would find so terribly amusing to say the very least. He just seemed to really adore the idea of him getting her goat or so it seemed.Ellen winced a little holding up her hand in a “desist” motion

“If I say any more I might have to vomit"
She had to admit this was something of a surprise to her, Drew’s and Isaac’s baby always seemed so quiet around Ellen in particular, he didn’t seem to say much. Just stood there and stared and sucked his thumb while Ellen just asked him what did he want. Besides if anyone was going to be an “Aunt” it was certainly going to be Ashley who certainly seemed to be GREAT with the child

No accounting for taste she supposed….

Ellen’s head lifted up momentarily once Ash revealed herself, she wasn’t surprised in the least that Ellen didn’t really do much to announce her presence to Drew she was just so normally shy around people she didn’t know so when someone stopped over more often than not. Ellen looked up and smiled at her reassuringly mouthing the words “I’ll be in a minute “

“It’s more Ash than anyone else, she’s great with her. She really is, we keep him to a room on the left here” Gesturing with her hands what direction they were going

[Drew Conner]

Drew smirked when Ellen cut him off. Not because he had finally succeeded in frazzling the young woman or anything of the sort but that it seemed as though Ellen was simply having trouble coming to grips with the fact that she was, whether she liked it or not, a part of the little family Drew and Erika had built. Perhaps years ago he would have found amusement in pestering her about it all. Poking and prodding her for the sake of showing she wasn't nearly as much a 'lion' as a proud housecat with delusions of icy-demeanor fueled grandeur. Now, though, Drew had left such petty things behind. He'd watched the brief exchange between Ellen and Ashley, though he didn't comment. What he thought he knew was really going on between the two was none of his business and Ellen had already done him a major favor by watching Isaac as much as she had lately.

Drew nodded as Ellen deflected the credit, smiling lightly. "Then tell Ashley Erika and I appreciate it." He knew the almost mysterious figure that shared a home with Ellen preferred to make herself scarce when anyone was around. He wasn't going to push the issue of meeting her for fear of making her, and Ellen, uncomfortable. "Anyway." He said, shifting gears to a less family-oriented topic. "How's business now that you're the sole owner?" He asked, slowly moving along in the direction Ellen had gestured.