Chapter five: Ella

"Ella, can you do something for me?" Mrs. Love was walking towards me, hastely and with a wide-eyed expression.
"Ye..yes anything." She then put her hands together as if she was going to pray. When she got closer to me I noticed her lipstick was a little smudged down her lip, and she reeked of pig pin.
"This has nothing to do with work but I will still pay you. My granddaughter, oh lord, I forgot to get her from her father's house in Shepard... Do you mind getting her? I have been tied up at the barn, Stew, my husband just brought in some more pigs... They are just a handful! I can't go looking and smelling like this."
"Umm, yeah I will just get my stuff. Are you sure you don't need any help here? How will I know where to find her?"
"Oh it is easy just go down fifty-nine and there is a trailer on the corner of Oxford and Clemontine. It is to your right, its a cinch!" I was still going to get paid? So I agreed to do it, the smile on her face made me feel good.
Shepard was only twenty minutes away and it was just a long highway so that didn't bother me really.
It was dark and late out so it was a little nerve-racking. What if I pass it up. My nerves really started to get shot when I saw the WELCOME TO SHEPARD sign. No one was on the road but me, so that really freaked me out. I hadn't gotten to the town yet and there were no street lights. I was beginning to chicken out, until I saw a big white trailer on the corner. I pulled into the drive way. It kind of reminded me of Chainsaw Massacre when the family comes out and then those poor people die. I made sure that I was on the corner of Oxford and Clementine. The wind was picking up and the trees were moving, harmoniously. That definetly gave me the creeps. I quickly walked up to the door and knocked on it. A little girl answered.
"Hi, are you Elly?" Her voice was cute and squeaky.
"Um, Ella but yes I am here to get Mrs. Patsy's grand daughter, are you her?"
"Yes, my name is Chloe Bucken and I am in kindergarden." She was adorable. Her reddish brown hair was curly and her bright brown eyes were cute. She turned around to who ever was inside the house and told them I was here.
A big man came out of the trailer and onto the porch.
"So you are?" His voice was deep and it carried on with every syllable.
"I am Ella Grace AvTown."
"I see, and Old Pat sent you down here is that right?" Did he think I was some kind of psychopath?
"Yes, I work at her Pet Store Pet's Love."
"Okay, well just know that I have your full name now." I wanted to chuckle in disbelief but I quickly said okay.
"Okay, good night sir nice to meet you. I have to go now my shift is supposed to end in two hours and I have to get back."
"It is only a twenty-five minute drive."
"Yes, but I still have to work, is it okay if I leave?"
"Yes, of course sorry yes buckle up and be safe. Chloe, you sit in the backseat!
"I know Daddy, duh." She rolled her eyes and walked to my car with her Barbie backpack. When I finally escaped his questioning, I made sure she had her seat belt on and then pulled out of the drive way. As I looked in the rearview mirror, I thought I saw him taking down my license plate number? Paranoid much?
"So Chloe, umm what do you like to do?"
"Ummmmm, I don't know can we stop for ice cream?"
"Uh i'm not sure?"
"I will tell my grandma you were speeding the whole way!" WHAT? What a little stinker! I swear she seemed so innocent....
"Excuse me? I don't think so."
"I will scream til you get annoyed and crash." I rolled my eyes and kept driving.
"If you want ice cream, all you have to say is please. And if you harrass me anymore I will drive you right back to Shepard."
"Fine, please."
"Okay."
Two big ice cream cones, and a little closed discussion later Chloe fell asleep. She coaxed me into stopping in an ice cream parlor in Jonah which was ten minutes towards her father's house. So I now had close to a thirty something drive back to my small little town.
"Oh my word you got her to go to sleep! Amazing. I commend you. She can be a little devil sometimes." Mrs. Love stroked her grand daughters hair and brought her in her house.
"Thank you for everything, don't worry about your shift I got a new employee, if you can't believe it just walked right in and started helping me with the pigs, he is a good boy. Well here is fifty dollars, just take it I know she can be a handful.
With a surprised face, I thanked her and got in my car and went home. I wonder who would just prance right into Pet's Loves and help with pigs?
When I got home, everyone was asleep. So I stalked up to my room and quickly fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.