She looked at my shocked expression and walked inside and looked at me carefully and said softly.
"Wht do you look so shocked? Do I look like a ghost?" Ellen joked.
I was embarrased and shook my head.
"I am sorry if I being rude but can't you speak? Why are you writing it on the pad?"
I looked at her and smiled and nodded my head in agreement.
"You mean to say, you can't speak at all?" She inquired again.
I nodded again.
"Since when?" She asked softly and I could feel the pity in her voice.
I wrote on my pad.
"Since birth."
She came and hugged me all of a sudden and started apologizing.
And I just smiled and said it's okay, as I don't want people's sympathy.
Then I wrote again on the pad and enquired her. "Is Hudson your brother?"
"Brother . Well, half-brother, But the best brother in the world," She said firmly. "For all that he's a little, secretive, at times. He never mentioned you. Do you live with him?"
I shook my head vigorously denying it. Feeling a little awkward.
"That's sad, I really like you. I thought you were his woman. I was shocked when I saw you I thought you were living with him. Because he had told me strictly never to live with my boyfriend before we got married."
I took my pad and wrote again.
"So you are married?" I felt odd as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
She smiled and said. "I am Ellen Ford and if you don't mind can you tell me who are you? Before I answer your question."
I wrote and passed it to her.
"I am Callie Clarke . I am working on a project with your brother."
Ellen looked as if, she was not sure that was not all I did with her brother but she did not argue. She just came inside and was comfortably on the couch.
Suddenly she started crying and tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Good grief. She was crying miserably, I stared at her, confused for several seconds before I wrote on my pad. "Are you alright?" which was a stupid question, I know but I am very bad at consoling people.
Ellen , blinking her eyes rapidly stood up again. "I am fine. I just wanted to talk to Hudson as he gets me through everything. Always has. And I know he would not expect me to show up here, but I thought he would understand help and ...."
She broke off and wiped her tears, on the back of a hand.
"Do you want to have a Cup of coffee? " I wrote on the pad. I was not sure where was the kitchen but somehow he felt like comforting her.
Ellen gulped her saliva, then her face brightened visibly. "Would it be OK? I mean you don't know me but you do know Hudson," she added a bit more cheerfully. " Callie tell me truthfully are you interested in my brother?"
"No not the way you are using the term," I wrote again.
Ellen was observing the apartment very carefully and exclaimed. "I love this apartment! It's so much nicer than Villa he lived in previously."
I blinked and agreed with her as the apartment was really beautiful.
"Well, you know what I mean friendlier, homelier," she said she said cheerfully.
"Can I get you some tea or coffee?" I wrote again, as I spotted the kitchen, down the hallway and was sure he would have tea as Hudson was very fond of drinking tea when he was in college.
"Coffee would be lovely." She said very cheerfully.
While I went into the kitchen and poured some water into the pan, I watched Ellen as she explored, as positively as possible, definitely not like her brother. The living area was very spacious. She ran appreciative fingers along the tops of the bookcases, studied the books on the bookshelf, all the while cuddling the cat, she had brought with her. Then she went to the balcony and looked at the view outside.
After a while when the tea was ready, I gestured for her to come and sit on the couch.
"Oh, thank you." Ellen turned and walked towards me and could see more tear tracks on her face.
I took out my pad and wrote. "Ellen are you alright? Because you don't look like, is there anything I can help you with?"
Ellen blinked her eyes rapidly and set down the teacup on the table and said. " I am fine ,its just that........"
I looked at her and knew that she was very nervous and something was disturbing her bad.
"Hudson is the only person who's been there for me, through all the wedding preparation. But for the past few days, I have not been able to get through him, so I was worried about him and came to check on him. I knew where he lived previously but this address was unknown to me so that is why I got confused when I came knocking at the door and saw you opening the door."
"So you are getting married?" I wrote on the pad and showed it to her.
She smiled and nodded her head. " I know it's been hard for him, me calling him up at all hours, bothering him at work. It's not like he cares about any of it," She confided, which I found astute and surprising.
"But he cares about me. He cares about my mom and me a lot, you know when my mother and his dad got divorced, he defended us and stood by us and took care of me always." Ellen went on and exclaimed. "I know, if anyone can make my dad come to my wedding, it's Hudson!"
She has green eyes wide and bright, and an equal combination of eager and desperateness to get what she wanted.
I looked at her carefully, because I did not know anything much about Hudson and his father's relationship.
Ellen bobbed her head. "Callie Hudson has to call my dad for the wedding! Gary's family thinks it's all a bit strange that my dad hasn't turned up yet. And I keep saying he is a very busy man, that he will be here for the wedding. But ...." She took a deep breath and continued. " I don't know if he will! "
"Why don't you ask him? " I wrote on the pad again and showed it to her
"He doesn't answer his phone. He does not answer emails. I don't even know if he gets them. He is traveling all the time and now he has a new mistress, so he is busy with her. That's what I told Gary. Well it's a little odd if you don't know daddy. And Garry's parents are ..." tears started rolling down again and I offered her a tissue and was wondering what sort of family she's marrying into."
I was very furious and wrote again. "He's not marrying them. He's marrying you."
"Yes but they're asking me to call my dad for the wedding, as they would like to meet him too !Gary has also never met him, and its not normal to have a father who doesn't even show up at your own daughter's wedding ! For once in my life, just once, on my wedding day I'd like to be a normal girl." Ellen said fiercely. "You understand, don't you?"
Actually, I did. First of all those years, when and Jayden and I were growing up, it had really mattered a lot to me and my brother, when we did not have a father to speak to, nor a mother. She is very lucky that she has both her parents but separated and a daughter would always expect her dad to walk her down the aisle.
Ellen was very lucky that she has a brother who loves her a lot and had always stood by her. I understood the conversation that I had with Ellen. My parents will never come back but I still have their beautiful memories in my heart.
I gave her a gentle smile and patted her hand, letting her know that I understood.
Ellen smiled gleefully and said. " I know you will try to talk him out and tell him to call my father."
I was startled and looked at her curiously. Is Hudson's sister gone mad, she wanted me to talk to her father and I don't even know him.
I wrote quickly and showed her.
"You want me to ask your father to come for your wedding?"
"No," Ellen said smilingly. " Not my dad Callie, I was asking you to talk to Hudson to talk to dad."
I scribbled again feeling hopeless.
"Do you think your brother will listen to me?"
"I know he will listen to you because I know you are very special to him, as I have seen your picture in his bedside drawer." Ellen said softly, looking at me with amusement.
What ! I exclaimed softly and my heart started beating very fast. Hudson had my picture.
I shook my head and gestured to her that I won't do it.
Ellen put down the glass and reached out to grasp my hand, imploring me. "Try. Please just say you will try."
I wanted to say that I was not that close to her brother as she thinks but saying that would not convince her and I knew it. Wordlessly I shook my head again.
But Ellen clung to me. " Please..........."
I shrugged her hand and wrote again.
"I will tell him you came by. I will tell him what you wanted but I can't promise more than that."
Ellen looked at me with her heart in her eyes. Then, she pressed her lips together and shut her eyes. Then she hugged me tightly. I was worried that she might cry again.
But she opened her eyes and smiled. " Thank you, Callie, you are a sweetheart."
Then she collected her bag and started for the door.
It opened just seconds before she reached it.
"Hudson!" She exclaimed flung herself at him.