Reunited Ch. 03

Author Note: Wow, people do NOT like waiting! Sorry y'all, but I am a graduate student, so school comes first. I would absolutely love to spend all day writing and get paid for it, but I'm nowhere near practiced/talented enough for that. However! Don't fret too much.  I have several chapters finished and reread/edited for continuity (though I do make mistakes, so please forgive any glaring errors and feel free to call them to my attention so I can fix them), so I'll try to post and keep writing. Thanks for feedback! I'm touched people like/dislike enough to comment.

*****

"Ellie Burns!"

Ellie jumped when she heard someone shout her name, but she quickly regained her composure and kept her head down, refusing to turn toward the voice. How could someone have found her already? She had seen Alec come in that one night a month ago, but he hadn't recognized her and she hadn't seen him since, though Carrie had seen him a few times and had often spoken of the tall, handsome stranger wistfully. Though the voice did sound familiar, Ellie could tell it wasn't Alec's. She knew she'd recognize his voice anywhere.

Since it was nearing midnight, the bar was packed. Maybe there was another Ellie in the room and the person hadn't meant her. Though nobody here knew she was Ellie Burns. They all thought she was Ellie Brown. She'd been allowed to keep her first name, but the official had helped her pick a common enough last name so that she could blend into the large city.

Of course, Ellie had never considered that she could run into an old acquaintance so far from her former home. She'd looked up the last known address of every friend she could remember, checking online for those with whom she had lost contact. None had lived in close proximity to the city and Ellie had believed she'd be safe.

She had forgotten—or had blocked from her memory—the fact that Alec had told her how he wanted to move there after school. That hadn't happened, and the last time she'd heard from him he'd been hundreds of miles away from his dream destination. She hadn't even considered looking him up; after all, they'd lost touch a few years prior to her move.

Either way, he hadn't recognized her that first night, so what did it matter that he was in the same city now? Diligently, she continued to wait on the tables in her section. This time, she managed not to react when the voice called her name again.

"Hey Ellie!"

The voice was closer. Somehow somebody had figured out who she really was. The customers were staring at her; they knew that the man was calling after her. No longer able to ignore him, she turned around.

*****

Alec looked on as Jake called Ellie's name, so he saw the girl jump. She didn't turn though. Could it really be the same Ellie they'd known in college? He remembered how he had originally wanted to stay in touch with her after graduating. In fact, he'd tried again about a year ago, but hadn't been able to find her. Even her best friends from college no longer had an address or valid phone number. In the end, he had given up on finding her, but she had often crossed his mind over the years.

"I don't know if that's her," he said to Jake.

"Didn't you see her jump? That's got to be her. Let's get closer."

They stood up and approached the waitress.

"Hey Ellie!" Jake called again.

This time, as they approached, she slowly turned around.

"Itisher," Alec breathed.

She met his eyes and her face froze. Then she looked over at Jacob.

"I'm not sure who you think you've found, but I'm not her," her voice was strained.

Alec looked at Jake, who appeared shocked.

"Sorry, miss. I guess you just look familiar..." Jake's voice trailed off as the woman abruptly turned and walked away. She went behind the bar and through the employee doors, never once looking back.

"Jake...that was her. I know it was."

"I agree. Did you see how scared she looked when she recognized us?"

"Yeah but she just shut down. Something's going on here."

"Wanna ask the other bartenders?"

Nodding, Alec led the way over to the bar, where they waited to catch the attention of the bargirls. After a couple minutes, a new girl walked out of the employee doors and, catching sight of the waiting men, walked over to them.

"Hey there, gentlemen. How can I help you tonight?"

"We're looking for Ellie Burns. She works here."

"I'm sorry. I don't know an Ellie Burns. We have an Ellie Brown who works here though. Are you sure you've got the last name right?"

"Is Ms. Brown a little shorter than you, thin, with wavy brown hair?"

"Yes she is. I'll go get her for you." The girl smiled and walked through the doors to the back again.

As Jake and Alec waited, each was thinking about how strange this whole night had suddenly become.

"I can't believe it wouldn't be her. Someone who looks and sounds like Ellie, with the same first name and a different last name and claiming not to be her. It makes no sense," said Jake.

"Maybe she got married? Then she'd have a different last name."

"She wasn't wearing a ring. Plus that still doesn't explain why she would claim to not recognize or know us. This whole scenario is off somehow."

Alec merely nodded his assent. His thoughts were flying through his head so quickly that he was uncertain he could voice them.

The waitress returned, but instead of bringing Ellie with her, she brought a different young lady, one Alec recognized from his first night here. A flirt, if he recalled correctly. Flirting was the last thing on his mind at the moment though.Imagine that. Ellie Burns ending up in the same city as me.

"Hi there boys, I'm Carrie. I know you're looking for Ellie, but she just left. She told me she wasn't feeling well. The poor dear was pale as a sheet and shaking. She worked a double today because one of the other gals called in. But you could try again the day after tomorrow. She works the day shift."

"We're friends of Ellie's from college," said Jake. "Is there any way you'd be willing to tell us her address? We could check on her and make sure she's alright."

Carrie pursed her lips as she contemplated the request. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but without Ellie's consent, I don't feel comfortable giving out her personal information. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Of course," said Alec. "We wouldn't want you to go around giving her address to every man who asked for it." He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He understood the woman's reluctance, but he could not abide such a mystery. "Is there any way we could get her phone number? We'll just call and check on her. That's it."

Carrie was willing to comply with this appeal. She wrote down the number for the men on a napkin. "You boys seem trustworthy. Check up on her. Maybe she'll be willing to give you her address." She smiled and wished them a good evening.

Alec and Jake thanked her and took their leave of the bar.

"Do you think she'll speak to us?"

"I don't know about that, but I do know that I want to figure this out. As soon as possible."

*****

"Good evening, this is Kristin Miller. How may I help you?"

"Kristin, it's Ellie. Someone here knows who I am. Can you help me? I'm so sorry. Some friends from college came in the bar and recognized me. I tried to tell them that they had the wrong girl, but I could tell they remembered me."

"It's alright. Calm down. These things happen. Give me a minute to search for a suitable back-up apartment."

Ellie could hear the woman typing in the background, so she remained silent, trying to calm herself. Everything had been going so well. Why did he have to show up and ruin it?

"Ok, Ellie?"

"Yes."

"I found an apartment building where we know the landlord. We'll arrange everything tonight, and you can move in tomorrow afternoon, ok?"

"Yes. I really am sorry. I know it's a hassle for you guys. I thought I'd be safe in such a large city, you know? What are the odds of someone from my past coming here?"

"Maybe it's not such a bad thing. You'll have to find a new job though."

"I know. May I still work as a bartender?"

"I don't see why not. Is there any chance your old friends talk to Rob?"

"Oh no. I don't think they know anything about him."

"Then I think you should be fine. Here's the address of the new apartment." She read it off. Ellie knew the area and felt relieved. It would be sufficiently far from the bar.

"Will you need help moving?"

"No. I didn't bring very many large things out here and I kept my boxes from the first move. Thanks though."

"You are very welcome, Ms. Brown. Feel free to give me a call if you run in to any problems."

"I will. Thanks again. Good bye."

As she hung up the phone, Ellie sighed. She had so much to do. Damn Alexander Reynolds for showing up here and recognizing her. She had felt safe in his previous ignorance. It had seemed like many years had passed. But it had really only been what? Maybe five years. So very much had happened since then.

She began packing in the bathroom, grabbing everything and throwing it into a box. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. "I don't even remember who I am anymore," she said aloud.

After leaving, she'd come to the city, dropped about twenty to thirty pounds, grown her hair out, dyed it darker, and traded her glasses for contacts and make up. She'd trusted in the metamorphosis to keep her hidden, but apparently it hadn't been enough.

Nothing is ever enough.She banished that thought quickly. She would be safe again soon.Just stay strong, Ellie,she told herself.

She gazed at her reflection now, reminiscing about how, as a teenager, she had hated her curves. How she missed them now. It had taken some serious willpower to give up all sweets and to enhance the intensity of her work outs. She'd allowed herself two months to complete the change and during that time she'd gone from an average sized, almost curvy girl to a stick-thin one. It had taken her only a few days to realize that she hated the change, missed how she'd previously been able to fill out her clothing, and craved chocolate, but she couldn't allow herself to look like Ellie Burns.

During those couple months, she'd also finally mastered eye makeup—an art that had eluded her for years—and had vowed to never wear her glasses in public again. The last step had been to stop cutting her hair and start dying it and presto! She was a brand new woman.

Ellie knew that the changes had also made her feel caged and far more anxious than her former care-free self. She longed to go back to the girl she had been, to leave this intimidated weakling behind and return to a time when she had been happy...or at least had believed herself to be happy. She hated the feeling of apprehension, but that was what she felt most often these days.

The fear that she'd felt as she'd realized that Jake and Alec knew exactly who she was...well, that was intolerable. Jake had been one of her closest friends once, and Alec—"Oh, Alec," she sighed. Alec had been the man about whom she fantasized, the one she loved. And the one who hadn't returned her feelings in the end. Of all the people to find her, Alec would have been the least expected.

She moved to her bedroom, packing her clothing, extra bedding, and impersonal knick-knacks that she used to decorate the place. She'd put all of her scrapbooks, decorations, and other personal items into storage after moving out here, but the place had looked so empty that she'd purchased some items just so that she wouldn't feel quite as isolated.

Thank goodness I didn't buy very many things. Now I have less to move.She knew her fatalistic viewpoint was wrong, that she should work on being content no matter what her situation, but currently, the only thought on her mind was escape. She knew that given time, two handsome men could wheedle her personal information out of Carrie; her friend truly was a sucker for men. The thought of her friend batting her eyelashes at Alec and Jake brought a much-needed smile to her face.