setting the rules

Grounded.

A headache just kept pulsing through Ellie's head. Her eyes felt like heavy metal trying to fight the miserable task of what next.

She could hear her Dad with Kyle's Mom.

"Well, I don't want her ever seeing him again," her Dad said about Eric.

Ellie pulled a face as she sat on the livingroom sofa waiting for her sentence. They were off in the kitchen.

"I think you're asking for too much," Joan said. "Eric is not the problem. She has to have someone to confide in and keeping him away will only make it worse. Do you want her to runaway? Is that what you want? As long as she's here, Eric can come over."

Ellie was a little shocked that she had someone on her side.

"Well, what do you expect me to do?"

"Ground her."

"From what."

"Limit phone calls. The Internet. Being home right after school. Enforce some rules. Plus the neighbor is in dire need of a babysitter. Next couple of Tuesdays, she can do it free, and if that works out and they want her back, then she can get paid. Sort of a trial run. Nora's desperate to find someone to take care of her three when she has to work her night at the library. She can never find anyone. This way, everyone wins."

Ellie wasn't so sure she liked the idea of babysitting. She'd never done it. Actually. Well, not that much. Her headache would not let up.

"What about Eric?"

"She can see him only four hours a week," Joan suggested. "She can spread those hours out..or make it one big chunk on the weekend. But don't let this go on any longer than three weeks. After that, it'll be hell to pay."

"God, I don't know..."

"Just talk to her. You have to make time for her. So you're grounded too." Joan told him.

"What?" Her Dad complained.

"Sorry, thats how it usually works out. No late nights at the office for you and maybe you two need to have a date or two. Maybe once a week it would help. You have to start being there for her, Will."

Ellie slightly cringed, but maybe...just maybe she could work with this.