here we go again

Roger took one look at Ellie and he knew. He knew something had happened. She was hugging herself. Not a smile in sight. This was serious Ellie.

"OH MY GOD." He smiled all over, just staring at her at the door at his place.

"Is, is Olivia, here?" She asked, a bit out of sorts. She looked as if she'd slept in that T-shirt.

"No." Roger shook his head. "Look, you can tell me. You can. Eric and Syd are off at the park with Charlie and Evan. I know you want to. You have to tell someone. I know that look. So tell me, what is it?"

He remembered all those times, the last year of high school, when they told each other everything. They even went to prom together. They'd been best buds. But it all changed in a snap of a finger. She met Lon. No more talks. Ancient history now.

"I don't know if I want too." She was miserable. She fell back on the cough then, taking most of it.

"You got to tell someone, or you'll go crazy." Roger was full of laughter, but he held it in. He had to be serious too. This was serious. He just kept staring.

 Maybe he liked the fact that things weren't perfect between Ellie and Lon. He didn't know what it was, but he needed this. He needed to be someone's BFF since it was pretty much stagnating with him and Doyle now. He supposed Doyle got cold feet or something. He knew it would just have to take time. But right now, he needed this. He did.

Ellie rolled her eyes.

"I found out something." She sighed.

"Did you?" He wanted juicy details. He wanted to know all of it.

"But you can't tell, anyone." She sat up then.

"Sure." He was suddenly calm and had her attention.

"You know what that means when you say sure?" Ellie stared at him. "It means, you can't keep a secret."

"I will, swear to God, the whole bit, just tell me." Roger glared back, waiting in anticipation.

"Lon might have a daughter." She was cold when she said it. She didn't mean to be. But it had hit her so hard. She didn't want to believe it. If only she could be happy. She wanted to be. She didn't want to be angry, but she couldn't help it. If only she could explain it. But she couldn't. It was just this cold feeling that things had changed between them. That maybe she was seeing who he was telling her he was all along. Ellie didn't want to believe it. She wanted Lon to be who she wanted him to be. But now it was different. It was so different now.

"And?" Roger shook his head. "You knew, the guy was pretty much a Texas playboy when you met him." No big story there. A poor little rich boy, who messed around. Roger reminded her that Lon was kicked out of the University, Texas Tech and A&M. OK, Roger didn't know that for sure. But he thought so.

"Shut up." Ellie scowled. But she was a little misty eyed. She put her hands over her face, and she began sob.

"Ellie, it can't be that bad." Roger put his arm around her. And she sobbed into his shoulder.

"It'll be OK." He could barely hear her. She mumbled something else.

"What?" Roger winced. "Are you saying what I think... you... are saying?"