in the eye of the beholder

Tristan was in the hospital. Steph and Lonnie's baby was having stomach problems.

Ellie had to sit down when she heard the news. Lon was still on the phone with Lonnie about the matter. The baby was going to have to have stomach surgery. Ellie cringed.

They'd been down to Texas several weeks ago when Ellie felt like traveling. Of course, the trip took a toll on her. She couldn't possibly think of going back. Ellie remembered the baby was only a few months old and there was Lonnie letting the infant suck bean juice off a piece of meat when they went out for BBQ. It had disgusted Ellie, who had wanted to say, Who lets an infant do something like that? Tristan was hardly 4 months old. Steph had mentioned since, the doctor told them to stop giving the baby - food. She was over weight.

Ellie didn't understand, what the rush was to get the infant to eating grownup food. The baby didn't even have any teeth yet. Ellie sighed as other miserable thoughts came. What if the baby died and then..then they'd want Charlie because... Charlie was Lonnie's son. She hated to let this sort of stuff eat away at her.

"The baby is fine. She'll be OK." Lon told her once he got off the phone.

Ellie just nodded. She didn't want to say what was on her mind. Really, it was out of her hands. She couldn't worry. There was enough to worry about. As it was she was waiting for Lisa. They were going shopping. She'd promised her mother that she would even if she didn't really want to have a thing to do with her sister.

It would mean listening to how Geo hadn't found a job. How bad it was at Dad's. Lisa hated living with Kyle's mother. Lisa hated everything. And it was non-stop listening to her brats say how they hated every thing too. Lisa promised she wouldn't bring them, but Ellie knew she would. She always did because no one could stand those little brats. Her two little geniuses, or so Lisa exaggerated. They didn't know Geo. They only wanted her. And there they were coming up the driveway.

"You really don't have to go if you don't want too." Lon told her to go hide in the bedroom. "I'll tell her you aren't up to it."

Ellie just smiled. She wished Lon was home all the time when Lisa dropped in.