Unexpected

Chapter 33 - Ella

Tim looked from his daughters to Sara. "You're welcome to join us. Unless you have other plans."

"Come on. Anyone who works with Dad and Uncle Nick is practically family," Ella said.

Tim smiled. "My wife cooks for twice the number of people. With the week we've had..."

Sara nodded. "Alright, for a little while."

Tim thought Jules would be pleased. She had this crazy idea about Nick and Sara, and she could see them together. Tim smiled, because he liked to keep his wife happy.

Sara knew her way, but Ella insisted on going with her. Ella would talk her ear off. The nonstop talking gene must be recessive on dad's side, because both Ella and Bridget had it. It was either that or both he and his brother married women who were carriers. He smiled and thought Jules might be more than a carrier, but she was mature enough to control it. He loved his wife, and every day reminded him how lucky he was to have her. If not for Nick's charm, she could be another doctor's wife. Tim shuddered at the thought.

Thank goodness for Jules, because she had handled the latest news about their youngest daughter better than him. They had gone to see her perform in a musical at the university the night before. Ava came home from Boston for the event. It was a wonderful production, and Ella had amazed him. Her talent was incredible. Most of the family attended, except Nick, because his kids were too little. Tim thought he looked glad to be staying home alone, although he had always supported Ella and her talents.

After they left the theater, he ran back in, because Julie left her program. She needed it for her scrapbook. Tim really didn't mind because he knew how important those mementos were to his wife. When he entered the building again, his twenty-one-year-old daughter was in the arms of a man. Not a student, but a man who looked thirty.

Tim interrupted their little tête-à-tête and saw the guilt all over his daughter's face. Ella had been mischievous enough through the years. He knew her guilty face. For an actress, she was a terrible poker player. They went out for drinks so they could meet Conor, the man she had been seeing. Their daughter had been carrying on a secret relationship for months. The nature of this relationship was not the kind he wanted to know about. She was his baby girl.

He was a teacher at the school where she was student teaching and eight years older than her. He was polite, but Tim wasn't happy at all.

Julie, oh how he loved Jules. She was the voice of reason.

She reminded him he couldn't ground her. "She's an adult and must live with the consequences of her choices." Julie reminded him on the way home.

Tim's mind traveled to all the many consequences and settled on him being too young to become a grandfather. He'd make sure that Clare talked to her niece, because she would never listen to him. Tim wanted to call his brother to vent, but when they drove by, his house was dark, so he was probably already in bed.

This Conor was not coming over, but he was afraid Mum would find out about it. Maybe with Sara as their guest, Ella's man wouldn't be mentioned. Knowing Ella and her gift for gab, she had probably told Sara all about it on the ride.

Walking in the house, Julie met him at the door. "I sent the girls on errands, but I heard them talking about going to meet Sara."

He pulled her into an embrace and whispered in her ear. "Ella talked her into coming over. I didn't discourage it, because I knew you had your unfounded suspicions."

She smiled and kissed him quickly before scurrying off to the kitchen.

The girls bustling into the house. Sara looked like she was walking into the dentist for an extraction. Her expression changed quickly when Bridget screeched and ran to her. The little thing jumped into Sara's arms and hugged her. Meanwhile, Nick was scowling again. He wasn't sure if he was upset with his daughter screeching or Sara's entrance.

Nick approached him and whispered, "What's Sara doing here?"

"Ella invited her as a human shield. She's hoping the company will take some heat away from her."

"What's she done?" Ella hugged her uncle and interrupted Nick's question.

"Uncle Nicky, I missed you last night!"

"Sorry, El. No babysitter."

Clare said, "You should have asked Sara again. Ella was phenomenal!"

"Absolutely, you missed a great evening, Nick." Michael looped his arm around Clare's waist.

"Now why are you upsetting your father this time?" Nick asked.

The entire family was silent, and all eyes were on Ella except for the smallest two who were monopolizing Sara.

"Dad doesn't like that I kept my new boyfriend a secret for two months."

"Ella something tells me you weren't planning to tell us, if I hadn't seen you together." Tim scolded her like she was eight.

Ava was enjoying her sister's trouble. "Tell everyone why you were keeping him a secret, El."

Ella glared at her sister. "Because he's eight years older than me."

Michael had to pat Nick on the back as he almost started choking.

Mum said, "Tim dear relax, you know your father is nine years older than me."

"See Dad. It's fine for Granny." Ella smiled.

"Your grandmother was almost ten years older than you when they married. Can we please change the subject? Sara is our guest. She didn't come for our family drama."

"She shouldn't have come then." Nick said. Tim was sure he was joking, because there was always drama in the Burke family.

A/N If you want to find out what happens with Ella and her older boyfriend, her story is Unexpected Second Chance.