Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 420- Come for Dinner

Ella

When I finally come out of my bedroom, Rafe strapped to my chest, and hurry through the hallways to the front of the palace where I asked Cora to wait for me, I find her sitting with crossed arms and a frustrated look on her face.

“Oh hey, Ella,” she says, smirking at me. “What took you so long.”

I just beam innocently at my sister, flicking my hair over my shoulder. “I don’t know what you mean, Cora. I came as fast as I could.”

“Oh,” she says, raising her eyebrows at me. “I’m sure you did.”

And then I burst into laughter as I realize that Cora – well. Cora hasn’t precisely been one to make dirty jokes in the past, has she? “Looks like Roger’s rubbing off on you,” I say, putting out a hand to help her up, which she accepts.

“He’s trying,” she says, giving me a wink and leaning down to give Rafe a kiss on his forehead. “Are you ready? Finally?”

“Oh, come on, Cora,” I say, rolling my eyes as we head for the door. “It wasn’t like it was that long of a wait.”

“Forty-five minutes! Honestly, Ella – it’s not a quickie anymore if it takes the better part of an hour – ”

“Cora!” I hiss, covering Rafe’s innocent ears and looking around at all of the people milling around at the front of the palace. “They’ll hear you!”

She laughs. “Oh, come on, Ella, they all know too. Do you know how many people asked me where Sinclair has been? I’ve been making excuses for you for well over half an hour and everyone saw right through them -”

“Oh my god,” I say as we step out the front door and find Conner waiting for us. “We will cease speaking of this! Immediately!”

to the cars waiting for us. We hit the road quickly after I strap Rafe into his safety seat, heading directly for the Human Camp.

I get out of the car, grateful that

but – characteristically – keeping his hands in his pockets and refraining from giving us a hug. I resist

it. “We were getting Sarah settled this morning,” I say, smiling

she’s helped you.” She leans down to coo to Rafe now, greeting him. The baby gratifies her by kicking happily and waving

head into the camp to get to work. We head again to the children’s hospitalization tent, as both Isabel and Hank identified important cases which need my immediate attention. There, we fall into our routines, all of us wanting to help as many people as fast as we can, especially considering our delay in getting here this afternoon. I grimace when I think of my stolen hour, regretting it. Tomorrow I’ll try to get here earlier so I can really help as

stand up from my third patient of the afternoon, I’m

asks, flipping through the

“Who?” I ask, confused.

pointedly doesn’t look

to stay at the palace for awhile – for as long as she wants, really, until she

the direction of our next patient. I can’t help that my smile grows a little bit as I wonder just

honestly go either way. He’s very cryptic, isn’t he? Is he asking out of professional curiosity for a doctor regarding a

look up at Conner, who grins down at me as we follow. I laugh a

Well.

little meddling

flipping through them even though I

says, his

say, looking up

laughing a little as he shakes his head at me. “The idea of old times’ with me and your family means I’m either going to be watching you die slowly in bed or getting punched in the face for crimes I