The door was opened slightly, Savanah peeped through the slight crack and visibly relaxed seeing it was not the insane Romeo. Then the door was shut again and after removing all the locks and chains it was opened wide. And in came Elli with a frantic expression, while she looked around for Emma and the children Savanah was busy taking a surveying look outside to see if anyone was keeping a eye on them, especially that rascal Romeo.

"Elli! how come you are back now? You were going to stay there in new jersey for two more days, right ?" Emma who just came out of the guest bedroom asked surprised.

Elli had her hands on her hips looking quite intimidating. "You tell me Emma why I got to know about the fire incident just this morning and not last night?"

Sarah and Sammy lifted their tiny heads up for a little moment to have a curious look at Elli who accused like a broken bansi. Emma glared at savanah at the other side of the room suddenly too much busy with fresh batch of cookies in the oven.

Savanah caught Emma's eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. "Its just that ... Elli and I had a little phone conversation and I might have said something about you and Sarah getting stuck in a room where ..."

Not wanting to listen anymore what Savanah was still blabbering Emma moved away to the living room. Though there was no one in the kitchen anymore, Savanah was still very much engrossed in talking. Emma watched as Elli showered the kids with tight hugs and concerned kisses.

Emma sighed. "I didn't want to worry you Elli. I know how important this tour was to you."

Elli waved a hand and rolled her eyes. "But not more than you guys, I thought you knew that Emma!"

Emma couldn't help but smile with teary eyes. She thought about when six years back she had to leave everything familiar and settle into this bubble of her new life, she was fortunate to find these magnificent people.

"And I already lost that client, so rest of the trip wasn't that much important huh. I am just glad that I got rid of that son of a ... ." Elli couldn't complete as a fluffy cushion squarely landed on her face, groaning she looked up to find Emma glaring at her.

"Don't curse! little ears are listening." Emma scolded.

Elli just laughed when Sammy innocently protested. "But my ears are not that little mommy."

Sarah was already feeling her ears with her tiny fingers while sporting a cute frown. She complained, " Mommy! My right ear bigger than left one ... ."

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It was almost mid afternoon when Emma and Elli finally managed to clean up their house as much as they could from the remnants of last nights accidental disaster and moved the kids in. Only the guest room was not usable. The fire never really got to spread outside the room - thanks to the hunky firemen on their late rescue mission.

Emma had already appointed workers to fix the messed up side of the house, it would be as fresh as new in a week or so.

Slumping down on the couch Emma threw her head back on the backrest and closed her eyes. It was a really hectic day, added to that was the long - full of stress - sleepless night.

Jonathon had been understanding when she described everything over the phone and took the day off. He even wanted to come here and check on her but somehow she managed to calm him down.

The bell rang and Emma jumped up, she looked at the door with wide eyes.

"Coming ..." Yelling Elli made a run for the door. Emma screamed in panic...

"Don't open the door Elli ... stop ... !"

Elli paused right before the door her hand paused upon the door handle. She made a puzzled face. "Why not?"

Emma was scared shitless, what if it was Brandan? Him being their neighbor had made the things even more complicated. She knew that she had to face him sooner or later, a very crucial talk was due. But Emma couldn't help but hide from it, delay the inevitable to happen - for as long as she could. Yes she was not that old - naive girl but quite the opposite who had learned to be strong and confident, raising two kids all alone and at the same time building up a respectable career did that to her.

But facing this one man was proving to be more difficult than her six years of struggle.

"Just don't open the door okay?" Emma said firmly, hints of panic still lingering in her voice though she tried pretty hard not to let it show.

Elli just shrugged after staring at Emma for a whole minute. "Whatever."

Emma turned around and was preparing herself to duck behind the couch while holding her breath and praying it not to be him. She almost fainted with relief when Elli squealed. "Yummy cheese pizzas!!"

Pizza - not Brandan. Emma went to her previous position on the couch and watched as Elli carried the boxes into the kitchen.

" None of you had dinner last night, those rotten foods in the waste bin proves that." Elli pointed out.

"We had dinner at Savanah's place." Emma said.

Clicking her fingers Elli gave Emma a wistful look. "I'm sure this we means the kids for sure. Just have a look at yourself Emma, it seems like your intestines have totally deflated in the absence of food since who knows how long."

Emma didn't answer. The shock of facing Brandan after all these years was enough to kill her appetite.

There was a moment of silence and then Elli was storming down the room. With a serious look she sat right across Emma. "Tell me whats going on? What the f*** is bothering you?"

Emma opened her mouth but closed it immediately when Elli hissed and warned her with a serious look. "And don't you dare say that it's just the fire incident last night and you're still a bit shaken because I'm definitely not going to take that shit of a excuse of yours. So you better explain woman..."

Emma stared at Elli blankly, thinking if it was better to just spill it out considering Elli would keep pestering her until she gets the whole truth.

So after some time Elli sat with her mouth hanging open jaw nearly touching the floor in shock and then the shock was replaced with a blast of fury.

"That scum..."

"Don't curse Elli."

Elli stood up abruptly and paced from one end to another in the room. Then she stopped in front of Emma suddenly with a dead serious face. "Don't worry Emma, he would have to go over my dead body to reach you and before that ... he would be a dead body. I know how to take care of that Brandan... or Tandan whatever his name is. Just let him come this time ... . "

"But Elli, you don't even know how he looks like ... ." Emma said, a frown forming on her forehead.

Elli lifted her hand cutting Emma's sentence in utter confidence. "I'll just know when I see that piece of shit Emma. You need not to stress over it. I got this ... ."

Emma frustratedly dropped her head back on the head rest when Elli had this evil smirk on her face. She was determined to teach this Brandan guy a lesson which would obviously make him run for his life and never come back.

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Oliver sat shocked after listening everything - stunned and in loss of words. Brandan's elbows were resting on the kitchen counter as he rested his throbbing head into his palms.

"I need this one chance to talk to her, apologize and there're these questions I need the answers of ... but ... ."

Brandan said in slow murmurs as if he was talking to himself - eyes closed as if trying to contain all the vulnerability well hidden, "but, she won't even open that damned door! I know - I know I deserve this treatment but ... ."

His voice broke at the end as helplessness of the situation made the ache inside even more massive. Now knowing that Emma was so close - just across the road, he was on the edge of losing his sanity.

Oliver stood up determined. "Don't worry Brandan, just gather your shit together. I'm going over there and I'll try to convince her and I hope everything will be alright buddy."

Brandan's head snapped up in such a speed that he was sure it had made a slight cracking noise by the action.

So, after a good fifteen minutes of a heated argument with Brandan, Oliver was standing before Emma's door. Pushing on the button beside the door-frame which announced his arrival with a sweet cooing noise. Oliver brushed his hands over the hem of his jacket.

He mentally rehearsed again and again what he was going to say to Emma - to convince her to have some pity and talk to Brandan even for once. After that Brandan would have to take matters in his own hands. Besides, he would always be there for Brandan if he needed him further. What are friends for?

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Holding her breath, Elli looked through the small peep hole to see a handsome man nervously standing on the other side of the door looking here and there restlessly. Elli glanced beside her to see if everything was there. Yes, all the weapons were there. But she needed to first confirm if it was the douche - Brandan.

So she opened the door slightly so that only her face could be seen.

Oliver shuffled his feet and smiled politely at the girl who was scrutinizing him silently.

"Ummm ... Hi. Is Emma home? I actually wanted to talk to her. It wont take long ... I mean ... ."

Elli narrowed her eyes. "And who are you may I ask?"

Oliver tilted his upper body a little sideways and pointed to their house from behind his shoulder. "Ermm ... You don't know me, I mean we are new here ... just shifted in the house across the street a few days ago. I am..."

Elli straigtened her spine in alert. It was him - that douchebag - Brandan Rozario who broke Emma's heart. The so called sperm donor of Emma's children.

She threw open the door completely and the next second Oliver found some dense liquid poured all over his head and face ... and now it was dripping down on his brand new jacket and sipping lazily into his undershirt. By the stink of it he guessed it must be the rotten stew from yesterday's dinner?

Elli was so pleased doing the right use of last night's untouched food. But if the stinky man thought this was all then he had another thing coming, she had more in store for this scum of a man and she would give him everything that he deserved and then some more.

"What the f***!! Are you ..." Oliver screamed, he was freaked out at the sudden turn of events.

"Take this ... ." Elli spat.

He couldn't complete what he was saying as something gluey was thrown upon his chest, thankfully it wasn't stinky.

"And this ... ."

She now threw all the contains of the waste bin, Oliver was about to take a step back but it was all over him long before he could do that.

"And this too ... ."

Oliver gasped. "Hey!! damn!!"

He dodged away the can of something which was thrown towards him cruelly aiming his eye and sighed in relief. But he couldn't save himself from the ripped old sandal which hit right on his forehead and the world spun for him a little faster.

Elli yelled dangerously, her threat clear as the shining daylight.

"Take all these which is exactly what you deserve you filthy pest and leave. Never you dare to bug Emma ever again. Because if you do..."

She left the threat hanging in the now stinking air and slammed the door right on his stunned face.

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Brandan squeezed his nose as the horrible smell hit his nostrils which arrived minutes before Oliver did. Expressionless he walked past Brandan.

"F***... Oliver!! Don't tell me you fell into a manhole." To say Brandan was shocked would be an understatement.

Oliver didn't utter a word, he was on the bottom of the stairs when he halted for a second. With his back facing Brandan he announced frustratedly.

"I'm so out of your love life Brandan. It should have been you in my place."

Then he went upstairs muttering through gritted teeth, "Never gonna butt into anyone's business anymore..."

Brandan turned his amused stare to have a look at Emma's house through the open door, the mental promise he made to himself solidified even more in determination. He didn't care how but he was adamant to get to her no matter what obstacles were thrown at his way - a manhole or a cyclone, he didn't care.

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So friends, how was it? Did you enjoy reading this chapter especially Oliver's sweet introduction to Elli? Haa haa... Let me know okay. :)

please vote, comment and follow me if you like this story - that would make me so happy. Do share this story with your friends so that they can also join me here with Brandan and Emma. Take care. I'll try to update as soon as possible.