Eleanor and George Tremaine married when she was twenty and he was twenty-two. Two years later their daughter Anastasia was born. Drizella was born the following year, and Ella was born a year after Drizella. George chose Ella's name in honor of his wife. The two adored their girls and loved being parents. This was just the calm before the disastrous storm.

At eleven, Ella started to look just like her paternal grandmother and that woman hated Eleanor. As a result, Eleanor began taking her anger out on Ella. One day, her daughters had asked to go play outside, "did you all finish your chores?"

"Yes, mother," Ella said.

Eleanor looked at Anastasia and Drizella, "did you?"

"No, we didn't," Anastasia admitted.

"Ella, go finish up for your sisters. Anastasia and Drizella, you may go outside."

The two older girls hesitantly walked outside. Ella stared at her mother, "I don't understand."

Eleanor looked up at her daughter, "you don't have to."

Ella turned and went upstairs. She ran into her father on her way to do her sisters' chores, "I thought you were going outside with your sisters?"

"Mother said I have to finish their chores."

George was confused, "what?"

"I don't know. She said I didn't have to understand."

"Ella, go outside. I'll talk to your mother."

George followed his daughter to the kitchen, "I know you didn't finish that quickly," Eleanor said to her daughter without looking up. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Outside," Ella said.

"I never said you could."

"No," George said alerting his wife of his presence. Eleanor's head snapped up, "I did. Ella, go outside." The little girl ran out the door. "I know you told our daughter that she didn't have to understand, but please help me to understand why she has to finish her sisters' chores."

"Look, Anastasia and Drizella don't move as quickly as Ella. I figured it would take her less time."

"So in the meantime, you told Anastasia and Drizella to go outside and play?"

"There was no point in keeping them all inside."

"You should have told them to finish their chores. I'm sure Ella would have offered to help."

"Well, I did things differently."

"You've been doing things differently and I want to know why. Why are you so easy on Anastasia and Drizella and so hard on Ella?"

Anastasia and Drizella walked into the house, "is Ella done, yet?" Anastasia asked.

Both parents were confused, "I sent her outside five minutes ago," George said before rushing outside, "Ella!" Eleanor and the girls followed. "Eleanor, you check the cellar. I'll check the barn. Girls, wait here in case she comes back. If she does then come to find us. George and Eleanor went their separate ways. Eleanor opened the door to the cellar and made her way down. Ella wasn't there and she wasn't in the barn. George asked a neighbor to stay with Anastasia and Drizella so he and Eleanor could go out and look for Ella. It was going to be dark soon and they were beginning to panic. "Stop," George said as he tried to listen more carefully. He followed a sound he heard to a weeping willow tree. Under the tree was Ella all curled up and crying. George ran to his daughter, "Ella, you scared us half to death."

"I'm sorry, daddy," she sniffled.

"Let's get you home. You're probably hungry." George noticed that when Ella saw her mother, she remained in her spot. He lifted his daughter and carried her past Eleanor. Anastasia and Drizella were relieved when they saw Ella. They followed their father and sister to the dinner table.

"Girls, you need to wash up for dinner," Eleanor said. Anastasia and Drizella went to wash up, but Ella stayed behind, "come on, Ella. You too," Eleanor said. Ella didn't move, "Ella, you can't eat until you wash up."

"Eleanor, give her a break," George said.

"She knows the rules. She's lucky I'm not making her eat alone for running away."

"I ran away because of you," Ella said softly.

"Excuse me?" Eleanor's voice was stern.

Ella looked at her mother in tears, "I ran away because of you!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me. I'm your mother."

"I wish you weren't," Ella yelled before running from the table. This time, George went after his daughter. She ran into her bedroom and locked the door. George had Anastasia and Drizella take dinner upstairs for them and Ella. He stormed into the dining room, furious.

"You're letting them eat upstairs?" Eleanor asked.

"They all need to eat and Ella won't eat down here."

"If she doesn't eat down here then she doesn't eat."

"Do you hear yourself? What happened to you?"

"Nothing!"

"How can you be so cruel to your own daughter. Who, by the way, just said that she wishes you weren't her mother. Didn't that affect you?"

"She's just a child. What does she know?"

"A lot more than you do." George took his dinner and went upstairs to join his daughters. That night Eleanor ate alone and didn't see her husband for the rest of the night. When she went to bed, she decided to check on the girls. She all three girls and her husband in Ella's large bed. That night, Eleanor slept alone for the first time since getting married.