[name_f]Elysa[/name_f] " [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] " [name_f]Bianca[/name_f] [Marios] VanderHaise (30) is Kendra’s sister and Saul’s younger daughter. Currently 7-months pregnant with her second child, Ellie’s always been the soft touch of the siblings, known for crying at [name_f]Disney[/name_f] films and always wanting to see everyone happy; which has translated into her being a very capable mom, as she’s completely in-tune and aware of her daughters’ needs. [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] became pregnant with her first child at 25, an unplanned situation that she and her then-boyfriend were taken aback by, as they’d only been together for 2 years and hadn’t discussed having kids in a serious capacity. In spite of the shock, they decided to handle things with the mindset of putting their baby first - [name_m]Saul[/name_m] became their unofficial mediator whenever a difficult chat was needed, usually to do with finance [as their careers were very much retail based] - and this allowed them to not only flourish upon having their daughter, but allowing them to become romantically involved again, and they subsequently married a year ago. Her husband uses he/they pronouns, something his family struggled with, and [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] was incredibly thankful for her own then, as they helped communicate with her in-laws about understanding gender identity, allowing them to fully embrace his coming out ultimately.
Usually, [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] works as a personal secretary at a dental clinic, and really couldn’t tell you anything about the medical side of things, but is always in the loop when it comes to the personal lives of staff and clients. She’s very much a people person who can make anyone feel at ease, which was clear in how she clicked with [name_f]Helen[/name_f] when they first met, and has formed a good friendship with [name_f]Mary[/name_f] too - strengthening considerably since the Nordhoff sisters’ were introduced to her daughter. Ellie’s husband affectionately tells her she’d make a brilliant therapist, but she’s someone with no academic aspirations, partly attributed to her dyslexia: which made school a nightmarish environment, and she’s always been firm about not feeling a need to prove herself to a system with little caring for things outside of traditional learning. She’ll also admit her listening schools are those she prefers having total autonomy with, and going into a line of work tying them to income could sour her patience for letting people confide in her, something she really doesn’t want to risk happening.
When she isn’t pregnant, [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] loves climbing and running, with swimming being her current substitute for those pastimes cut out. Any kind of adrenaline source calls to her, although she’s very fond of nail art and makeup whenever relaxing’s more of a priority. The ongoing court case is something she’s protected her daughter from entirely - although it’s a conversation she and her husband know will come about eventually - but she’s clear if [name_f]Kendra[/name_f] wants to speak to her about it, she’s always there for her. When they were younger, the two weren’t especially close - [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] had a lot of friends she was constantly spending time with, as well as running track and dating a slew of people - but as they’ve matured and settled down, the sisters’ have come to bond more, in particular when [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] was in the early stages of her first pregnancy and concerned about all potential complications. Their other sister - the eldest girl - was likewise quite removed from Ellie’s life, and they still aren’t the closest, although there’s never been any discord between them: they’re just very different in what they aspire for and the company they keep. It’s clear the popular status [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] obtained in school hasn’t been lost over time, and usually she’s making new friends solely by chance when going about her day, but she’s known her best friend since they were 3 and wouldn’t trade that friendship in for the world.