Chapter Six
Friday Evening
Timothy’s Home
Dinner
After Ethan finished showering, they’d cleaned up the living room since they’d ‘used’ it last. Ethan took a few minutes to leave Callen a note, and Gene didn’t even try to read it. If Ethan wanted a private moment with his brother, he should have it.
That was likely important because after they left, Gene was going to heed both Timothy’s and Callen’s advice.
He was keeping Ethan away from here until his mate and partner had time to regroup. Whether that took a year or twenty, he was going to make sure Ethan’s heart stayed intact.
That was, after all, his job.
As they headed to Timothy’s for dinner, Ethan was silent in the passenger seat. At first, Gene didn’t say anything, simply because he wasn’t sure if he should ‘intrude’. Knowing Ethan like he knew him, the man tended to like his privacy.
Already being back here, he could see the difference in Ethan, and Gene wasn’t sure he liked it. His man had come a long way in the last year with figuring out who he was meant to be, but the matter of Gabe taking his badge, and returning here had rattled that cage.
Big-time.
And Gene didn’t like it.
Yeah, there was work to do, and he was going to stick close to his man. That was why they were taking the same vehicle to Timothy’s.
He’d had the rental company come pick up the spare car, since Gene wasn’t letting his runner out of sight.
Just in case.
There was no way he was playing ‘chase the man’ again today.
Not.
Happening.
Finally, he had no choice but to go there. They were almost at his grandfather’s cabin, and if Ethan couldn’t handle this, he’d make a beeline for the airport.
They could catch late flights out back to Philly, putting distance between them and here.
“Are you okay?” he asked, not sure if this was a good idea or not since his lover’s mood was drastically going south.
Ethan nodded.
“Yeah, I’m just thinking.”
Well, that was never good.
EVER.
“About?” Gene asked.
Ethan was honest, and it wasn’t what Gene expected. In fact, it wasn’t even close to what he was assuming had his lover silent.
“About my mom.”
Oh, well.
Gene knew that Ethan would bring her up on occasion, but mostly when he was waxing poetically. So, this was a safe topic to talk about.
“What about?” he inquired.
Ethan reached for Gene’s hand, and he shared what was going on in his head.
“Basically, about how much she would like you. She was a good judge of character. When she was really sick, she told me to find someone who would love me enough for her, and for the first time in my life, I think I did.”
Gene’s heart skipped.
Well, holy shit.
Yeah, this was definitely not what he’d thought was going to come from Ethan’s mouth.
It was refreshing because it was true.
He had found someone who would love him enough for everyone. Gene didn’t believe anyone could love him more.
Bringing his knuckles to his lips, Gene kissed their joined fingers.
“Well, I know I would have loved her. I imagine her to be just like you,” he stated. “Or is that you being just like her?”
Ethan was curious.
He hadn’t expected that.
“Really?”
Gene nodded.
“From what you’ve told me about your father, I know you’re not much like him, and I know enough about your grandfather to know you’re not like him either.
That leaves only one other person you could be like.
So, I’m betting she was kind, gentle, and had a huge heart. You have all of those things in you.”
Ethan always felt so much better whenever Gene was there. It was like the man was a giant shield, protecting him from the negativity that battered him at the worst time.
“From what I remember about her,” he began, “she was all of those things. People gravitated to her because she was gentle and kind. I imagine she was a damn good nurse.”
Gene didn’t doubt that.
Now, Ethan had a big ask to make.
“I know we’re not staying here tonight, but tomorrow, before we leave for the airport, can we stop by her grave? It’s been a very long time since I put flowers there. Twelve years in fact, and I feel like since I’m here, I should see her.”
Immediately, Gene relaxed.
This was the kind of thing he wanted Ethan to share with him. It made him feel secure when his man leaned INTO him, not AWAY from him.
That’s what partners did in a relationship.
“Absolutely. I’d love to take you there. I think you should talk to her and tell her about your life now. As a Catholic, I believe she’s watching and enjoying the show.”
Ethan smiled at him.
“Thank you,” he said. “I appreciate it.”
There was never any issue when it came to Gene giving Ethan what he needed.
That’s what he was there for, just like Ethan was there to supply the same thing.
As they pulled into Timothy’s driveway, Ethan stared at the cabin. It was getting older, like its inhabitant. There was guilt that Ethan didn’t help his brother more.
Yeah, he was angry at Timothy for the things he did that caused pain in his life, but it wasn’t fair to make Callen carry the burden of this place.
That was shitty on his behalf.
He should be assisting him as much as he could, since he was the lucky one who didn’t have to live here.
Then again, one day, he might come back when he retired. The reservation wasn’t a bad place.
It was just a place with bad memories, and he knew that he needed to succeed in life so that he could keep those demons at bay.
“I need to start helping Callen pay for shit here. This place is a wreck,” he admitted.
If that meant something to Ethan, Gene was more than happy to help, too.
“Well, we don’t pay for rent, so we can help your brother out. I don’t mind. Your family is my family,” he admitted.
Ethan was grateful.
That was just one more thing about Gene that Ethan loved. He was very compassionate, too.
It was a sexy thing.
Getting out of the vehicle, he stood there, and it wasn’t something he felt comfortable with either. Whenever he came here, there was this pull, and it bothered him.
But he’d run here, and now, he’d face the demons that plagued him. The big one being his grandfather.
But if he made one goddamn comment about Gene, or him not saddling himself with a Caucasian, Ethan was out of here, and he was taking his precious white man with him.
Bet.
On.
It.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go face the Shaman. I’m sure this is going to be interesting. It always is.”
That worked for him.
He was caught off guard again when Ethan held out his hand, wanting to connect them. At first, he was pretty sure he’d play it cool, but this was anything but that.
This was him trying to have a unified front.
Uh, okay.
Gene took his hand again, and together, they headed to the door. As they got onto the porch, Ethan knocked.
Then again, he’d do the same with his own parents if he ever went back.
Nah.
Who was he kidding?
He wasn’t going back ever.
Still, it was odd that a child had to knock on their ‘parent’s’ door to have access. That told him Ethan did NOT feel comfortable here, or welcome.
Samesies.
Now, Gene was hoping no one did anything ridiculous to hurt the man beside him. He liked being respectful, until it became impossible to do just that.
When the door opened, it was Callen, and he was holding three bottles of open beer.
Oh, boy.
That said it all.
“The drunk isn’t around, so we get to have a beer. Consider yourself lucky,” he stated. “But then again, Wyler pops in at the worst times, so…”
Ethan just laughed.
“Thanks,” he said, taking the beer and slipping out of his coat to hang it up.
Gene followed suit.
From around the counter, the older man came, and he went right to his grandson.
“My boy. I see you snuck back onto the rez trying to avoid me. I’m surprised you came to dinner. Did you have to be held at gunpoint?”
Oh, well, there were definitely things he’d rather be doing, and all of them were not at this cabin.
“Yes,” Ethan said, not mincing words.
Gene just laughed.
“Well, never let it be said I don’t like committing a felony or two across state lines.”
Timothy headed toward the man, knowing his grandson was not amused with being there. While Ethan had a poker face, he definitely wasn’t pretending he wanted to be here. His body language said it all.
“Welcome, Gene. May I call you Gene?” he asked, holding his hand out.
Gene shook it in welcome, even though they’d already had a conversation where they met and exchanged pleasantries.
“Absolutely.”
From where he stood sipping his beer, Callen gave his brother a wide berth. With Ethan, you never knew when the viper would lash out and strike.
Plus, he was still thinking about what he’d seen in his cabin's living room earlier. Now, his brother was put together and polished. Then, he was raw and free.
It was the enigma that was Ethan Blackhawk.
“Hey, EJ.”
Ethan moved and sat on the couch to make himself as comfortable as he could be here in this cabin. What he’d rather be doing was anything but this.
Only, he came here, so this was on him, and no one else.
“Hey, CJ,” he offered back.
Well, at least no one got punched in the face. So, there was that. Apparently, the man who was dating his brother managed to soothe the savage Ethan.
That was a skill not many had.
“It’s good to see you,” Callen said, sitting across from his brother in a chair so that Gene could sit beside Ethan. Whatever magick he was wielding, keeping Ethan calm and civil, he definitely wanted him to keep doing it.
Ethan stared at his brother, and he missed seeing him. He missed that connection, and he was sorry that he was such a shit human being to him.
Deep down, he knew it would take time to mend those broken bonds. Hopefully, the letter he wrote to him would start that off. For now, though, his guard was up for one reason.
TIMOTHY.
For now, his brother was NOT the enemy. There was another target in the room.
It was the man who had let him be taken by CPS all of those years ago, like he didn’t matter. Then, he’d been so grateful when he aged out and was able to come home.