Chapter 3 #3
Some might call him a gullible fool, but they probably didn’t understand the secret ties that bound one.
That made a man stand on his principles, even when everything within screamed that he should cut ties.
Keeping one’s word seemed a rare commodity these days.
But then, in a bid to prove himself different than the other men in his family, he’d known from a young age that he needed to be the circuit breaker in his family.
Ever since Jesus had got a hold of his heart at the age of twelve, during a primary school scripture class, he’d realised that God wanted him to live a different way.
Religious education might’ve been mandatory once upon a time—thanks to those Christian men a couple of centuries ago who’d had the foresight to see it mandated into New South Wales law—but Ethan hadn’t gotten religious.
Just learned to revere. Then taken things to a new level of devotion a few years ago when his mom got sick, which had made him wake up to lots of things.
Like Lucinda. And that serving God by serving in the church was something he really wanted to do, something spurred on by his work with youth.
And while his dad, Francine, and Rob had thought his beliefs made Ethan foolishly gullible, he’d found a sense of peace and purpose far bigger than living up to the family legacy of political manoeuvring that he’d always hated.
Where people smiled but couldn’t be bothered with learning one’s name.
Made promises they never kept. Where people were treated as commodities and their level of wealth or importance affected how they were treated.
He’d known that all his life. His politician dad had made sure his daughter and two sons knew it from a young age, from when they were first old enough to meet the crowds and wave and hand out flyers and smile to garner votes for Dad.
Dad had never been shy about thrusting his children into the limelight.
Ethan hated it. Rob and Francine lapped it up.
And while some might question why Ethan had chosen law as his career, given its public face, he’d done it as a way of making his own contribution to society, righting wrongs, rather than playing the game of politics his dad and brother were so keen on.
But even so, the legal system was not infallible. He was forced to cut corners and turn a blind eye to some of the things that went on, as much as he might inwardly protest. He wasn’t so gullible as to think any profession was utterly beyond reproach.
Still, the constant wear and grind of legal arguments without resolution made him conscious that his was not an easy role.
His path of treading lightly around the truth made things difficult at times.
Something made all the more challenging when certain people insisted he drop everything and attend to them.
His phone flashed with a silent phone call. He glanced at the screen and stifled a groan. Nope. Didn’t need to take that call. She’d just be checking in to make sure he was ready for the weekend. Which he wasn’t. He had so much to do. So much to do.
His eye twitched, and he scratched at his hand. Eczema had broken out again, making everything painful. His vision blurred. Ugh. He needed sleep. Time out. Some place where he could leave this stress and do something about the extreme tiredness he’d been carrying for months.
Movement near the door forced him to smother a yawn.
“Ferris, you got that document for me?”
George, another automaton of a lawyer, peered from the door.
After a minute, he found it; then, when George refused to move, he shrugged, pushed it on the front of his desk, and returned to work.
He wasn’t George’s lackey, no matter what George might think.
He’d long suspected George treated him that way simply because of who his father was.
That the public school–educated man might have a chip on his shoulder.
Whatever. He didn’t need to let other people’s bad opinions stain his soul.
George eventually muttered something worth ignoring, then collected the file, exiting as Ethan’s phone flashed again.
He couldn’t keep ignoring her. He picked it up. “Lucinda, I can’t talk. I’m at work.”
“How did you know it was me?” she chirped, then giggled. “Oh, the screen ID. I remember.”
He closed his eyes. Seriously? How had he become entangled with this woman? Probably in the same way he’d felt that sense of obligation to his dad. Dead mothers and their dying wishes had a lot to answer for.
“I rang before, but you ignored me then.”
“I’m at work, remember? Was there something you wanted?”
She coughed.
For a second, his traitorous heart leapt. Maybe she was sick and unable to go, and instead of going to the Blue Mountains for the weekend, he could stay in bed all weekend and just sleep—
“I was just checking to see if you were all set for tonight.”
His eyes closed. “Yep.”
“You don’t sound very excited about this.”
“I’ve got a lot of work at the moment, and I’m not sure I can really justify going away at this time, and—”
“Haven’t we discussed this already? I thought you realised that that’s why this is perfect timing to go away. You need a break, Ethan. You’re so tired all the time that you barely call me back.”
Mm, that might not be due to his tiredness.
“Look, you know we’re getting separate rooms, so you can sleep up there if you want. But if you don’t, well …”
It took him a second to realise what she meant.
Then it was his turn to cough, then say in a lower voice he really hoped nobody in the office could hear, “Lucinda, we’ve had this discussion before.
We’re not even dating, so I don’t know why you’d suggest that.
Besides, you know I’m a Christian and I don’t intend to do that until I’m married. ”
“That’s so old-fashioned of you. Besides, you know what our mothers intended.”
He did, which was why this noose-like sense of obligation was something he’d never fully articulated out loud before. More fool him, because look where that hesitation had got him.
“I have to get back to my work now,” he said.
She coughed again, and again that trickle of hope spurt through him.
Forgive me, God, for hoping she’s sick.
“Well, everything is booked and paid for—thank you.”
He winced. He’d forgotten that. And frugal him hated spending money on things he didn’t use.
“So, I guess I’ll see you tonight,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t want to collect me?”
“I’ll be working late, remember? Besides, there is a train station that is really close.” He sighed.
“Oh, come on Ethan. It’s going to be fun. You’ll have a ball. It’ll be a weekend you’ll never forget.”
“Sure. Can’t wait.”
“You could afford to sound a little more excited.” She coughed again.
“Are you sure you should be going? You sound like you have a cough.”
She cleared her throat. “I’m fine. It’s just a tickle.”
“Are you certain? Because if it’s something infectious, you probably don’t want to be with lots of other people. And you need rest to recover.”
“You’re so sweet to be concerned, but I’ll be fine.”
That sounded more like hope than fact, but whatever. He glimpsed George striding towards him, a scowl on his face. “I’ve got to go. I’ll catch you later then.”
“Bye!”
He ended the call. Returned to his computer. Then felt relief as George swerved to speak to someone else.
Although maybe George would be the perfect excuse to get out of things. It wouldn’t be the first time “work” had gotten in the way of plans Lucinda made.
Regardless, he knew that far from Lucinda’s promise of an unforgettable weekend, this would be one he might well regret. He sighed. Lord, help me.