Chapter 8 #2
Ethan chuckled. “Your sister is kind of fun.”
“When you get her in the right mood, she’s awesome.”
“Speaking of awesome”—he drew closer—”have I mentioned how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know you?”
“A few times, yes.”
He smiled. “I really do want to continue this. And I will be down next Saturday—you can count on it.”
Her heart fluttered. “I’m looking forward to it.”
He grasped her hand and led her to the exit, near the carpark where their vehicles waited. Suddenly, next Saturday seemed too far away. She had to connect with him somehow before, to remind him of her presence so he wouldn’t forget her.
“I’ll um, send you the youth group ideas tonight when I get home.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I find if I don’t do things straightaway, then it’s too easy to forget.”
“The curse of a busy person, right? Give a busy person things to do because you know they’ll get things done.”
“I’m happy to help. You just let me know what you need. And if I can’t do it tonight, then I’ll definitely send it tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” He grasped her hand. Held it to his heart. Then bent and kissed it.
Oh, lucky hand to know his lips. “Ethan.”
“Ellie.”
She inched closer, lifted her face, tilted her head. If this wasn’t invitation enough, she didn’t know.
“Ethan?” a new voice cried, causing Ethan to stiffen. “Is that you?”
She blinked and stepped back as a man a little older than them drew close, tossed her a curious look, then pounded him on the back. “Ethan. This is a surprise. What are you doing here?”
“I, um …” He glanced at Ellie, then inched back. “I came for the mystery weekend.”
“Well, it’s a mystery you’re here without your usual partner in crime.” He laughed like he thought himself funny, even though Ethan clearly didn’t think he was, his look wary.
“What brings you to the mountains?”
“I’m here for a conference,” the newcomer said, glancing at Ellie again, like he’d never seen blue hair before.
She waited for Ethan to introduce her.
Ethan scratched his chin. “This is, er, my brother-in-law.”
The man didn’t offer a smile or his hand, his gaze tilting to her hair, before his nose wrinkled. “Who are you?”
Wow. Okay. “Elinor. And you?”
“Hmm.” The man’s gaze could tear bark from trees before he returned his attention to Ethan. “Where’s Lucinda?”
Who was Lucinda? Another sister? An ex?
She caught Ethan’s eye and motioned to the carpark. He excused himself with “I’ll be back in a few moments.”
The man nodded, clearly disgruntled, as he crossed his arms and scowled at Ellie.
“Doesn’t he like blue hair?” she tried to joke as Ethan escorted her outside.
He exhaled heavily. “Sorry about that. I’ve known Wayne since we were young. He’s always got an opinion to share, whether one wants it or not.”
They crunched over gravel as they headed to her car.
“Who’s Lucinda?” Subtle she wasn’t.
He winced. “Just a friend.”
Was this the friend he’d been supposed to come with this weekend? Surely not. He couldn’t have a friend like that and treat Ellie the way he had, making her feel like she was a princess when he had a girlfriend on the side.
He was shaking his head. “Please don’t worry about that. I’ll explain things when I come down on Saturday.”
“I’ll message you the details. You, uh, could bring Lucinda if you want,” she said, testing him.
“Yeah, I don’t want.” His eyes darkened again. “I just want you.”
Okay, surely now must be their moment. She shoved aside thoughts of strange men and women named Lucinda and closed the gap between them. But instead of kissing her as she’d hoped, he bent his face to her cheek, softly pressing a kiss there. “Until Saturday.”
She nodded, not wanting him to see her disappointment. “Until Saturday.”
Oh, Saturday was far too far away.
Saturday was way too far away.
All the long drive home, Ethan relived the perfection of his Blue Mountains visit. Well, near perfection. Apart from when Wayne Dashwood had busted him about to kiss Ellie and he’d realised what that must look like.
Not that he and Lucinda were in a relationship, even if it had been what their mothers had wished.
But now that he’d met perfection, there was no way he could settle for an inferior woman.
And Lucinda was in every way inferior to the awesome surprise of a gift that was Ellie.
She was everything he wanted. Everything he needed.
He relived every moment as he drove home in the usual choke of cars on the M4 at the end of a weekend.
But the buoyant lift to his spirits followed him into his dreams and into his next day, causing several of his colleagues to wonder aloud about where he’d been and what he’d done to get that smile on his dial.
He’d mumbled something about the Blue Mountains, then realised he needed to tone things down a notch or two.
His work world intersected with the political and social spheres his dad was fond of Ethan participating in, and it wouldn’t take much for someone to divulge something to Lucinda about just how much he’d enjoyed his time away—without her.
His stomach clenched. What if his brother-in-law spilled the beans about him and Ellie? Not that there was anything between them. Not yet. But a blind man could tell that Ethan wanted there to be. And Francine had always been Team Lucinda.
Ethan had been relieved not to get a phone call from Lucinda last night. He had fully expected to wake to find at least a message from her today. But … nothing.
He knew she was worried about her mum—she was due to get her MRI results today—but he had a feeling that would escalate into something he didn’t have capacity for. Not yet. Not while he was still tingling in the afterglow of time with Ellie.
He finished his work and was about to exit for the day when his phone rang. His heart sank as he recognised the name. And here it was. He made his farewells, then returned Lucinda’s call, not bothering to listen to her voice message. But she didn’t answer. Probably trying to call him again.
He walked the two hundred metres to his train station in Martin Place as they played the game of mismatched missed calls and messages. Why the woman didn’t just trust him to call her back, he didn’t know. From the way they were going, this could take years to finally talk.
He left it, and—sure enough—she rang once more.
“Ethan? Oh, I’m so glad you finally answered.” Then she burst into tears.
He withheld a sigh. Were these fake tears or real? It was hard to know these days. “What’s happened?”
“It’s Mum.”
His heart panged. That’s right. He should be more compassionate. “How did the appointment go?”
“Oh, Ethan.”
He guessed from the delay that it wasn’t good. Or was the cynical part of him just aware that she’d always liked a big buildup to increase dramatic effects? “What did the doctors say?”
“She … Mum is going to die.”
His heart clenched. “What?”
He paused. He didn’t want to have this conversation cut out halfway while he was underground on the train. “What did the doctors actually say, Lucinda?”
“The doctors actually said that the cancer is terminal and she’s been given six months at best.”
“Oh no.”
“I know!”
As she started sobbing again, he wished he could comfort her. This moment needed a hug, even if he didn’t want her getting the wrong idea.
“Can—can you come over?” she pleaded. “I can barely think, it’s all so frightening.”
“Of course I can. But isn’t this a moment for family?”
“You’re family,” she insisted. “You’ve known Mum forever, and she thinks of you as another son.”
Of course. “Are you at their place?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I need to duck home, and then I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I can collect you from the station and drop you home.”
But if he relied on her, then who knew what time he’d be getting home? “Thanks, but I have a big day tomorrow and can’t do a late night.”
“But it’s Mum. You love her, don’t you?”
Way to go with the emotional manipulation. “I said I’d be there as soon as I can, and I will.”
“Please hurry. I feel like I’m falling apart.”
“Hey, God’s got you in the palm of His hand, remember?”
She sniffed.
“Ask Jesus to carry you. He’s willing and waiting.” She’d claimed she was a Christian, so she needed to remember this.
“Please, just come.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Then, as her sniffling intensified, his heart softened some more. “Look, I’ll come on the train directly there. I could be there in twenty minutes if you’ll meet me at the station.”
“Of course! And you can stay for dinner, and we can talk.”
And maybe he could find out if Christine was open to discussing life after death. There was nothing like facing one’s mortality to make one realise that one needed to consider eternity. His mum certainly had found comfort in rediscovering her old Sunday school beliefs.
“Thanks so much, Ethan. You’re so good to me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He frowned. While he was glad to help, he didn’t like to think she needed him. Not to that extent, anyway. “I’ve gotta go. See you soon.”
“Thanks, Ethan. Love you.”
His brow pleated. No. He definitely didn’t want her getting ideas beyond him acting as a friend. Was he reading too much into this? Probably.
He scanned his Opal card and found a train that was heading to Circular Quay.
From here, he’d now need to catch a ferry towards Balmain.
And it was peak hour, when all the workers of the day were crammed in sweaty masses and he had to stand in line as he waited.
Oh well. He drew out his phone, checked his personal emails, then his messages, then remembered his social media.
He tapped open his Instagram icon and found a direct message from Ellie and opened it.