The Secret Life of the Bad Girl

Chapter 33

"Jaylyn are you going to answer that?" Mom asks. We've just arrived at the hospital and both of us sit frozen. I am terrified that when I go in I will find out its not him. Its not Ethan. I glance down at my phone. Caleb's name is flashing across the screen. I pick it up. My finger slices on the broken glass as I accept the call.

"Hello?" My voice comes at faint and wispy.

"Jaylyn!" Caleb exclaims. "Thank God I finally got up with you! Where are you? Is everything okay?"

"They found him." A lone tear rolls down my face. "They found Ethan."

I hear him suck in a huge breath. "Are you sure? Is it really him?"

"I don't know." I whisper. "I'm sitting outside the hospital, but I'm scared to go in. I want it to be him so badly." My voice breaks.

"I know," Caleb says softly. "There's only one way to find out. You have to go in and see for yourself."

I nod to myself.

"Dry those eyes, baby." He says, "You can do this."

"I can do this." I repeat somewhat confidently. "Will you come here?" I ask hesitantly.

"Of course, I will. You go inside and find Ethan and I will be there as soon as I can." He assures me.

I nod again. "I love you."

"I love you too Hot Stuff."

I hang up the phone and stuff the phone in my pocket. I take one more deep breath before exiting the car. My mom, who I had almost forgotten, gets out with me.

"Jaylyn?"

I turn to look at her.

"No matter what, I want you to stay strong. I've seen how much you've changed over the past few weeks. You've been happier, you've worn lighter clothes and less makeup, you've been the daughter I had before all this. Please don't change." Mom whispers. She looks so small and scared.

"I promise."

    Once inside a nurse directs us to a room guarded by police officers. After some convincing, they allow us to enter. Inside is a small room. One bed sits in the center. A heart monitor beeps regularly. An oxygen mask covers the lower part of the patients face. Brown tuffs of hair stick up on the top of his head. I inch closer. Suddenly, he removes the mask.

"Lynn." He says in a husky voice.

Its him. Its really him. "E!" I cry running to the bed and falling to my knees. I grab his hand as I sob. After all these years. My baby. My E is finally home.

"We would like to do a blood test," a nurse says to mom. "We already have a sample from the boy. We just need one from the parents, it's a precaution your husband asked for."

Mom voices her consent, but I ignore her. I look deep into this boy's eyes, Ethan's eyes, and somehow, I just know its him.

The nurse forces us to leave until they can finish the blood tests, she says we don't need to get too attached to a boy who could be an imposter, but I know its him. I saw the tiny scar on his nose from where my first cat, Vader, scratched him when he was four. I saw the three freckles on his left wrist that look like a Mickey Mouse head. I saw the same blue eyes that all the Reynolds have staring back at me. I know its him.

~~~

"Jaylyn!" Caleb calls hurrying down the hallway. I'm parked outside of Ethan's door until they let me in.

"Caleb!" I run and jump into his arms. He stumbles back against the wall.

"Careful there Hot Stuff," He chuckles, "You don't want to- "

I cut him off by mashing my lips to his. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply. I pull away tugging lightly on his lip. "Have I told you lately just how much I love you?" I whisper.

"Dang, baby. I ought to wife you up right now."

I giggle, pecking his lips once more.

"I love you so much." He tells me, reconnecting our lips.

A throat clears down the hall and we spring apart. I almost fall flat on my butt.

"I said the test have confirmed the relation, you can go see your brother." The nurse repeats.

I squeal and drag Caleb with me towards the room.

"Family only," The nurse stops us.

I push her hand away. "This is my fiancé." I tell her snootily as we push past her.

"Fiancé," Caleb says huskily. "I like the sound of that."

"Maybe someday," I smile before passing through the door.

    I immediately go back to Ethan's side. Mom hasn't made it in here yet so it's just me, Caleb, and Ethan. He's grown up to be so handsome. Signature blue eyes, wavy brown hair, strong jaw. Even sitting down, you can tell that he's tall, and he's built like a lion, with lean muscles.

"Hey Lyn." Ethan smiles faintly at me. He's been taken off the ventilator which I take as a good sign.

"Hey, E." I smile back. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too." He says seriously. Then he turns playful, like the old Ethan. "Well aren't you going to introduce me to your fiancé?"

Caleb chuckles. "Make that fake fiancé and real boyfriend. I'm Caleb." He reaches it out and Ethan shakes it.

"I'm Ethan. The wonderfully baby brother who disappeared quite some time ago. I'm sure you've heard of me." He says humorously.

Its so amazing to me that he hasn't changed. Hasn't become hardened to the world. He still seems like the same person he was before.

"So, what's new sis?" Ethan asks eagerly.

I take a deep breath. Looks like I will be the bearer of both good and bad news.

"Well," I sit down by his bed. "Mom and dad got divorced and then remarried. Logan lives with us now and uncle is stationed in Hawaii. Papa comes and goes."

"What about Grandma?" he cuts in.

"She passed away." I tell him. "I'm sorry."

His face looks crushed. "How did she go?"

"Cancer." I look at the ground.

Ethan takes a shaky breath. "Please give me more good news."

"We have a little sister." I look up at him. His face reveals his surprise. "She was born about seven months after, you know. Her name is Maggie and your going to love her."

Ethan's whole face lit up the moment I said sister. "When can I meet her?"

"Now," mom smiles in the doorway.

Maggie squeals and runs over hopping onto the end of the bed. "I always wanted a big brother!"

Ethan smiles softly. "I'm Ethan, it's a pleasure to be your big brother." He holds his hand out for her to shake. Instead Maggie takes a flying leap and hugs him.

"I love you" she whispers.