The Stars Around Us

Chapter 36 ×ETHAN×

I was getting ready for my night with Emmorie. I already knew where I was taking her and I just hoped that she liked it.

       I wasn't going to go all fancy for this, but I wasn't going to look like a hobo either. I found a clean, grey short sleeve button up and slid on some dark jeans and my new boots that Mom had given me yesterday. I combed my dark, wet hair back out of my face and brushed my teeth.

        It was six forty and I went downstairs to grab my jacket and my keys. Mom was at work and I sent her a text, telling her not to wait up for me.

        I got in the SUV and pulled up into her driveway and went to knock on the door. Chloe answered with a bright smile on her face. "Heyyy, Ethan," she said in a singsong voice. I chuckled. "Hey Chloe. Is she ready?" She shook her head.

        "Not quite, but you can come wait inside," she said, widening the door and gesturing me inside. I did as she told me and sat down on the sofa beside her. "Are you excited," she asked me. I nodded and then she leaned in to whisper. "Is she going to lose her virginity tonight?" This made me laugh out loud, but she somehow managed to keep a straight face. 

        "I doubt it," I said. I honestly didn't know what we would be doing when the night was over. I know what I'm hoping will happen, but that didn't mean it would. I was willing to go as slow as Emmorie wanted me to, because I don't want to rush or pressure her into anything. 

       Then, I heard a door close and Chloe stood up, pulling me to do the same. I heard footsteps down the stairs and my heart started pounding. I had never been this nervous before while waiting for a girl. It seemed to take an eternity before she finally appeared at the bottom of the stairs. 

        When she looked up at me through her long lashes, I finally understood the term "breathtaking." She was in a dress with different shades of blue and dark blue platform stilettos. Her lipstick was a shade darker than her natural pink lips and her black hair was down in spirals, falling around her shoulders, all the way to her elbows.

       She smiled and I smiled back as she walked towards me. She wrapped me in a hug and kissed me, no longer having to reach on her tiptoes. "You look beautiful as always," I murmured. "Hmm. I'm sure. You might be a little biased though," she teased. I kissed the tip of her nose and said "Nah. Anyone could see it." She smiled and someone cleared their throat.

        Chloe was standing there with her arms crossed. "Sorry to uh… interrupt, but don't you guys have somewhere to be." Emmirie laughed and we went out the door and into the SUV, where I was parked behind a silver BMW. "Whose car is that," I asked curiously. She gave me a wide smile. "Mine," she answered. I looked at her. 

       "Since when do you have a car?" 

       "Since this morning. Stephen bought it for me." I nodded in understanding, suddenly wishing that I had a rich uncle to buy me cars. I pulled out and drove down the street. We talked on the way there and pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. 

       "You brought me to Panera Bread," she asked, flashing her bright smile. "Yep. You love this place, right?" She nodded and we got out, laced our fingers together, and walked inside.

       Once we were seated and the waitress took our order, we began talking again. "Where do you see yourself in five years from now," I asked her. She thought about it, biting her lip. "Um. I'm not sure. College, hopefully." 

       "What about five days from now?" She smiled and answered "With you." I returned the smile. "I like your thinking, Em," I teased. 

       "So…" She began hesitantly. "What happened to- to your dad?" My lips parted to answer but no words came out. She looked immediately guilty. I wanted to yell her, I was going to right then, but when she said the words, I was flung back into the memory of that horrible night.

       Mom was making dinner while we were waiting for Dad to come home. "When did he say he was coming," I asked. Mom rolled her eyes, like I had asked the question multiple times. I had asked multiple times. "Last time he called, Ethan, was about twenty minutes ago. He said he's walking around looking for a taxi and he should be her in about an hour." I smiled at her impatience. She was just as excited as I was about coming home. He said he had gotten me something that he'd give me when he got home, and I was curious to see what it was. 

       An hour came and went. Then two hours. Mom got up to look for her cell to call him. She walked back into the kitchen, pacing as it rang. He never answered. She tried again, and again, and again, and she began to grow frantic which was freaking me out. "Where is he? He should've been by now and he isn't answering my calls." I pulled out my phone to try and call him too. I didn't know what it was at the time but something felt… wrong. Like something was waiting for me, and I wasn't going to be happy about it. He didn't answer my call either. We were both panicking. 

        Dad has never been late before and he always answers his calls. Then, Mom's phone rang. She answered it immediately. "Hello?" There was a pause while the other person was speaking. "Yes. This is she." Another pause, then Mom's hand flew to her chest, and her face fell apart. I shot up out of my seat. That's when the screaming started. 

        "NO! God no, please!" She didn't hang up the phone. She threw it at the wall and it shattered. Tears streamed down her face and she fell to her knees as I rushed over. "Mom? What is it? What's wrong?" She didn't say anything g as she jerked me down beside her and leaned into me. I held onto her, without knowing why. She sobbed, and I could feel the tears through my tee shirt. Her head snapped up suddenly and she got up, grabbing my arm. "We need to go. Get your keys. Now!" I silently did as she said and rushed after her to my SUV. We climbed in and I started the engine. "Where are we going?" I almost didn't hear her barely audible whisper. "NYC hospital." I slung out of the garage and raced down the road. "Mom, please tell me what's happening," I urged her. "Your father's in the hospital," she said softly. 

       I glanced at her, wondering the reasons but keeping my questions to myself. I was fearful and worried about what we would find when we got there. I had never seen Mom so upset before. We finally arrived at the hospital and I jumped out, running in. I quickly asked the woman at the desk for Jonathan Everett and she pointed towards the back but said something that I didn't stick around to hear. I ran in, and I saw him on the stretcher. His eyes were open, blankly staring at the ceiling. There was blood dripping from his mouth and he wasn't moving. His chest wasn't rising and falling.

        I ran over, tears in my eyes. "Dad," I yelled, reaching out for him. My voice was warbled and nothing felt real, like it was a moment suspended in time. As I was running towards him, two guys in blue scrubs grabbed me by my arms, holding me back. I was kicking and yelling, trying to get free. I had to get to him. I had to see him, to touch him, to hear him, even for one last time. I fought against the nurses. One of their grips loosened and I wretched my hand free, slamming it into the other's nose. I ran towards him again, when I felt more arms holding me back. They were smaller this time, wrapped around my chest. Tears were flowing down my face and I hardly noticed the dull throbbing in my hand as I tried to break free. "Shhh, baby. Calm down Ethan, stop." I broke as I heard my mother's voice tear me away from my blind, aching hurt. I turned and fell into her arms, sobbing into her chest like I did when I broke my arm in fifth grade. I just wanted the pain in my heart to end.

        I drew in a shaky breath as the memory washed away. That had been a year ago. I held back the tears and pushed them away. Then, I changed the subject.