Page 107 of That One Heartbreak

How’s Ethan doing?– Marley.

Kate stared at the message lighting up her phone screen. No mention of last night. Of their argument or her tears. No apologies or recriminations.

He’s fine. Watching TV and eating Fritos. Living his best life. – Kate.

And how are you doing? – Marley

Good, thank you. And you? – Kate

I’m fine. – Marley.

If she wasn’t feeling so sad, their exchange would have made her laugh. It was so… polite. And yet meaningless. Yes, it was nice he was asking about Ethan. But then so had so many other people.Half of Hartson’s Creek had either knocked on their door or called or messaged her.

Her freezer was stuffed full of casseroles that people had dropped off to show they cared. Marley’s mom had brought one over this afternoon. And his sister-in-law had brought a little gift for Ethan and Addy along with some flowers for Kate.

“Mom?”

Ethan was looking up from the sofa. Addy was sitting next to him, curled against his side. Since he’d come home from the hospital the little girl had been sweetly protective of him, bringing him food and drinks and sitting with him while she let him choose the TV shows he wanted to watch.

Kate was keeping an eye on it. She didn’t mind Ethan taking advantage for a day or two, but after that she’d put a stop to it.

“Yes, honey?”

“When’s James coming home?”

“On Saturday, remember?” She smiled at her son. “That’s when his camp finishes.”

“That’s when he gets to hear about your burn,” Addy told him. “He’s gonna freak out.”

“Do you think he’ll be angry with me?” Ethan asked.

Kate shook her head. “No, honey. He’ll be worried. The same way we all are.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip. “Do you think you’ll be up to coming into the library tomorrow?” She was scheduled to work a shift. Usually, she’d put Ethan in camp, because he hated sitting around. Addy, on the other hand, was happy going in to work with Kate, following her around, helping her shelve books.

“Can I bring my iPad?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Okay then, sounds good.” He gave her a smile.

And damn if she didn’t smile back. She loved that kid even if he was a headache. “Maybe on Thursday we’ll go to the pool?”she suggested and his face lit up. “If you promise to take it easy. Just dangle your legs in.”

“I promise.” Excitement pulled at his face. “Thanks, Mom.”

“No problem.”

He didn’t even try to climb into her window that night. And she didn’t send him a text asking him to, figuring that maybe they both needed the space. Truth was, she wasn’t sure she could deal with arguing with him again. But he’d called to check in again on Ethan this evening.

Their phone call had been brief because she’d been trying to persuade her son to take a shower, but the kid who was desperate to get into the community pool was somehow deathly afraid of getting his arm wet in the shower. Even though the special waterproof cover for his arm had arrived and she’d showed him how to use it.

And now it was nighttime again. And she was alone with her thoughts, which didn’t feel like a safe place to be right now.

She pulled his name up on her phone screen and stared at it for a moment. She hated this coolness between them, but had no idea how to make things better. Because she was still annoyed at the way he’d practically accused her of making bad decisions. About her own children.

She let out a long breath. She needed to get over this. Logically, she knew their heightened emotions would calm eventually. But it still hurt. And she felt so alone.

She turned her phone off and turned onto her side, willing herself to sleep.

It was an hour later that she woke to banging. She was groggy, unwillingly pulled from a deep, dreamless sleep. Herheart started to bang against her ribcage as she panicked that there was something wrong with Ethan.

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