Page 59 of Frankie and the Fed
“That doesn’t sound like Ethan. He’s very loyal to the ones he loves. He isn’t a man who runs away at the sight of trouble. He’s the one who convinced me to come out of the closet, accompanied me to confront my parents, and convinced me to open the business. The man is not afraid of anything.”
I ponder what she says. “This is a serious obstacle, Olive. I don’t want to throw away everything I started here to be the little woman in New York.”
“Is that what he said? He asked you to stop working?”
“No. He wanted me to come work for him. But I love my job. I’m good at it.”
“Okay, and wouldn’t you be good at a role in Ethan’s company too? I would jump at the chance if I was suitable.”
“You don’t understand. All my life, I have always depended on someone. First my parents, then Michael. And now, I’m taking baby steps in the real world. I don’t want to depend on someone again.”
Olive is silent for a moment. “Explain it to him. Try to reach a solution. Your love is genuine. Not something you find every day. Don’t give up on it. He’s not Michael. You can make it work.”
“I wanted to talk to him this morning. But he ran away. Again.”
“From what you told me, he was just taking time to cool down, and he wants to talk. You may not like it, but it’s not a crime.”
I laugh. “No, it’s not a crime. I’ll talk to him. Thanks, Olive. You always know exactly what to say.”
“I have to say that I have a special interest here. If you come back to New York, I can see you every day.”
“I miss you too, even though we saw each other recently. And even if my relationship with Ethan doesn’t last, I got to know you, so it was worth everything.”
“You’re exaggerating. Enough, enough, but continue.” She laughs. “I love you too.”
We say our goodbyes, and I go back to the office and immerse myself in my million projects.
I look up from the computer and realize that it is already seven o’clock. I rush out and arrive at the house exhausted, spotting Ethan’s rental car parked in front of the house.
Damn. I’ve had a long day. I don’t think I have the strength to deal with him now. I don’t want to fight again. But I’m also glad he’s here. That he’s not giving up this time.
I approach the car, and my mouth curves into a smile when I notice him. His head is slumped on the back of the seat, and his hands are on the steering wheel. He’s sleeping.
I raise my finger to knock on the window but hold off, taking a moment to just look at him.
His hair is wild, crushed in the places he leans on it, and his skin is stretched over his cheekbones, emphasizing how thin he is. I don’t like that he is so skinny. He doesn’t look relaxed like I would expect from a sleeping person. He looks haunted.
I bite my lip without realizing it, take a deep breath, and knock on the window.
There is panic in his eyes as he wakes up, not expecting to see me standing there. But when his eyes brighten, the most beautiful smile in the world appears on his face, and a wave of warmth floods me from the inside. When I look at him, at this moment, a gentle and unexpected moment, I suddenly have my answer.
He gets out of the car, and I see in his eyes that he’s ready for battle, about to drop the speech on me. I’m sure he’s been thinking about it for hours.
Before he can say a word, I throw my arms around his shoulders and kiss him like there’s no tomorrow, pulling him into me.
I break away from him, short of breath. “I don’t want to fight.”
“Me neither.” He takes my hand, and we go inside.
I make some hot tea, and we both settle in. “Before we talk, I want to explain something.” I sit down next to him on the sofa after placing the pot of hot tea on the table. “When I met Michael, I thought he was perfect.”
Ethan frowns.
“He was charming, rich, and he gave me all his attention. I felt on top of the world. He was the most wanted man on campus, and he chose me. Throughout my time with Michael, I believed I was the one to blame. That if I was better, more successful, more beautiful, maybe none of this would be happening to me. He reminded me daily how bad I was at everything.”
Ethan remains silent, and I know he’s listening, that he’s hearing me, and that gives me the fortitude to go on.
“As time passed, he cut me off from everything I knew. He did it slowly, almost without me noticing. At first from friends, then from work, and finally from classes. Until I was left with nothing, and I had no one to turn to.”
