Page 284 of Mountain Grump
Love can be all of that. And so much more.
So, my sweet Matty, if you love him, stay married to him.
You can thank me in the afterlife.
Uncle Jack
My vision blurs as tears swim across my lashes.
I don’t want to love Ethan.
Idon’t.
But I can’t make myself stop. No matter how hard I try.
The moments that feel like they might’ve saved your life.
My tears spill over as I think about those moments.
Landing the plane. Scaring off the mountain lion. Swinging an axe at my cousin.
Hugging me on the deck. Kissing my hair. Bandaging my feet.
Ethan saved my life so many times.
My lungs hitch as I inhale.
It’s so hard to look back at it all and believe his motivation was money.
And maybe it wasn’tonlymoney.
Ethan was upset when I handed him the letter. I don’t think he was faking the pain in his eyes.
And knowing that he might be hurting too somehow makes it worse.
Because if we’re both sad… That just feels so pointless.
Just like this letter is pointless.
It’s notmewho has to love Ethan. It’sEthanwho has to love me.
I refold the paper and put it back in the stack with the rest of the mail.
When we reach the house, the duck goes straight to her pond, cooling herself off in the water. And I go inside.
I set the mail on the counter and reach for my phone, wanting music for my shower.
But then I pause.
Because I have a message.
I lift my phone and open my texts.
Ethan: It was never about the money. And if you give me time, I’ll prove it to you.
The tears that just won’t stop drip down my cheeks.
He’s waited two weeks to message me.
