Ethan's Question
Chapter 10 - Ethan's Question
Ethan refused to visit Martin.
Nobody forced him.
Martin remained in county custody while prosecutors reviewed charges involving fraud, theft, and Rachel's fall.
One afternoon, Ethan sat with Jax at the diner.
The same counter.
The same old photograph between them.
Helen brought two milkshakes.
Ethan didn't touch his.
"Are you Lily's dad?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to take her?"
Jax frowned.
"Take her where?"
"Away."
Jax understood.
"No."
Ethan looked suspicious.
"People always say no before they do things."
That sentence hurt.
Jax leaned forward.
"Lily loves you."
"I know."
"Rachel loves you."
"I know."
"I'm not here to separate anybody."
Ethan stared at the photograph.
"Then why are you here?"
Jax thought carefully.
"Because someone asked me to show up."
"Mom?"
"At first."
"And now?"
Jax smiled.
"Now I'm here because I want to be."
Ethan finally took a sip of his milkshake.
After a moment, he asked:
"If you marry Mom, would you be my dad too?"
Jax nearly choked on his coffee.
Helen turned away to hide her smile.
Jax looked at Ethan.
"That's getting way ahead of ourselves."
Ethan shrugged.
"Just asking."
Then his expression became serious.
"My real dad did bad things."
"Yes."
"Does that mean I'm going to?"
Jax's heart broke.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because you're asking."
Ethan looked confused.
Jax continued.
"Bad choices aren't inherited like eye color."
He tapped the boy gently over the heart.
"You decide who you become."
Ethan finally smiled.
Then the diner door opened.
A woman entered.
Caleb stood behind her.
Jax recognized her from old photographs.
Caleb's wife.
Sarah.
She had returned.
But she wasn't there to reconcile.
May you like
She carried a folder containing financial documents.
"I think I know where Martin hid the charity money."
