Bullet(10)

Was this a trick question? Ethan didn’t seem the type to take criticism well…not that it mattered in this instance. I smiled at him. “Everything I said back there was true. You guys were fantastic, and I’m so glad I finally got to see you play.”

I’d managed to plaster a smile on his face that remained all the way to his house. He leaned over and cranked the radio. And that left me alone with my thoughts. Once Ethan had finished the “Moon Baby” solo, he’d rushed us out of there. He’d used the excuse that because his mom hadn’t been home by the time we’d left, he wanted to see her before she went to bed. That was what had made me think maybe he’d had issues with what I thought had been obscenely obvious flirtation or something between Brad and me. Before we’d walked out the door, Ethan asked if I’d enjoyed singing, and I’d given some goofy answer, but they all knew I’d liked it…a lot more than I maybe should have.

And when we’d left, all the guys said goodbye, but Brad especially told me it had been a pleasure meeting me. His eyes said more, but I pretended not to register it. Then he’d slapped Ethan on the back, promising to see him Saturday afternoon.

We got back to Ethan’s house after nine o’clock. The house was bathed in shadow, and as we walked to the door from the truck, I could see our breath hanging in the air. Ethan muttered, “Mom’s still not back? Where in hell could she be?” We walked into his house, and in the space of a few seconds, he seemed so lost, so vulnerable. He was worried about his mother. And right then and there, I realized it. Brad who?

I loved Ethan.

I had fallen hopelessly, madly in love with him. Was it a cliché? Hell, yeah, but it had happened nonetheless. My interest in him had waned before, and even tonight, under the intense scrutiny—no, admiration of someone else—I had doubted my feelings. But Brad had no hold over me when he wasn’t around. When it was just Ethan, I was overpowered with emotion for him. But it had seemed as though I’d allowed my interest to dwindle to just friends instead of…this intense, overwhelming feeling. Why, all of a sudden, was I overcome with it, especially after the evening I’d experienced?

While I was swirling in an emotional eddy, Ethan was in one of his own…but at least he was talking out loud. His forehead puckered up into worry, and concern clouded his green eyes. “Where is she?” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at me. “Go ahead and turn the TV on if you want, Val.” He started dialing.

I shook my head. “That’s okay.” I was too worried about his worrying to concentrate on a television program. Really, though, I should have been studying for finals. But there was no way I could do that either, not while Ethan was so stressed out.

“Hey, gramps. This is Ethan.” He glanced over at me and forced a smile but then turned around and started pacing. “I’m here for the weekend.” There was a pause. “Yeah, I’ll be home in a week, but I have a friend here visiting. Look…do you know where mom is?” His eyes grazed over me as I sat on the overstuffed couch that tried to swallow me up. “No, she’s not here. That’s why I called you. Is she maybe working late?” He continued to pace, and he ran a hand through his hair that I just noticed was getting a little longer. “Yeah…I can call there. Bye.” The expression of worry on his face grew. He walked into the kitchen and came back with a phone book. He sat on the couch next to me while leafing through the pages of the small book. “She works at a restaurant, and her usual shift is from eight to five, but sometimes she trades shifts with other waitresses.” His finger held his place on a phone number, and he dialed it with his right hand. Then he brought the phone up to his ear and waited. “Maybe she traded a shift today.” His expression changed as someone on the other side answered the phone. “Is June Richards there?” I saw him mouth f*ck, but he said out loud, “I don’t suppose you know where she is.” Another pause until he said, “Okay. Thanks.” He pressed end on the phone. “What the f*ck is she doing?” He started pressing buttons on his phone again, the expression on his face communicating so much. Yes, he should have called his mom’s cell first. He didn’t say a word but just held the phone to his ear. “Mom…where the hell are you? I’m here at home and you’re not. I’m worried about you. Please call me and let me know you’re okay.” He hung up but a cloud hung over his head, and he clenched his jaw. “Maybe she’s on a date or something.”

He stood up again and started pacing. “Sorry if I’m upsetting you too, Val. I guess maybe we can just watch TV until she gets home.” I could tell he watched over his mother very carefully. I knew he called her several times a week from school. I wondered if his father was dead or just divorced from his mother, but I didn’t want to ask him about it.

He switched the television on and starting surfing through channels, never staying on any one show for very long. I thought of grabbing one of the books I had in my suitcase, but I decided against it, knowing I wouldn’t retain much of what I studied anyway. So I tried my best to relax.

Ethan finally settled on CNN, and I thought that was probably the worst choice out of all the possibilities. He’d be witnessing the dregs of humanity, the world at its worst—murder, arson, government scandals. If it were me, that kind of television would just make me more anxious.

And then something happened. He slid his arm around my shoulders. An electric thrill ran through my body, just under the surface, and suddenly I was aware of everything. After a long time, though, nothing more happened, and Ethan even shifted a little to redial his mother. But he just left another message, asking her to call.

After the emotional day, sitting still next to Ethan’s warm body, I dozed off and stirred later when he called his mother again, but then I fell completely under sleep’s heavy spell. In the back of my mind, I wondered if he felt comforted holding me or if he was starting to feel like I mattered to him. I didn’t know, but I wasn’t complaining about being close to him. I wasn’t sure when I drifted off, sometime early morning, I thought.

I awoke early the next morning with a stiff next and sore muscles, still in the same position, still in Ethan’s arms. I was surprised neither he nor I were sweating, but the house was cold. I noticed my hands were chilly as I started to stretch. The television was still on, CNN in its never-ending cycle of news reports. I spotted the remote next to Ethan’s right hand and reached over his lap for it. Then I switched the TV off.

Ah, sweet silence. That felt good.

I stood and stretched again and decided to let Ethan sleep longer. I wasn’t sure how I knew, but I did know he’d been up a good chunk of the night. He needed some rest, especially if we were going to have to spend the rest of the weekend figuring out what had happened to his mom. Now I was really worried about her.

I decided to go ahead and take a shower so I’d be prepared for whatever Ethan decided to do. I went upstairs and got a fresh change of clothes out of my luggage, as well as all the other toiletries I thought I’d need. I went in the bathroom and couldn’t see a closet where there might be towels stored, nor any shelves, so I went back in the hallway. There were shelves between Ethan’s room and the bathroom and, sure enough, there were towels and washcloths on them. I grabbed one of each and went in the bathroom where a warm shower was beckoning me.

I needed it and it felt great. By the time I was out and dressed, Ethan was up and at the kitchen table, thumping his fingers. He looked up at me. Oh, no. Why hadn’t I bothered with fresh makeup? And I’d combed out my hair but hadn’t done anything else with it. I was sure I looked like crap. But Ethan was too preoccupied to notice. “She’s not in bed, not at work. I tried calling her again and nothing. Where could she be?”

I knew it was stupid, but I felt like I had to say something. “Did she maybe take a vacation? Maybe she’s staying at a friend or relative’s house, just enjoying some new scenery.” He scowled, and that’s when I knew my suggestions weren’t working. Ethan decided to shower as well, and I made sure to be looking more presentable when he came out, putting on some makeup. But he got some cereal out of the cupboards and made some coffee so we could eat a little breakfast. He called his grandfather again—no luck. And he left his mother at least three more messages.

At ten o’clock, she walked in the door.

Ethan didn’t miss a beat. He’d been pacing in the kitchen again but made a beeline for the older woman when she walked through the door. “Mom, where the hell have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you. You weren’t answering your phone; you didn’t call me back…”

She took him in and pulled him into a warm embrace. “I didn’t know you were coming home this weekend, honey, or I would have made sure I was here.” She kissed him on the cheek and smiled. “I lost my phone. I thought maybe it was in the car. That’s where I usually find it when it’s lost, but no. I haven’t located it yet.” And that’s when she noticed me. I liked her right away. She was sincere, kind, and sweet. “Who’s your friend?”