Ask Me to Stay by Elise K Ackers Page B

by his feet.
    ‘Are you sleeping out here?’ Ethan asked.
    Caleb looked up, his usually bright eyes bloodshot and flat. ‘My bed smells like her.’
    Dean shifted in the armchair. He nodded. ‘Yeah, fair call.’ Rubbed his eyes.
    Ethan pushed himself up and walked into the kitchen. More beer bottles. Broken glass in the sink. He pawed through the pantry and found three Styrofoam cups of noodles. As the water heated up in the kettle, he cleared the sink and filled the bin. He poured the boiled water between the cups, folded their lids back in place and pocketed three forks. It was an interesting balancing act, but he managed to carry all three back into the living room. Dean accepted one with thanks, Cal took his with reluctance.
    Ethan knew how easy it was to turn from food when life kicked you in the guts, so he said, ‘Eat it, or we’re sleeping here too.’ He guessed that was why people brought food to wakes. The Fosters were still trying to mow through their freezer full of offerings, and people were still bringing dishes around for them. They hadn’t prepared a meal yet.
    A blessing not at all disguised.
    ‘I had the ring in my pocket, you know.’ Cal laughed bitterly. ‘I had the ring in my pocket while she was ending it.’
    ‘Bitch,’ Ethan muttered.
    ‘It’s fine. I’m fine. I mean, I’ve been going to work. Sort of. I just . . . I had it all for a moment there.’
    Dean raised a brow. Clearly he shared Ethan’s opinion of Anna – the woman had been a sulky little zombie. ‘How do you mean?’ he said.
    Cal reached for a piece of paper. It had been folded and unfolded so often that it had torn in places. One corner was badly crumpled. He smoothed it.
    ‘This is, uh . . . a photocopy. It confirms the termination.’
    Everyone was still for so long that Ethan jumped when Dean shot to his feet.
    ‘Oh, hell no!’ he bellowed. He stomped out of the room.
    Moments later Ethan and Cal could hear the sound of sheets being stripped from the bed.

Eight
    He shouldn’t have done it, but Ethan let Nina blacken out Anna in his new favourite photograph. Heads bent together, they tucked the permanent marker away in his drawer and snickered. They’d got home from Cal’s about twenty minutes ago and Dean was downstairs breaking the news to Sammy. Ethan hadn’t wanted to be there for that. Hadn’t felt he had the right. Despite how he felt about Sam, he was practically a stranger. And that news was too personal, too intimate to be shared around the likes of him.
    How would Sam take it? he wondered. With a stiff upper lip, as always? Or would this be the lance that pierced her armour?
    There was a whoop of glee from the upstairs living room down the hall. Rowan was playing a game on the TV. It didn’t require cords, just a handset that somehow knew if he was playing tennis well or not.
    Ethan turned his back for a minute and technology made a fool of him. He shook his head.
    Dean appeared in the doorway. Nina’s face became instantly guilty.
    He narrowed his eyes at her, wondering, before he said to Ethan, ‘Your turn. She’s gone out front. I don’t know what else to say to her.’
    ‘What the hell am I going to say to her?’
    ‘I dunno. You do this stuff well. Tell her about hellos or something. I’ve got to put the kids to bed.’ He pointed at Nina. ‘And you, missy – what have you done?’
    ‘Nothing!’ she squeaked.
    Ethan chuckled and lifted her from his lap. He bent close to her ear. ‘Remember the line,’ he murmured, and straightened.
    Nina transformed. She clutched her hands together and looked up through her eyelashes. ‘We’re super sorry Anna’s gone.’
    Dean looked amused. ‘Is that so?’
    ‘ Super sorry.’
    ‘C’mere. I’m going to figure out what you did. I’ll tickle it out of you!’
    Nina shrieked and dodged Dean’s approach. Ethan walked away, listening to the sounds of a family. However changed, however bruised this family was for the moment, it was