around you I never want to leave you and it makes going to work ten times harder. We may be having a few dinner dates at my job for the next few weeks but I’ll make it up to you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Okay I’ll stay away when you ask but be prepared to be stalked.”
“Deal,” he chuckles before hustling us out of the house.
****
I wish I could say that it got better over the next few weeks, but I’m sure you can guess what happened. We’re arguing more than ever and instead of acknowledging that we’re both just stressed, we point accusing fingers at each other. After a particularly juvenile fight he tried to make it up by sending me flowers but I rejected the delivery. Later that day Steve shows up at my house with a letter.
“Can you two please fix this, and stop making me feel like we’re in junior high passing notes before health class?”
“Sorry,” I mumble with my eyes pointed at the floor.
I hear him sigh and my eyes meet his. “He loves you and feels like you’re slipping away and there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t call out and risk getting fired while looking for a new place to live.”
Ava is moving into Steve and Ethan’s place after the wedding, so Ethan has to find a new place to live. I know this and I’m making him feel bad for having to work. I’m the worst kind of bitch. A tear slips out before I can stop it. I try to swipe it away before he notices but I’m not quick enough.
“Read the letter,” he softly suggests.
Once it’s placed in my hands Steve quickly leaves the house. Ava is out doing wedding stuff with her mom but I don’t want to risk her catching me reading the letter; so I run to my bathroom and settle myself on the counter before opening it.
****
Darlin’,
I don’t want you to disappear out of my life. I believe that what we have can last forever, please don’t allow us to fade away. I love you more than you think I do and I’ll spend my entire life proving it to you, until my dying breath.
Always,
Your Ethan
****
My Ethan.
My Ethan.
My Ethan.
I repeat his signature over and over as I hold his letter to my chest. How could I forget how sweet this man can be? It’s one of the reasons why I love him. I need to fix this! My mind focuses on the perfect response before I text him.
****
My Ethan,
My love for you will never fade away. I love you and will fight for us. I’m sorry.
Forever Yours,
Ethan’s Mia
****
When I get off from work later, Ethan calls me and stays on the phone with me until 4am. He’s due in to work at 9am and I make sure he knows that I appreciate him sacrificing precious sleep for me.
Chapter Sixteen
Sometimes It Hurts
Those new hires fell through and two more nurses quit a week later. The staff on his ward is stretched thin and I’m afraid he’s going to burn out soon. On his days off we try to go out to dinner but sometimes his schedule will change unexpectedly due to an emergency. Most of the time he doesn’t have time to cancel so I usually end up sitting at the restaurant alone. Being stood up sucks but I promised him that I would fight for us and I meant it.
After being stood up so many times I talked Kate into giving me an hour break everyday so I can meet Ethan at his job for his twenty-minute dinner break. I hate only seeing him for twenty minutes a day, but if it allows me to see him everyday then I’ll do it with a smile on.
****
During one of our dinner dates in the cafeteria, I notice a nurse staring at us while we eat.
“Who’s that?”
“Karen,” he says matter-of-factly without breaking eye contact with me.
“Why is she staring?”
“She’s my ex.”
Whoa what?
“When did your ex start working here?”
“I don’t work with her, she works on another ward.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“Four weeks ago.”
“The same time you began standing me up?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like Ethan?” I begin
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Okay I’ll stay away when you ask but be prepared to be stalked.”
“Deal,” he chuckles before hustling us out of the house.
****
I wish I could say that it got better over the next few weeks, but I’m sure you can guess what happened. We’re arguing more than ever and instead of acknowledging that we’re both just stressed, we point accusing fingers at each other. After a particularly juvenile fight he tried to make it up by sending me flowers but I rejected the delivery. Later that day Steve shows up at my house with a letter.
“Can you two please fix this, and stop making me feel like we’re in junior high passing notes before health class?”
“Sorry,” I mumble with my eyes pointed at the floor.
I hear him sigh and my eyes meet his. “He loves you and feels like you’re slipping away and there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t call out and risk getting fired while looking for a new place to live.”
Ava is moving into Steve and Ethan’s place after the wedding, so Ethan has to find a new place to live. I know this and I’m making him feel bad for having to work. I’m the worst kind of bitch. A tear slips out before I can stop it. I try to swipe it away before he notices but I’m not quick enough.
“Read the letter,” he softly suggests.
Once it’s placed in my hands Steve quickly leaves the house. Ava is out doing wedding stuff with her mom but I don’t want to risk her catching me reading the letter; so I run to my bathroom and settle myself on the counter before opening it.
****
Darlin’,
I don’t want you to disappear out of my life. I believe that what we have can last forever, please don’t allow us to fade away. I love you more than you think I do and I’ll spend my entire life proving it to you, until my dying breath.
Always,
Your Ethan
****
My Ethan.
My Ethan.
My Ethan.
I repeat his signature over and over as I hold his letter to my chest. How could I forget how sweet this man can be? It’s one of the reasons why I love him. I need to fix this! My mind focuses on the perfect response before I text him.
****
My Ethan,
My love for you will never fade away. I love you and will fight for us. I’m sorry.
Forever Yours,
Ethan’s Mia
****
When I get off from work later, Ethan calls me and stays on the phone with me until 4am. He’s due in to work at 9am and I make sure he knows that I appreciate him sacrificing precious sleep for me.
Chapter Sixteen
Sometimes It Hurts
Those new hires fell through and two more nurses quit a week later. The staff on his ward is stretched thin and I’m afraid he’s going to burn out soon. On his days off we try to go out to dinner but sometimes his schedule will change unexpectedly due to an emergency. Most of the time he doesn’t have time to cancel so I usually end up sitting at the restaurant alone. Being stood up sucks but I promised him that I would fight for us and I meant it.
After being stood up so many times I talked Kate into giving me an hour break everyday so I can meet Ethan at his job for his twenty-minute dinner break. I hate only seeing him for twenty minutes a day, but if it allows me to see him everyday then I’ll do it with a smile on.
****
During one of our dinner dates in the cafeteria, I notice a nurse staring at us while we eat.
“Who’s that?”
“Karen,” he says matter-of-factly without breaking eye contact with me.
“Why is she staring?”
“She’s my ex.”
Whoa what?
“When did your ex start working here?”
“I don’t work with her, she works on another ward.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“Four weeks ago.”
“The same time you began standing me up?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like Ethan?” I begin
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