“Pretty cool, huh?” Ethan smiled his glorious smile.
“It’s kind of scary,” I said. “It seems like they could get really hurt.”
“We’ve had our share of broken arms and stuff,” Ethan told me. “Nothing scarier than one guy, a couple months ago, who landed on his back and neck. I was the only person around, and I had to call 9-1-1 to get him to the hospital. He was really out of it, and they kept giving me forms to fill out on his behalf, which of course, I couldn’t read. I flipped out on a nurse who got really impatient with me. It wasn’t too bad in the end, though. He had a concussion, but he was okay a few days later.”
“I’m surprised you don’t stay away from stuff like this,” I said. “Aren’t you afraid of getting hurt again?”
“Sometimes,” he said, “but if I had been hurt in a car accident, would you advocate never driving again?”
“Good point,” I said with a smile.
“Can we have dinner together tonight?” Ethan asked abruptly.
“I have two presentations to give on Monday,” I said. “I still have a lot of work to do on them. I think I’ll have to skip dinner and just make something quick at my place.”
“Later?” he asked, hopeful.
“I can come by,” I said. “Maybe we can read a bit more Dune if there is time?”
“I’d really like that.”
“But if I’m staying over, it can’t be a late night. I still have to get up early and hit the library one last time.”
“Well, maybe we can find some way of wearing you out so you sleep well,” Ethan said with a smirk.
“I seem to sleep pretty well when I’m with you.” I grinned up at him and twisted my fingers around in his hand. “You wear me out.”
“You wear me out, too,” Ethan said. He leaned over and kissed me softly. “I think sleeping at my place with you is a lot more appealing than sleeping on CeeCee and Gwen’s couch.”
“I guess I’ll have to come over, then.”
“Good!”
Ethan leaned in close to me again, brushing his lips over my mouth and down my chin. Whistles and catcalls emanated from the bike riders all around the park. He seemed so at ease and relaxed, even with everyone watching us, I wondered how he managed to take everything in stride the way he did. It reminded me of the conversation I had with my dad when he mentioned the supposed breakdown Ethan had in the office. When he leaned back and smiled at me again, I decided to tell him I had at least started to make good on my promise.
“I told my dad I was seeing you.”
“You did?” Ethan seemed surprised and maybe just a bit nervous at my revelation. “What did he say?”
“Well, it wasn’t pretty,” I told him honestly, “but it could have been worse, too.”
“I guess that’s something.”
“He does remember you.”
“I’m sure he does.” Ethan huffed through his nose and looked away.
“He said you…you had a breakdown at the office.” I squeezed Ethan’s hand. “He said you ended up in the hospital afterward.”
“Yeah,” Ethan said with a nod, “I did.”
“What happened?”
“It wasn’t long after I turned eighteen. I’d been dealing with the attorneys and the will and the estate and all that shit. I was stressed, and my doctor put me on some anti-anxiety meds. Let’s just say they didn’t work out so well for me. I spent a few weeks in the hospital trying to get my moods under control until they found a medication that worked.”
“That sounds pretty rough.”
“It was.” Ethan took a deep breath and looked back at me. “I threatened to kill myself. Your father probably knows that. I’m not suicidal though. I never really wanted to die; it was just because of the medication. I’m not even on any of those drugs anymore. Not for months.”