What if the son Louise was proud of wasn't Ethan?
This AU takes begins just after chapter 13 of Open Heart Book 2 as it follows canon up until that point
"Your mom? Louise Ramsey is your mother?" Marcus slowly nods. It all made sense now, why he had reminded her of Ethan. She had thought he resembled Ethan and now she knew why.
Josie looks over her shoulder to see Ethan walking towards her. Towards them. Towards her and Marcus.
She can't let Ethan find out, she knows it would break him.
"Louise is in room 284". She lightly but quickly pushes him in the direction of Louise's room. "I'll see you later, bye". Marcus walks towards his mother's room and Josie turns around to see Ethan stood behind her.
"Hey, what was that about?"
"Oh that was... just interns being annoying interns. Now I understand why you have such a disliking towards them". She laughs nervously. He raises a brow at her, trying to figure out why she is acting so strange.
"You ready to go?" Josie nods and Ethan takes ahold of her hand, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek and they walk out of the hospital and to Derry Roasters hand in hand.
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Josie stares at her coffee, her thoughts consumed by Marcus. What if Ethan finds out? What if he doesn't? What if he already knows? What if he doesn't? Does Marcus know? What if he doesn't?
"Josie what's wrong?" His eyes searching her, trying to solve the puzzle sat in front of him.
"Nothing is wrong. Why would anything be wrong?"
"You haven't said a word since we left the hospital and you haven't even touched your coffee. Something is wrong."
She raises her head meeting his blue, pleading eyes. "It's nothing. Well, it's not nothing but it's just..." She trails off, wondering what she is going to say. "Okay, so I leaned something today that I don't think I was supposed to." Ethan listens intently, concerned. "And it affects... a friend of mine and I just don't know what to do because I can't tell him because it's a really big thing, it might even truing everything for him. But if I don't tell him I'll just feel guilty for keeping it from him. I just don't know what to do".
He nods in understanding and reaches across the table to hold her hand.
"Do you want some advice?" Josie nods, grateful that he's trying to help her. "If I was in your position, I wouldn't say anything. I think the truth always comes out eventually and as you said you probably weren't supposed to know so the news shouldn't come from you."
"You're right. I hate that you're right".
Ethan chuckles. "And whatever it is, I'm here for you". He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. But she knows that it is not him that will have to be there for her, and that it is in fact her that will have to be there for him.
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As they reach the hospital, Ethan stops and turns to face Josie, his face determined. "I'm going to see Louise".
"Now? Like right now?" He nods.
What if Marcus was still there? What if Ethan saw him? Josie had to protect Ethan.
"Maybe you should take some time to think about this. Maybe sleep on it and see how you feel tomorrow?" She says, trying to find any excuse to prevent him from seeing Marcus with Louise.
"If I don't do it now, I'll never do it". He walks into the hospital and towards Louise's room, with Josie following close behind.
And there it was. There he was. The one thing Josie had hoped wouldn't be there, Marcus sat on the chair beside his mother's bed.
