Together (Sequel of 'Broken Hearts')

Chapter 29: Nazar

I could feel Ante's nervousness next to me as soon as I woke up. Today, we were going to the beach with Ethan to meet his potential new family. I could feel him move around in the bed and I pulled him into a hug, making him stop in his tracks.

"Sorry if I woke you up." Ante whispered softly.

"No worries." I answered, kissing his naked shoulder. "Stop being so nervous, everything will be fine."

"I hope so... I can't help but worry about potentially misjudging them. What if they managed to hid their real personalities? It wouldn't be Mr. Collins' fault this time." 

"I'm sure it won't happen. You're really great at judging people and you met them a few times before this meeting. It's just the nerves speaking." I said confidently.

He hugged me back for a minute before leaving the bed. I heard the shower running a minute later and I waited until he came out to take a shower on my own. As the steamy water was running down my back, I thought back to my last conversation with Imogen. She managed to get another meeting with Mr. Krumenacker but only at the end of the year. Once again, she strongly advised me to let Ante know about this meeting. And I wanted to, I truly wanted to tell him but I felt like this wasn't the right time. He was so busy between his work, Ethan and this potential adoptive couple. I didn't want to add my problems on top of it all. He had enough on his plate.

I turned the water off and dressed myself before going downstairs in the kitchen. I could smell the food being cooked before I reached the last steps. Ethan greeted me with a cheery voice, making me smile. 

"Ready for a day at the beach?" I asked, feeling a little excited. It had been a while since I went to the beach.

We ate and I listened as Ante went through his list a few times, making sure he didn't forget anything for our little picnic.

"Okay, I'm just going to check one more time if I packed everything and then we can go." Ante said, making Ethan chuckle slightly.

We had been waiting, side to side sitting on the sofa, for the past thirty minutes waiting for him to get ready. "I think it should be fine. You've checked everything four times already and you had everything needed." I couldn't help saying, a smile on my face.

"Wh- Oh. I checked everyting four times already? Shit. Sorry. Let's go then."

He held my arm a minute later and we left the house, Ethan walking closely next to me. I smiled as I felt the air of the salty water around us and heard the noise of the waves. I sat on a towel that Ante put on the ground and chuckled slightly as I heard Ante warn Ethan. "Don't go into the water, it's still cold."

"It's really cold!" Ethan's little voice confirmed a few seconds later.

"I know, that's why I told you not to touch it... Why don't you play with the sand instead?" He answered with a little sigh but it was easy to hear that he was smiling.

"Okay! I will build the best sandcastle!" He exclaimed in a happy voice.

I listened to Ethan play while moving the sand around me with the tip of my fingers. The potential family was supposed to arrive at any minute now and I could feel that Ante was nervous even if he was doing his best to hide it.

"They're here... I'm going to greet them, stay here." Ante whispered and I heard steps going away a few seconds later. I got up, waiting for them to walk closer. "These are my friends, Martha and Jonathan. And this is my partner, Nazar, and this is Ethan."

"Hello, nice to meet you." I said as we shook hands.

"Hello Ethan." The woman, Martha, said in a warm voice. He answered in a shy, insecure voice. "Are you making a sandcastle? It looks beautiful."

We made some small talk and I got to know them a little until Jonathan spoke to his wife in a deep voice. "Why don't you give him what you brought? I'm sure he would enjoy it."

"Oh, yes! I almost forgot!" She exclaimed. "Do you mind if I give this to Ethan?" 

"No, not at all." Ante replied a few seconds later. "Ethan, come here for a minute!"

"What is it?" Ethan asked curiously once he stopped close to us.

"Do you enjoy making bubbles? I'll show you." Silence surrounded us for a minute until Ethan's small laugh broke it. "Do you want to try? Here, take this."

"Don't put it too close to your mouth or it won't work." Ante advised and I listened to the conversation with a smile on my face.

"It worked!!" Ethan exclaimed with a laugh.

"You can keep it. I'm giving it to you." Martha said and it was easy to hear that she was smiling. Everything in her screamed kindness.

"Thank you!" Ethan replied happily. 

I took this opportunity to speak a little more with Jonathan and get to know him. It was easy to hear that he was a hard worker and was proud of everything he accomplished in his farm. I also learnt that, during his free time, he enjoyed to read and we spent a while talking about our favorite books and authors.

"Ethan, do you want something to eat? I brought sandwiches and some fruits."

"Peanut butter sandwiches?"

"Of course."

"Thank you!"

Ante gave me an apple before asking the couple if they wanted anything. From what I could hear, it was mainly Martha that was trying to make conversation with Ethan which was smart and seemed to work. Her approach was gentle and she wasn't asking too many personal questions; she was using what Ethan was doing to ask things related to it.

"It's starting to get a little cold, why don't we go back home and drink something warm?" Ante asked and I heard a minute of silence. "What do you think Ethan? Do you want a hot chocolate?"

"With marshmallows? Yes!"

"Do you mind if my friends come with us?" He asked gently and I smiled slightly as his answer came out almost immediately.

"Okay."

Ante gave us our address and we walked back home while they drove there. It would have been easier and quicker to go with them in the car but Ethan wanted to walk and the last thing Ante wanted was to rush him; especially as things seemed to go smootly so far. 

"You have a beautiful house." Jonathan complimented once we arrived.

"And lots of beautiful flowers!" Martha added.

"This is the flower I grew at school." Ethan said softly, surprising me.

"Yes, we put it right next to the house so no one can miss it when they arrive." Ante explained as we walked up the stairs leading to the house. 

As we all went into the kitchen, Ethan asked if he could prepare his own hot chocolate. I sat on a chair and listened to him speaking to the machine, asking it to start. The way it worked with voice detection always amazed him.

"This is impressive. Does the whole kitchen work like that?" Martha asked, making me nod.

"Yes, Ante equipped the kitchen through the years as new technologies came out. It has been life changing for me." I explained, a small smile on my face.

Once everyone had a drink, we all sat around the kitchen table and Martha tried to make some small conversation with Ethan, concentrating on the marshmallows.

"My favorite ones are the white ones."

"The pink ones are better." Ethan replied before adding. "But chocolate makes everything better."

They stayed for a few more hours before leaving. I took Ante's hand into mine once the door closed behind them. Everything went very well and I could only imagine how relieved he must have been. I was sure that they would try to schedule another one as soon as possible and that, with time, Ethan would learn to trust them. As much as it pained me to think this, it seemed that, maybe, he had found his future new family...