Imprinted Hearts

Chapter 20: Decisions

"Ethan, calm down," Lucien said, as Ethan paced back and forth, ranting. "One thing at a time."

"You don't get it Lucien," Ethan said. "They don't take me seriously. They boss me around. I'm twenty fucking seven and I still have a curfew because the cops in this town think they run everything thanks to Marla. They do it in the name of 'keeping me safe', but they're just trying to control me."

"Ethan," Hope said. "You know I know where you're coming from, right?"

"You're about the only one that I think does," Ethan replied with a huff. Still, he paced and looked around wildly, as if he were a caged animal seeking an escape.

Hope gently went to him and stopped him, taking his face in her hands. "Hey," she said. She waited until he focused on her, and she wet her lips before continuing. "This is going to be hard for you to hear. And I'm sorry it has to come from me. But I think you should take things slowly right now."

Ethan opened his mouth to argue, his brow furrowing with an argument already on his tongue.

"I'm not saying you have to stay," Hope clarified.

Ethan relaxed his shoulders a bit at that.

"I'm saying I don't think you should burn this bridge just yet. Not all of it anyhow," Hope continued.

"But Marla-" Ethan began.

"Fuck Marla. Burn that bridge. She's controlling and a narcissist," Hope said firmly. "I'm not talking about her."

Ethan went still then, blinking in surprise. "Then who?" He began, but then the answer seemed to dawn on him as Hope spoke and he looked down at his feet.

"Do you know what his last words were to me before I left to come find you?" Hope asked.

"I don't want to know," Ethan said softly.

"I told him I would tell you, but that you might not be in a place to hear it right now," Hope said.

Ethan's eyes flickered back up to hers. She brushed her thumb against his cheek and pressed her lips into a fine line.

"He said, 'Tell him I love him'," Hope said. There was a small silence as that settled between them. "He, I think, will understand you wanting to leave. I just don't think he understands how you're going about doing it. Give him a chance to understand. Talk to him."

"I'm not going back to that trailer park for Marla to stop me," Ethan said firmly.

"Then get Harper or someone you trust to bring him out to you, and don't tell anyone what you're doing," Lucien chimed in. "Let him get the chance to say goodbye. I never got that with my parents. Don't regret not getting it with your dad."

"That sounds an awful lot like a guilt trip," Ethan muttered.

"I only meant..." Lucien began. "That I want you to have what I couldn't. An opportunity that I wasn't able to get is in front of you. With my past, I would take it. That doesn't mean you have to, and I don't want you to think I would pressure you into that kind of decision. It's a hard one to make, and if I made that worse, I'm sorry."

"No," Ethan sighed. "That's not it. I just- You're both right." His shoulders slumped as he seemed defeated in the moment. "I just don't want to hear it right now cause I'm mad and I want to be mad right now."

"You're allowed to recognize that emotion and feel it. That's healthy and to be expected," Hope replied with a smile. She released him from her hands with a pat on the cheek.

"Hey Hope?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah?" Hope answered.

"Can I... can I have a hug?" he asked softly.