Faithful Horizons

Chapter 34: Ethan's Past Returns

The hospital smelled of antiseptic and something faintly sweet as Ethan leaned over to adjust the blanket around his mom's shoulders. Her breathing had been slower today, her words softer, and while the nurse assured him it was normal, Ethan couldn't shake the unease that curled in his chest.

"You don't have to sit here all day, Ethan," his mom murmured, her eyes barely opening. "God do something. I'll be fine."

"I like being here," he said, offering a small smile.

She smiled faintly in return, her hand giving his a weak squeeze before she drifted back to sleep.

Ethan exhaled, sitting back in the chair. He knew she was trying to protect him, to make sure he didn't put his life on hold for her, but there was nowhere else he wanted to be.

Still, her suggestion lingered.

He stepped outside for air, the brightness of the afternoon making him squint. The hospital's small courtyard was quiet, the fountain bubbling faintly in the corner. Ethan dug his hands into his pockets, heading for a bench under a tree, but the sound of his name stopped him mid-step.

"Carter?"

The voice was sharp, skeptical, and instantly familiar. Ethan turned, his stomach tightening as he came face-to-face with Mr. Tate, his old junior-year history teacher.

"Mr. Tate," Ethan said, forcing a polite nod.

The older man stood with a paper bag in one hand, his other tucked into the pocket of his blazer. His graying hair and weathered expression hadn't changed much in the past few years.

"Well, I'll be," Tate said, his lips curling into a smirk. "Ethan Carter. Haven't seen you since..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Since I gave you that final warning before you flunked my class."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "Yeah," he said shortly. "That was a while ago."

"Indeed," Tate said, his tone clipped. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my mom," Ethan said, trying to keep his voice steady. "She's been in the hospital for a while."

Tate blinked, his expression softening slightly. "I see. Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

Ethan nodded, the awkwardness thick between them.

"You've... changed," Mr. Tate said after a moment, his gaze sweeping over Ethan's neat clothes and steady posture. "At least, you look like you have."

"I have," Ethan said, his tone firmer now. "I'm not the same person I was junior year."

Tate raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Is that so? Forgive me if I find that hard to believe. You were on a pretty destructive path back then."

Ethan's chest tightened, the words hitting like a train - harder than he expected. "People can change," he said, his voice sharper now,

"Some - most people, sure," Tate said with a shrug. "But not everyone. Some habits, some tendencies - they're hard to break."

"I've broken them," Ethan said, the edge in his voice undeniable now.

Tate tilted his head, studying him with a cool, calculated gaze. "Maybe," he said finally. "But the real question is... how long will it last?"

Ethan felt his pulse quicken, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "Why would you even say that?"

"Because I've seen it before," Mr. Tate said bluntly. "Kids like you, with all the promises in the world to do better, to turn over a new leaf... and then reality sets in. old habits creep back in. it's just the way things go."

Ethan stared at him, his hands curling into fists in his pockets.

"Maybe you'll have to prove me wrong," Tate added with a shrug. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't skeptical."

Without waiting for a response, he tipped his head in a mock farewell. "Good luck, Carter. I hope things work out for you."

Ethan watched him walk away, the knot in his chest tightening with every step.

That evening, Ethan sat in his car outside Grace's house, gripping the steering wheel so tightly one would think he was trying to break it. Mr. Tate's words replayed in his head, each one cutting deeper than the last.

"Some habits are hard to break."

"Kids like you..."

"How long will it last?"

He closed his eyes, his chest heaving with frustration. He'd worked so hard to change - to prove to himself, to his mom, and Grace that he wasn't the same person he'd been. But what if Tate was right? What if he was just fooling himself, trying to be someone he wasn't?

A soft knock on the passenger-side window startled him. He opened his eyes to see Grace standing there, her expression concerned.

He unlocked the door, and she slipped inside, her warmth instantly easing some of the tension in the car.

"You've been sitting here for ten minutes," she said softly. "What's going on?"

Ethan shook his head, his voice tight. "Ran into someone today. An old teacher."

"Okay..." Grace said, prompting him to continue.

"He basically told me I haven't really changed," Ethan said bitterly. "That it's just a matter of time before I screw everything up again."

Grace frowned, her hand reaching for his. "Ethan, you know that's not true."

"Do I?" he asked, his voice breaking. "What if he's right? What if all this - everything I've been working toward - is just me pretending? What if I'm not good enough to keep this up?"

"Ethan," Grace said firmly, her fingers tightening around his. "You have changed. And it's not because of what some teacher thinks, or even what I think. It's because of God. He's working in you, and He's not going to stop just because someone doubts you. Not even you."

Ethan looked at her, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "But what if I mess it all up?"

Grace smiled softly, her thumb brushing over his hand. "Then you get back up. You keep going. Because that's what faith is, Ethan - it's not about being perfect. It's about trusting that God's grace is bigger than your mistakes."

Her words settled over him like a balm, easing the knot in his chest. He nodded slowly, his grip on her hand tightening.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

"Anytime," Grace said, leaning closer. "And for the record, I believe in you."

Ethan's lips curved into a small, grateful smile. "I'm trying to believe in me too."

Grace chuckled softly, her head resting briefly against his shoulder. "One step at a time."

A/N:

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