Ethan's Andante (Sequel to Special Tutoring)

1. Salvation

if you are new to Mai and Ethan's story, please read the prequel, special tutoring (rated mature)

https://www.wattpad.com/story/7787423-special-tutoring

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Fifteen years ago

The harsh sunlight cascaded through the window and pooled at her feet. Yet they could feel nothing ...

Like her heart. Only an aching hollow remained within.

Clutching the child sized shirt in her hand, she lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply, at the scent that was now lost to her forever.

Her husband and the medical team were just outside the doorway, talking about her as if she wasn't there. She could have told them that when you lose the ability to walk, the other senses will become more acute, sensitive. But she didn't tell them that, or that she could hear their every word. No, it was better to not be able to hear or feel. Then she could continue to shut herself off from reality, and stop blaming herself for her deadly transgression.

As Max spoke to his wife's medical team, his worried gaze was trained on his wife.

For the thousandth time, he demanded of the head of the team, "how long is my wife going to stay like this?"

The doctor demurred. Other than her semi paralyzed state, Astrid was physically on the mend. What she needed now was grief counseling and maybe psychiatric help. However the last time he suggested this, he incurred Max's wrath and a emphatic "NO, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER MENTAL STATE! You are just not doing enough to help her!"

Frustrated, Max strode to where his beloved wife sat in catatonic silence. The team braced themselves for a violent outburst.

Kneeling down, Max gently reached out for Astrid's hands, still tightly clenched around the shirt. She refused to let go, so his own hands wrapped around her cold ones as he beseeched her, "Astrid, liebchen, let's go out for a little bit of sunshine please?"

His eyes, round with sorrow, were her undoing. She nodded.

Firm, strong hands pushing her wheelchair, they visited the picturesque garden in silence. A mere six months ago, Astrid was excitedly planning with the gardeners what she intended to cultivate this spring. Now spring had passed into the peak of summer and she was unmoved by the expanse of beauty her own efforts had wrought. She sat stiff and upright, like one of the marble statues in the garden with their cold, dead eyes.

Max was desperate for even a minute reaction from Astrid, that when they came to the end of the garden path, instead of turning back towards home, he made the rash decision to go past the castle gates and towards the town center.

The old Astrid would have protested loudly that she was not presentable in her lounge wear, but this Astrid sat mutely as Max pushed her along the beautifully maintained cobbled streets, past the curious stares of the townspeople. Max wore a scowl on his face, as if daring anyone to comment or approach them.

"Good evening Gräf and Gräfin, how are you today?" asked two old women, polite in their query, but intense in their stares at the human shell that used to be Astrid.

"Fine," muttered Max with a terse nod as he pushed past them in haste, eager to avoid their questions.

"Poor thing, what happened to her?" They had not even exited earshot, when the two old ladies began their loud whispering.

"Didn't you hear?"

"No, what?"

"The Gräfin met with a car accident over the spring. A truck driver lost control of his vehicle and it plowed into her car on the opposite direction. She lost the ability to walk, and worse still, her little boy died."