Vanessa's POV Ethan and I made up a while ago. We were never even in a fight, we just had a slight argument that was my fault, and I told him that.
I don't want to get so attached to Sean. I can't act like he's my Dad when he's not. So I told myself that I wouldn't respond to any texts I receive from Sean. But he didn't text me... at all.
It was almost 10pm when I got a text from Grayson.
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I don't know what's going on but I usually don't get random texts from Grayson at this hour. This doesn't sound good.
I got to the Dolan household as fast as I could and knocked on the door. When it opened, Grayson stood there with red puffy eyes.
"Oh my God... what's wrong?" I asked coming in. Grayson shook his head and sucked a breath in.
"My moms on the phone with Cam and Ethan's upstairs. Something happened and-" Grayson voice cracked and tears formed in his eyes. I pulled him into a hug and he kept going. "I called you here for Ethan. He needs you, even if he tries to push you away." Grayson said into my ear.
I rubbed his back and then let him go. I waved at Lisa who was quietly crying into the phone as I went upstairs. This can't be good. I knocked on Ethan's door not knowing what to expect.
"Go away Mom." Ethan said weakly. I opened the door quietly and closed it behind me as I walked over to Ethan who was sitting on his bed with his back to the door. I walked around the bed and crouched in front of him. He looked up to see me and his eyes flashed with joy for a split second. They were red and puffy just like Grayson's, and his face was marked with tear tracks.
"Vanessa?"
"E..." I rubbed his thigh. What am I supposed to say? I don't know what happened.
"What are you doing here?"
"Grayson told me there was something seriously wrong, and you're whole family is crying. I came here for you. What happened?" I asked, looking back and forth between his eyes. His face scrunched and he fell off the bed into my arms on the floor. He started crying into my shoulder as I rubbed his back, trying to comfort him.
"Shhhh... Ethan oh my god." I've never seen him so broken before. He stayed there in my arms for a few minutes until he quieted down. Then we both got up and sat on his bed.
"Are you okay?" Stupid question. He shook his head.
"It's about my Dad." Ethan said, the words like a dagger to my heart. Oh no.
"Sean? What happened?" My voice was gone.
"He umm, his plane crashed... a few days ago. They just got word to us that he's..." Ethan didn't have to finish. I knew.
Tears immediately started rolling from my eyes and I pulled Ethan into another hug. This time, I'm not sure who was comforting who. I shouldn't feel this way, but I lost my Dad, just as Ethan did.
"I'm sorry." I choked out as I rubbed his back. Somehow only knowing Sean for around three weeks left me with feelings like this.
I love you Sean, and I'll never, ever forget you.
*****
Ethan's POV Just when things started to look better for me, life had to go and fuck things up. Life took my Dad from me.
It's funny how when he walked out the door for his business trip three days ago, I had no clue that it would be the last time I ever saw him.
He's been there for me since day one. He was supposed to be here till day 100. Now he won't get to see Grayson, Cam and I get engaged or married, he won't ever meet his grandchildren. But worse, they won't ever get to meet him. My mom will have to do it all alone.
To think that I'll have to re-live this when I explain to my kids why they don't have a grandpa, to think that this is my reality. My Dad... is actually gone.
He goes on business trips a lot. Sometimes he's gone for 3 days, sometimes three weeks. I just have to pretend that he's on a business trip... for the rest of my life.
Why did you have to leave Dad?
*****
Vanessa's POV Ethan layed across my chest and we were grieving together. I played with his hair and massaged his head for a while and then he fell asleep with his arms and body across mine.
There was a knock on the door and Lisa and Grayson came in. I had stopped crying until I saw their faces, and it started again.
"I'm so sorry you guys." I cried and they shook their heads.
"I know. There's a reason for everything." Grayson stared at the floor.
"Everything will be okay in the end." Lisa sighed.
"There's always a light in the darkness-" I started but they both cut me off.
"If one remembers to turn it on." They finished. I laughed and cried at the same time.
"Did My Dad tell you that?" Grayson asked. I nodded and looked down at Ethan who was still asleep.
I heard sniffles, drawing my attention back to the door where they both stood crying.
"Goodnight Vanessa." Grayson said. I said goodnight back and they left the room, closing the door.
My phone said it was 1:30am so I tried to get under the covers without waking Ethan up. I failed.
He sort of jerked himself awake and sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Vanessa? Oh my god, I just had the worst dream that-" he looked at my wet face from crying and his dropped.
"It wasn't a dream was it? My Dad..." Ethan trailed off.
"It wasn't a dream Ethan. I'm sorry." I cried again. He put his face in his hands and sat there silently while I sniffled, watching him. After a while, he moved his hands to rub his eyes. Then he just moved so he was laying next to me and rested his head on my chest again.
I started running my hands through his hair again and kissed his cheek. I whispered I love you, but he was asleep already.
