Switched • E.D. & G.D.

17 • Ethan

There's a frantic knock on the door while I'm helping Lea with her homework the next Monday in the afternoon. I glance at my daughter -niece- God, I miss my kids, to make sure she was aware of the knocking too. I slide the chair back from the table, standing to go to the door.

As soon as I do I see my wife, frantic and sobbing.

"Leigh Anne?" My heart skips a beat as soon as I see her.

Oh no, what happened?

"Did you know?!" She demands, tears are welled in her eyes, and she looks as though she's struggling as to what to do with her hands. I'm caught completely off guard.

"Know what, Pumpkin?"

Fuck, it slipped right from my mouth. No, no, no. Maybe she'll be too frantic to notice.

"Pumpkin? What the fuck, Gray, no! Did you know about Ethan and his...his...-" Suddenly, she's fallen into my arms, crying. Sobbing. Wailing. I pull her up so she's on her feet enough to where I can help her inside and on the couch. I didn't even have time to comprehend what she said while I nearly drag her into the house.

Lea looks at me with wide eyes.

"You stay in the kitchen." I command while my grip tightens around Leigh Anne's waist. Ugh, I missed this so much. To hold her close, to touch her, to smell that fucking perfume she's worn everyday since the first day of college.

Finally, Leigh Anne sits on the couch, still a mess, while I close the sliding glass door that separates the living room from the kitchen. I, almost cautiously, walk over to sit next to her. Luckily, there's a box of tissues on the coffee table so I hand her a few.

Her hands shake insanely quick.

"Breathe. Tell me what's going on..." I soothe, hoping that my gut was wrong in regards to what she was just about to say.

"E-Ethan...h-he's having a...dammit, he's having an affair, Grayson!" I'm absolutely stunned, and my expression must've given it away. That little fuck! I was going to end things with Lena before anyone could find out about it.

Going to.

Past tense.

Too late, E.

I put my hand on her knee, trying to comfort her, but I don't have any words while she leans on me, still crying. I did this to her? Me and my choices?

"I don't know what to do. What do I tell the kids? I didn't even have a chance to answer him, I was so angry that I just walked out! Hell, he could be with her now and I wouldn't know!"

"I'm sure he's not-"

"How would you know?!"

Because I'm Ethan. Is what I really want to say, but I can't.

"I don't. I can't believe he would do something like this Leigh, and I'm really fucking sorry that he screwed up so bad. He loves you more than you know, though. You have to believe me on that."

"Why should I?!"

"Leigh Anne, don't make any totally rash decisions, okay. I will tell you this. That man is so head over heels in love with you, he has been since you guys were nineteen years old, it's insane. It actually gets annoying." I say. Luckily, Leigh Anne shows a faint smile which means I'm making some sort of progress in helping her calm down.

Then, we just sit in silence. I watch, and I can see in her eyes, she's completely breaking. Crumbling. Crashing to the ground. My wife. I did this. After a few more moments of this, I speak.

"He loves you more than life itself, Leigh Anne, and that's no lie." By now, she's sniveling, wiping at her eyes with already used tissues. I'm hurting for her, and I should be kicking the shit out of myself right now.

She doesn't deserve this. My kids don't deserve this!

"Thanks, Gray. I think...I think I'm gonna go back home and talk to him." I knew her better than that. She was ready to scream her lungs out, and Gray was there to take the heat. The both of us stand from the couch and after wiping her eyes and nose once more, Leigh Anne hugs me and I pull her in close, not wanting to let go. Even when she's ready, I'm not.

"Oh, I'm sorry for yelling so much. I didn't realize Lea was here and-"

"Don't sweat it, Leigh. You maybe want me there for...support?" I make up some bullshit. I wanted to witness what she had to say because there's a hell of a lot more than what she just told me.

"Yeah..if you would? Lea can come and play with the kids, if she wants." I nod in agreement. Simone wouldn't be home until late so I'll be fine. I lock the house as I get Lea in the used Honda Civic I had to get because both mine and Gray's vehicles were completely totaled from the accident.

Following Leigh Anne to the house, I see Grayson -me- playing with all the boys in the front yard, both the kids in their snow pants, jackets, hats, mittens, and boots. He's acting as if nothing happened. Would I have done the same thing?

I take a deep breath as I watch Leigh Anne exit her car, clear rage nearly radiating off of her. This'll be fun.