Rollercoaster (The Circle Series - Part 3)

Chapter 11

Janelle was sound asleep when David and Leesha arrived home with Ethan. The mansion was silent and David led his wife and son into the den. Leesha was breathing hard and shallow, her face flushing pink and hot.

"Sit down, son. We need to talk," David said, sitting on the orange and white sofa. Leesha kneeled between his legs and laid her head against him.

Ethan sat next to them, eyeing his mom with concern. "Is she okay?"

David nodded as he stroked her hair. "Jon pushed her too far. She's having a violent anxiety attack. You've never seen one in your 17 years, and I was praying you never would."

Leesha sobbed and whimpered into David's jeans, his knees tightening to stop her from rocking back and forth. Ethan watched as David took his mom's hands, entwining their fingers slowly then placing her hands under his shirt. "What's she doing?" Ethan asked.

"Grounding. She's reorienting herself into the present, instead of worrying over past and future, the what if's and the would be's." David and Leesha smiled at each other. "Just as I told you she helps me control myself, I do the same for her."

Ethan reclined back on the sofa, fingers tapping on his phone. "Why'd you let me go to her?"

"Because you're not the first one who's done crazy stupid shit for love," David replied with a chuckle.

Leesha sat back after a few minutes, her face slightly pale. "I...I'll be right back!" She clambered to her feet and ran towards the guest bathroom, slamming the door shut.

David took a moment to go over and knock on the door. "Babygirl, you okay?" He heard his wife give a short 'yeah' and rejoined Ethan. "Don't worry, kid, she'll be fine. Probably the stress," David shrugged.

Ethan felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out to check. A smile lit his face when he saw who the message was from. He quickly shot back a reply and stared stupidly at the screen for a while.

"Scooby?" David asked, laying back into the soft pillows.

"Yeah, she's got her phone back," Ethan said, "She said Uncle Jon is sleeping in the office and Auntie J just left her room."

"Son, look...I am very angry about you two using our bedroom and car to...you know...whatever you two did," David stammered, "But that aside, what are your feelings towards Arielle? And don't think with your dick on this. I want your honest feelings about her."

"Oh, dad...she makes me feel...I dunno, alive," Ethan sighed happily, "Yeah she's always been there and until recently I've only ever thought of her as sister material. But...something changed." He stopped to think for a moment before continuing, "She gets me; she gets...this," he looked around the room at all the memorabilia, "All the other girls just felt like they wanted to be with me for your name and money."

David nodded and digested his son's words. "You know Jon and Julie won't want this to continue..."

"I know...I..ah, I have a plan," Ethan said, twisting his fingers around each other.

"Do I need to get more alcohol to hear this plan?" David chuckled.

"No...I'd rather have you sober, Dad. I've given Ari my ring. I...we wanna get married," Ethan stuttered, "I'd like to have your blessings, but I'll understand if you won't. We're gonna do it anyway."

They both looked up when Leesha reappeared in the den, holding her stomach and gently sitting in David's lap. "Feeling any better, babygirl?" He asked, snuggling Leesha close to him.

"Still queasy but I'll live," she replied, kissing David's cheek. "What's going on? Did I miss anything important?"

The couple stared at each other for a full minute before David said, "I asked Ethan about his feelings about Ari and apparently he proposed to her. He just asked for our blessing."