Ethan recovered faster than Bryant did, and was scheduled to go home on Valentine's Day. Grayson had loosened up, and he wasn't as watchful of Ethan. Cameron and Lisa didn't bother coming back to LA to see him, Ethan told them not to. It was for the best. I don't think Lisa could have handled seeing another family member in a hospital bed, and Cameron was simply unresponsive. Ethan was wearing a wrap, despite being in bed all day long, for an ankle sprain. Thankfully, it was the one thing he walked out with that showed his accident. Besides a few scratches that hadn't fully healed on his face.
"My ass hurts," he complained on the fifth day of him being in the hospital. It was Wednesday, the 13th, and he was itching to go home.
"Massage it?" he teased sweetly.
"Shut up," I told him, setting a cup of tea in front of him.
"I hate tea," he frowned, "Where's my coffee loving Emma?"
"She's dead to me," I said bitterly.
"What?" Ethan asked.
"I'm trying tea," I explained. "My teeth are yellow. It's ugly."
"I don't think you're ugly," Ethan stated.
"I didn't say I was ugly. I said my teeth were," I clarified.
"Oh," Ethan said softly. "Sorry,"
"I'm kidding!" I laughed at his crestfallen face.
"Just buy some whitening toothpaste, babe," Ethan reasoned. "You don't even like tea."
"I know," I said wistfully.
"This is so stupid. Look at us, talking about tea. I need to leave. I want to go to the beach," Ethan decided, and I could see the gears turning in his brain.
"You are in a hospital bed, E," I said, cocking my head at him.
"Yeah, yeah," he waved his hand at me, brushing me off.
"Home is so...bleh," he said after a moment.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"It just reminds me of being, I don't know, unproductive...and sad," he admitted softly.
"So we can go to my apartment," I offered. He shook his head.
"We need a vacation," he declared. "For Valentine's day! Where do you want to go?"
"Ethan, I don't think that's a good idea... Leave Grayson? He's fragile right now, and you're in the hospital, Jesus! And your dad..." I reasoned.
"What about my dad, Emma? He would've wanted me to be out there! Doing stuff! I know he would!" Ethan argued, sitting up in the bed.
"I know, Ethan," I said.
"No, you don't." he declared. I couldn't meet his eye.
"Stop looking at me like a wounded animal," he whispered. "I'm not!"
"I'm sorry," I said.
"And Grayson isn't either. He can be alone for a while. It would be a good change," Ethan said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure!"
"You have to ask him." I reminded him.
"I will."
And he did, and Grayson just shrugged. If I'm not lying, I was hoping he would argue, or at least sound unsure. He was all but that, enthusiastic.
I realized that I was the only one holding us back for this turn of events, and maybe it was me who needed it most. I had been under stress for a solid two months, and handling the twins' stress as well as mine.
The rest of the day he spent leaning over a computer, booking God-knows-what. I forced him to keep it within California, as we couldn't afford to be gone long. Apparently, he was taking care of everything we would need. Grayson was also making arrangements, to go visit some older friends he hadn't seen in a while. So the house would be empty. Maybe that was for the best.
Ethan was discharged from the hospital, but not before he spent a good hour and a half speaking to Bryant, who was tied to the hospital for a few more days. I felt shitty for essentially leaving him, but Bryant just smiled and told us to send him pictures he could edit for the next few days. We stopped at home, and as I helped Ethan into the house, as he was still shaky with his sprained ankle, I noticed a vase of flowers and a note.
"No, you didn't," I said defiantly.
"Open it!" Ethan laughed, and I missed seeing those teeth in a wide open smile. It made me laugh with him.
He awkwardly sat down on the couch, Grayson tossing the pillow I had brought him at Ethan's feet.
"Emma-" I began to read. "Happy Valentine's day. Nothing I can write or say can tell you how much I love you. I've been through more than I ever have before in the last year and I don't think I could have done it without you. I loved you before we started dating, and I think you knew that. I was so nervous when I would go to your apartment in the summer, and we would take. I fell in love with you, crying in bed, without makeup, and a million things running through your mind. I'm glad you've been able to love me through my shitty days, and I know they're ending soon. We're about to have it all, Emma. I know it. Happy Valentine's Day, I love you, -Ethan."
I glanced up at Ethan, who was sitting on the bed, a content grin on his face. I melted into his arms, pressing a kiss to his neck.
"I didn't get you anything," I whispered.
"Shut up, Emma, we're about to have it all," he replied.
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i'm aware it's bad, sorry :(
