Spring [Completed]

FORTY

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HIM

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"Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss."
—F Scott Fitzgerald

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"I need to talk to Ethan Price!"

I glance up from my phone at the sound of my name, growing weary as I turn the corner and walk towards the front area of the hospital. Stifling a yawn, I squint as the rising sun pierces through the giant windows at the entrance of the hospital.

"You're not listening to me. I need to speak to him, now! It's an emergency—"

"Look, young lady, like I said before, there's nothing I can—"

"Ethan!" Cara shouts, seeing me before I've even glanced in her direction. "Thank God you're here."

She rushes toward me with a panicked look on her face, and I shove my phone in my pocket, pulling her to the side as Kathy stares at me quizzically.

"Cara? What...what are you doing here?" I ask, growing worried. "Is your mom alright?"

Cara sucks in a breath at the mention of her mother. I frown, scanning her features as she crinkles her nose and peers at the ground. "Actually," she says, her voice shaky and unstable as she closes her eyes. "Um..." her voice breaks as she brings her trembling hands to her eyes and covers them.

"Cara, is she okay?" I ask again, trying to meet her gaze. My heart and mind race with every second of silence between us.

I place a hand on her shoulder, and she falls apart to my touch. She lets out a long shaky breath before her red rimmed eyes meet mine. She nods. "S-she's fine. I just..."

My heart hurts as she bites her lip and a tear slips from her eye. "Cara, what's wrong? What happened?" I place a hand on her back and guide her to the seating area.

We sit in silence for a while, me rubbing her back awkwardly as she tries to regulate her breathing. I don't know what to do or say. I'm completely out of my element. My boys are never this emotional. I don't like the helplessness welling up inside me. She still hasn't told me what's going on, but I know I just have to help her.

"Cara," I say hesitantly, wanting desperately to wipe away the tears streaming down her face. "Talk to me...what's going on with you?"

She hiccups, wiping her eyes and resting her elbows on her knees. She doesn't look at me, instead she peers at a spot on the floor. "If I...if I tell you a secret...like a big one. Will...will you promise not to hold it against m-me?" She glances over at me and I nod without missing a beat.

Cara was never this vulnerable. I'd never seen her so distraught, so I know whatever she needs to say, it's important to her and that makes it important to me. "Cara you can tell me anything you want," I say, meaning it. "I won't judge you, and I won't be upset, okay?" I give her wrist a light squeeze and she nods.

"Okay," she says, reaching into her hoodie pocket and pulling out an envelope.

I furrow my brows as she holds in in her trembling hands, sniffling slightly as her tears drip onto it, soaking the paper. She bites her lip, her fingers fiddling with the lifting edges of the worn envelope. "Here," she says, handing it to me.