“Then don’t do it,” Jennifer urged softly, her voice steady but filled with concern. I shook my head, tears streaming down. “I have to,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I don’t have enough love to give them at the moment. They deserve more than a broken mother,” I thought to myself.
The nurse, standing nearby, remained silent, her face professional yet kind. She quietly placed her Doppler aside and handed me a tissue to wipe my tears. “You can head back to the doctor’s office,” she instructed gently. Jennifer and I both nodded, and we made our way down the hallway, my heart heavy with each passing moment.
As we got to the doctor’s office, we pushed open the door without knocking, only to stop abruptly. Another patient was seated inside.
“Oh! Sorry,” Jennifer exclaimed, starting to close the door, but the doctor’s voice cut in.
“No, Ms. Sanders, come in,” the doctor urged, his tone serious but also welcoming.
I hesitated at the door, reluctant to walk in or speak about my choice in front of someone else. My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn’t shake the discomfort of having a stranger hear what I needed to say.
“Come in, ma’am,” the doctor insisted once more. Jennifer turned to me, her eyes urging me to step forward. With a reluctant nod, I entered, my eyes drifting to the buff figure wearing a light grey suit and comfortably seated in the chair across from the doctor. As I moved closer, I felt a sense of familiarity fill the air. The figure seemed like someone I knew far too well, the broad shoulders, the way he sat comfortably. From the door, I could smell his sweet, musky perfume, a familiar one.
My heavy heart eased up, as if it recognized something before my mind could catch up. I took another step forward, my breath catching in my throat. I tried to shake off the feeling, to convince myself I was mistaken, but with each passing second, the truth became harder to ignore.
No… it can’t be.
My knees felt weak as I moved closer, almost stumbling as the realization hit me full force.
“Ethan?” I breathed, my voice barely a whisper. My eyes locked onto him, and I couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t just a figment of my exhausted mind. He was really there, sitting in front of me.
He looked up, and my face curved into a smile. My eyes surveyed his body, and he looked like himself again, his big, healthy self. He looked clean, handsome. My eyes fell to his hands, and there were no handcuffs, no orange jumpsuit.
I turned to Jennifer, who was still by the door, giving me a confused stare. “Am I dreaming?” I asked, watching him get to his feet and extend his hands for a hug. I didn’t wait for an answer before running to him and giving him a wide hug, my body melting into his, the sweet warmth of his skin. I stayed in his arms for a minute, crying my eyes out, feeling protected by his hug before pulling away to catch his beautiful brown eyes.
“How?” I wondered, my smile turning into a frown as I pulled away, swatting him gently. “Was it all a facade like Wayne?” I asked, feeling annoyed that he liked to play games with me.
“No, it wasn’t, neither was Wayne,” Ethan said with a warm smile and I believed him. He leaned in to kiss me, and I puckered my lips for him. And his soft lips crushed on mine, kissing me, briefly. As soon as he withdrew his lips, I stared at him, still feeling curious. “But I don’t understand. How did you get out of jail? The last time I saw you, you had a death sentence. Do you still have one? What are you doing here?” I bombarded him with questions, before looking around the room. There was no police officer in sight, if Ethan was still a criminal, the place would be swarming with officers by now.
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you everything soon” Ethan assured, before using his index finger to raise my chin, making my eyes meet his gaze again, ‘Emily!” He called out to me in the softest tone, “please don’t take away our babies. Please,” he pleaded, his eyes pleading too, “I love you and I want us to be a family, please.”