Chapter 42 (Wisdom And Determination)
Ethan''s POV
She was gone. She just up and left. It''s funny how rtionships change overnight. One minute you''re
happy the next you''re left all alone with sorrow in your soul.
It was Saturday morning. I wasn''t going into the office today because I''d promised my Nana I would
spend the day with her at the golf course. I hadn''t seen her since the birthday party and I was looking
forward to some of her wisdom.
After showering and getting dressed in denim jeans and a in white T-shirt with white sneakers, I took
my ck SUV from the mansion''s garage. It wasn''t one of my favorite cars but it was afortable
ride for my Nana and it was spacious enough for the golf clubs, pic basket and cooler for drinks.
It was sunny and bright as I drove down the street and took the first intersection to her mansion. It was
much smaller than mine but it was suitable for her; she lived alone; my grandfather passed away three
years ago. Her mansion had its security guards and systems, automatic voice recognition gate, and a
nice swimming pool at the front. It was located on a hill side and looked a lot like the country. I used to
loveing here before I bought my own house.
"Ethan, you came!" She look so cheerful in a white flower printed dress and a white hat.
"Hi Nana, of course I came," I returned her hug.
"But why didn''t you bring Emma along? The fresh air, she would have loved it. Oh baby, go back for
Emma." She pulled yfully on my cheeks, which was one of her favorite things to do when asking for
a favor.
My facial expression immediately changed. I already missed Emma. Letting her walk away from me
was the stupidest thing I had ever done, but I didn''t want to hold her against her will. She wanted to
leave.
"Nana, that''s not going to be possible," I said, cing the cooler into the van.
"Why is that?"
I didn''t answer.
"Ethan! What did you do?"
"Nana, she left. She threw the ring at me and she left."
"Why''d she throw the ring? She''s not crazy; she wouldn''t just throw the ring for no reason."
"I almost cheated on her and the woman I almost cheated with left her underwear in my jacket and
Emma found it." I ced the clubs in the van also then the pic basket.
She got in the passenger''s front seat, fanning herself with the hat. I knew she was upset because she
was silent the entire ride to the golf course.
It was midday when we arrived. There were other golfers around and I really wanted to try my swing
against her, but Nana''s mood was now gloomy and dark. She wasn''t up for golfing anymore. She just
sat on a bench.
"Nana, I''m sorry I messed up things with her. I know you were fond of her."
"You have to fix this. How careless of you to be in another woman''s arms while your fiancee was at
home waiting for you!"
"Nana, I wasn''t thinking straight. I''ve been under a lot of pressure, especially with thepany."
"What pressure?"
"Well, remember when I exined to you about the project for expansion? Well it had been
disapproved."
"Why?"
"I didn''t have the coteral. I needed my trust and, as you know, I have to get married and be a
father or the verge of bing a father."
"Oh my goodness, Ethan. Please don''t tell me that you took the frustration out on that poor girl because
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she had a miscarriage."
I hesitated to answer. Was that what I did?
"Ethan, do you even love her, or were you just using her to bare a child and be your wife so your
pockets would be fatter?"
"I loved her. I still do."
"Then you better fix it and make it right. I can''t believe you. I didn''t raise you to go around breaking
young girls'' hearts. Fix it before it''s toote."
"I''ll fix it. I''m just giving her time to calm down. She was furious with me, Nana."
"She should have pped some sense into you."
I chuckled. Nana always knew how to brighten the mood, even when she was serious.
We did some golfing, drank and ate the goodies from the pic basket.
Emma would have loved this. She loved the outdoors, I took her to a park once and literally had to
carry her to the car because she didn''t want to leave. There were so many ces I had nned on
taking her before winter began, so many things I wanted to teach her and let her experience with me. I
wanted to spoil her and love her to the moon and back, but I messed things up.
I knew the miscarriage wasn''t her fault. I knew, when I began to shut her out, it wasn''t her fault as well.
I didn''t know what was wrong with me and why I did what I did, but what Nana asked me went deep
into my thoughts. Did I really love her, or was I only in love with what she would have allowed me to
gain once I had a child and gotten married to her? I knew I cared about her. I didn''t want to see her cry
or scared or hurt but was that love? What the hell is love?
"Nana, what''s love?" I asked as our day together came to an end and I was driving back to the house.
"Love is the only word with thousands of descriptions. It doesn''t have just one meaning, my child. Love
is putting someone else''s needs before yours. Love is understanding and respect. Love is kindness
and admiration. Love is joy,ughter and humility. It''s never unkind and boastful, or hurtful or painful.
Love is everything good and nothing bad."
See what I meant when I said I could always count on her? The woman was a god send. She was my
all and more, but whenever I told her that she would scold me and say, "God is your all and your
Everything. He''s a jealous God and doesn''t want anyone else before him. Put your all in God. I''m just a
human being, and I am your grandmother. I''m supposed to love you and want to see the best for you."
She was amazing beyond words, and was nothing like my mother, who had yet to surface because she
was wanted by the police, she and Sharon.
______________________________________
(Somewhere in Italy)
Sharon''s POV
"Sharon, this taste like old socks!" Mrs. Hollen screamed at me and pushed my homemade pizza
across the small wooden table.
We''d been in hiding in Italy since we''d kidnapped Emma and found out that she was still alive. The
stupid driver was supposed to put a bullet in her skull then dump her in the swamp for crocodiles or
alligators or huge fish to feast on; but he screwed us over. The police caught him and he admitted to
everything. That fool!
"I''m sick of this ce. There are too many mosquitoes. My back aches from that hard mattress. I''ve
had it!" She shouted again, swatting at a mosquito and missing wildly.
We were in a tiny house, far from civilization. We ate fruits and nuts from trees and, when we were in
need of groceries, would dress in full clothing, leaving only our eyes exposed, and travel into the city.
"Mrs. Hollen, please. At least I tried. The soup you made Wednesday gave us the runs."
She nced furiously at me and stood up, arching her back. She went towards the small bedroom and
"I''ll leave some for you!" I called.
"Shove it where the sun don''t shine!"
"How do you n on getting our lives back to the way they were? We''re wanted by the police."
"I know that, Sharon. Do you think I don''t know that? I don''t know how we''re going to fix this. I didn''t
know she was pregnant. I injured the woman pregnant with my grandchild."
"She might not be pregnant, Kate. Word is she lost the baby."
"Well, you''ve aplished phase one."
"We. We''re in this together. We''ve aplished phrase one!" I corrected as I approached her room
and pushed in the door. "You''re not backing out on me, we''re in this together. I say we use your damn
connections, get new identities, go back to America, and finish the damn job. That little bitch ruined my
life. She took away our chances at wealth; she took away my fiancee and my wedding. I want her
dead!This time, I''ll do it myself."