Chapter 2: What Ethan Heard
“Give me the phone.””
Lauren reached for it.
I pulled it away.
“No.””
“Daniel, you're taking a stupid note completely out of context.””
“Then give me the context.””
“There isn't one.””
“Apparently there is.””
Chloe stood beside her suitcase, Minnie Mouse ears dangling from one hand.
“Mom, what's happening?””
“Nothing, sweetheart.””
I looked at Lauren.
“Don't do that.””
“Do what?””
“Pretend this is nothing.””
Ethan quietly picked up Mr. Bear and walked toward the hallway.
I followed him.
“Buddy.””
“I’m tired.””
His voice was small.
Too controlled.
That scared me.
I knelt beside him.
“Look at me.””
He wouldn't.
“Ethan.””
Finally, he raised his eyes.
“Did I do something bad?””
“No.””
“Because Lauren said Disney was expensive.””
I froze.
“When?””
His eyes immediately darted toward the bedroom.
“Ethan, when did she tell you that?””
He squeezed Mr. Bear.
“A while ago.””
Behind me, Lauren appeared in the doorway.
“Daniel, don't interrogate him.””
I stood.
“I'm asking my son a question.””
“You're upsetting him.””
“No. I think somebody else already did that.””
Lauren's jaw tightened.
Ethan looked between us.
“She told me maybe I wouldn't like Disney anyway.””
My chest went cold.
“What else?””
“Daniel.””
I raised one hand toward Lauren.
“Don't.””
She stopped.
Ethan swallowed.
“She said Chloe really wanted to go, and sometimes grown-ups can't afford everything.””
Lauren stepped forward.
“That is not what I said.””
Ethan flinched.
I saw it.
A tiny movement.
But unmistakable.
He was afraid of contradicting her.
“Ethan,” I said gently, “you aren't in trouble.””
He stared at the carpet.
“She said if I asked you about the trip, you'd feel bad because money was tight.””
I looked at Lauren.
“We paid for the resort with my annual bonus.””
She folded her arms.
“I was trying to manage expectations.””
“You were teaching him not to ask me why he was being excluded.””
“That’s ridiculous.””
“Is it?””
“Yes!””
Her voice cracked through the hallway.
Ethan covered his ears.
That ended the conversation.
“Lauren, downstairs. Now.””
She stared at me.
“Excuse me?””
“We are not doing this in front of the kids.””
For once, she followed.
In the kitchen, I placed my phone on the counter between us.
“Tell me everything.””
“I already did.””
“No, you didn't.””
“I wanted one peaceful vacation.””
“Then you should've told me six months ago.””
“You would have insisted Ethan come.””
“Of course I would!””
“Exactly.””
That answer stopped me.
She realized it immediately.
Her expression shifted.
But it was too late.
“So you hid it because you knew I'd say no.””
Lauren rubbed her forehead.
“You don't understand how exhausting it is.””
“What is?””
“Being expected to treat everything exactly equally.””
I stared at her.
“They're children.””
“They're different children.””
“Yes. Chloe is your daughter. Ethan is my son.””
“That's not what I meant.””
“Then stop making me translate your words into something less ugly.””
Lauren's eyes hardened.
“You always choose him.””
“He's seven.””
“And I'm your wife.””
There it was.
Not a parenting disagreement.
Competition.
My wife was competing with my child.
I stepped back from the counter.
“How long have you felt this way?””
Lauren laughed bitterly.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“Since we got married.””
The kitchen seemed to shrink.
“You knew I had Ethan.””
“Knowing and living it are different.””
“And Chloe?””
“What about her?””
“I've never asked you to choose between me and Chloe.””
“Because Chloe doesn't create problems.””
I stared at her.
“Ethan doesn't create problems.””
“He cried for two hours when you went on that business trip.””
“Because his mother died.””
Silence.
Lauren looked away.
Ethan had been four when my first wife, Rachel, died after a sudden brain aneurysm.
Four years old.
One ordinary morning, he had a mother.
By dinner, he didn't.
For nearly a year, he slept with the hallway light on because Rachel used to leave it burning after bedtime.
When I met Lauren, she knew all of this.
She'd held Ethan's hand.
She'd promised me she understood.
Now she shrugged.
“That was three years ago.””
I couldn't speak.
Lauren saw my expression.
“I didn't mean—”
“You did.””
“Daniel.””
“You absolutely did.””
I walked upstairs.
Ethan's bedroom door was slightly open.
I pushed it gently.
He was sitting on the bed beside Chloe.
She was crying now too.
“I’m sorry,” Chloe whispered.
Ethan shrugged.
“You didn't do it.””
“I would've told Mom you should come.””
“It's okay.””
“No, it isn't.””
I stopped outside the doorway.
Chloe reached into her suitcase and pulled out the Minnie Mouse ears.
“You can have these.””
Ethan gave a sad little laugh.
“I don't want girl ears.””
“They aren't girl ears.””
“They have a bow.””
“So?””
For the first time that night, Ethan smiled.
Then Chloe said something that made the smile disappear from my face.
“My grandma said you weren't coming either.””
I stepped into the room.
“Which grandma?””
Chloe looked terrified.
“My grandma.””
“Lauren's mother?””
She nodded.
“When did she say that?””
“At lunch.””
“What lunch?””
Chloe glanced toward the hallway.
“Mom said I wasn't supposed to tell you.””
My pulse started pounding.
“What lunch, Chloe?””
She lowered her voice.
“The one where Grandma gave Mom the envelope.””
Before I could ask another question, Lauren appeared behind me.
“Chloe.””
Her daughter jumped.
Lauren's face had lost all color.
May you like
I turned slowly.
“What envelope?””
