quickly. I’m not going to move in right away and kick you out. We’ll take it slow. I want the kids to be comfortable with me before we make huge changes.”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah.”
“So you guys are going to move in together?”
“Uh—I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. I’m not sure how she would feel about that since we aren’t married.”
“I don’t know either.”
“I would like to get married but I don’t think she’s ready for that yet.”
“And you are?”
I was quiet for a moment. “Yeah , I think so.”
Ethan rubbed his palms together. “Well, don’t rush into anything unless you are sure.”
“Yeah.”
“ You make her happy. Keep it up.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I know she really likes you. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time. She started to sing again.”
“She sings?”
“Like an angel.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Well, now you do.”
“I’m glad that I make her so happy.”
“I am too.”
“So, we’re cool?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Sorry I was being a jackass before.”
“You mean a crazy asshole?”
“So you heard me and Sadie argue?”
“It’s a n appropriate nickname.”
He laughed. “Yeah. It’s perfect,” he said sarcastically. “I forgot to mention something. Elisa’s birthday is this week. I wasn’t sure if you knew that.”
“No,” I said quickly. “Thanks for telling me.”
“Yeah. She’s pretty quiet about it. I figured she didn’t tell you.”
“When is it?”
“Thursday.”
“Thanks.”
“I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Oh. Elisa said she needed to go to the store today. I offered to take her.”
He nodded. “That’s cool.”
I knew he felt like I was stepping on his toes so I added, “You can still come. I just wanted to try and save you from the ordeal.”
He laughed. “No. I need to get some things anyway.”
“Cool.”
“I’ll see you later.” He left the office, leaving the door open.
When the day was finally over, Ethan and I took a cab back to the townhouse on the other side of town. Now that we had our talk, it didn’t feel so awkward anymore. He was marrying my sister and I accepted that. I knew he would take care of her. Initially, I was worried that he was still the dog he used to be, but he clearly wasn’t. And he seemed to accept my love for Elisa. Obviously, there were feelings below the surface in that respect.
When we walked inside, Elisa rose to her feet and greeted me with a big kiss. I melted in her arms and felt my heart accelerate. I wanted her to greet me th at way every day. I imagined coming home to her, my wife, and seeing my kids while she cooked dinner in the kitchen. This was exactly what I wanted.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“Good,” I said. “Glad it’s over.”
“Me too,” she said.
“So are you ready to go shopping?”
“Yes,” she said.
Sadie came down the hall and smiled at me. “Where are you going?”
“We need to get groceries,” I answered.
“Well, I’ll watch the kids while you’re gone.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Ready to go, Ellie?”
“Yeah,” she said as she grabbed her purse.
The three of us walked out the door then headed to the market up the street. I kept my arm around Elisa the entire way and held her close to me. A few shady people walked by and she moved even closer to me. I hated seeing her scared of everyone and everything. I knew that’s why she never went anywhere alone and locked the door so many times.
When we entered the grocery store, Elisa grabbed a cart and started walking down the aisles. Ethan and I trailed behind her until we saw the new video game console on display in front of the story. Elisa continued her grocery shopping while we acted like teenage boys.
“Dude, we should get it,” Ethan said.
“I know. But we’ll just end up playing it the whole time.”
“Too bad the kids aren’t older. We could use them as an excuse.”
I laughed. “Yeah.”
I looked over my
“Thanks.”
“Yeah.”
“So you guys are going to move in together?”
“Uh—I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. I’m not sure how she would feel about that since we aren’t married.”
“I don’t know either.”
“I would like to get married but I don’t think she’s ready for that yet.”
“And you are?”
I was quiet for a moment. “Yeah , I think so.”
Ethan rubbed his palms together. “Well, don’t rush into anything unless you are sure.”
“Yeah.”
“ You make her happy. Keep it up.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I know she really likes you. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time. She started to sing again.”
“She sings?”
“Like an angel.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Well, now you do.”
“I’m glad that I make her so happy.”
“I am too.”
“So, we’re cool?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Sorry I was being a jackass before.”
“You mean a crazy asshole?”
“So you heard me and Sadie argue?”
“It’s a n appropriate nickname.”
He laughed. “Yeah. It’s perfect,” he said sarcastically. “I forgot to mention something. Elisa’s birthday is this week. I wasn’t sure if you knew that.”
“No,” I said quickly. “Thanks for telling me.”
“Yeah. She’s pretty quiet about it. I figured she didn’t tell you.”
“When is it?”
“Thursday.”
“Thanks.”
“I guess I’ll see you later.”
“Oh. Elisa said she needed to go to the store today. I offered to take her.”
He nodded. “That’s cool.”
I knew he felt like I was stepping on his toes so I added, “You can still come. I just wanted to try and save you from the ordeal.”
He laughed. “No. I need to get some things anyway.”
“Cool.”
“I’ll see you later.” He left the office, leaving the door open.
When the day was finally over, Ethan and I took a cab back to the townhouse on the other side of town. Now that we had our talk, it didn’t feel so awkward anymore. He was marrying my sister and I accepted that. I knew he would take care of her. Initially, I was worried that he was still the dog he used to be, but he clearly wasn’t. And he seemed to accept my love for Elisa. Obviously, there were feelings below the surface in that respect.
When we walked inside, Elisa rose to her feet and greeted me with a big kiss. I melted in her arms and felt my heart accelerate. I wanted her to greet me th at way every day. I imagined coming home to her, my wife, and seeing my kids while she cooked dinner in the kitchen. This was exactly what I wanted.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“Good,” I said. “Glad it’s over.”
“Me too,” she said.
“So are you ready to go shopping?”
“Yes,” she said.
Sadie came down the hall and smiled at me. “Where are you going?”
“We need to get groceries,” I answered.
“Well, I’ll watch the kids while you’re gone.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Ready to go, Ellie?”
“Yeah,” she said as she grabbed her purse.
The three of us walked out the door then headed to the market up the street. I kept my arm around Elisa the entire way and held her close to me. A few shady people walked by and she moved even closer to me. I hated seeing her scared of everyone and everything. I knew that’s why she never went anywhere alone and locked the door so many times.
When we entered the grocery store, Elisa grabbed a cart and started walking down the aisles. Ethan and I trailed behind her until we saw the new video game console on display in front of the story. Elisa continued her grocery shopping while we acted like teenage boys.
“Dude, we should get it,” Ethan said.
“I know. But we’ll just end up playing it the whole time.”
“Too bad the kids aren’t older. We could use them as an excuse.”
I laughed. “Yeah.”
I looked over my
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