Chapter Twenty - Part One

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CHAPTER TWENTY

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Ethan was still asleep by the time I made it home. Collin and Addy greeted me at the door, still coming down from their high on snacks and sodas and new-couple affection. She held his hand as they each said their quick good-byes, but she hung back at the door as Collin stepped onto the porch.

“Mimi, did you get it back? Is everything okay now?” Addy asked.

“I got it,” I assured. “Go have some fun with Collin. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

I made my way back to the darkened living room, where there was nothing but the muted glow of the television screen to light the room. Ethan was still passed out on the couch, snoring with his head and feet each on a pillow. With a sigh, I picked up a bowl of half-empty popcorn, grabbed the remote, and took the empty space of couch beside his head.

I made it through two episodes of the Golden Girls before Ethan finally awoke. He stirred and I lowered the television’s volume, waiting as he sat up and stretched.

“Holy… crud.” he said, scratching the back of his head, and blinking red eyes. “How long have I been out?”

“Most of the day,” I said, digging up a handful of popcorn. “You seemed pretty beat.”

“Thanks to you,” Ethan said, groaning as he stretched his neck. “I don’t get sleep anymore since you’re always so busy tossing and turning at night.”

And it was true. It had been this way since I was a kid. I’d find any and all reasons to be awake at night. Whether this meant cramming my day full of adventures so that the time would pass more quickly, or if I chose to simply lie on my bed and twiddle my thumbs at the ceiling, I was only alive for the night. That was the time when I felt most comfortable, the most secure. Which meant that I didn’t dream much, and slept even less.

“I’m sorry,” I said, turning back to the screen. “I probably should have mentioned that sometimes I suffer from insomnia.”

“Yeah,” he said, squinting through one, dark, sleepy eye at the screen. “What’re we watching?”

“The Golden Girls,” I said, tossing him the remote. It landed on the cushion seat beside him, but he made no move to pick it up. “You can turn it though.”

“Nah, I like this show,” he said in a voice that was still husky from sleep. “Rue McClanahan knew how to get the D back in the day. I grew up learning the facts of life from that woman.”

“Wow, that’s not disgusting,” I said, but even so I wrinkled my nose and laughed.

“Say what you will, but the woman was a sex master.”

There was a short, confusing pause as Ethan and I gazed at each other seconds too long. The kind of moment filled with possibilities that scared me. So I looked away, breaking the moment in two.

“Mimi?”

“Yep, Ethan?” I said, forcing myself to keep looking at the television screen.

“What’s that? On your finger?”

“Hmm?”

“The ring. On your ring finger?”

I looked down to see my right hand on my knee, with the ring unwittingly displayed.

“Uh, well, it’s the Countess’ ring.” I said, looking down and twisting it around on my finger. It was heavy, solid. “I’m holding onto it for Tidus, until the curse is removed.”

“Ok, yeah, but you’re wearing it.” Ethan said, standing, and suddenly not so tired anymore. “And it’s cursed…”

“But it only affects you if you’re in love.” I said, finally looking up at him. “And I’m not in love.”

“You can say a lie out loud as many times as you want, but that won’t make it true,” Ethan said, looking down at me, furious.

“Why are you being like this?” I said, eyes flashing as I removed the popcorn bowl from my lap and stood up as well. “Because I won’t say out loud exactly what you wanna hear?”

“No,” Ethan said, quietly. “I’m mad because I can never get a straight answer from you, Naomi – about anything.”

“Ethan, there are things that I just can’t say to you.” I said, looking away again. “But trust me, keeping this stuff from you – it’s not easy. It sucks, actually.”

Ethan sighed, softening.

“Then can you at least trust me enough to tell me the truth about the ring?”

I took a deep breath. Why not? I owed him even though he didn’t know it. And even though it wouldn’t make things any better, at least telling him the truth about this would bring us closer. And surprisingly, I needed that.

“I’m not completely sure, but I think I’m resistant to magic.” I said. “When Claudia did the truth spell –”

“The truth spell?” He said, looking angry again. “You already did it? Without even telling me?”

“Ethan, I promise, it wasn’t a big deal,” I said, trying to keep these new flames from spreading. “I didn’t tell you when we were doing it because I know how you feel about Tidus. And I’m sorry, but, I just don’t feel like dealing with that issue right now. So…. I went by myself.”

I crossed my fingers and prayed he wouldn’t ask when.

“Ok, so, what happened?”

“Well,” I said. “Tidus passed, if you were wondering. He isn’t going to kill me. But, when I took the serum, Ethan, I didn’t feel anything. And it really felt like I could have lied....”

“And did you?” Ethan asked, with eyebrows raised.

“Yeah. I did” I said with exasperation. “They asked me a question, and I couldn’t answer it… so I didn’t. And that’s partly how I figured it out.”

“So that’s why you were willing to put your life at risk? To test out your theory about the ring?”

I looked down, twisting the ring again. The idea had come to me on the drive to meet Eve, and afterwards I had had the perfect opportunity to prove it. Because if anything went wrong, then I knew that I had my Champion to save me.

“So what was the question? What did Claudia ask you that couldn’t answer?”

“It doesn’t matter. Trust me, it really doesn’t.”

“Well, obviously it does if you couldn’t answer it. Does it have something to do with him?”

“Like I said, that question really doesn’t serve anyone a purpose. It wasn’t important.” I said, turning away from him to pick up the remote and end the conversation.

But Ethan crossed this distance between us and grabbed me by the arms, forcing me to turn around and face him. And he didn’t let go.

“Fine. Then at least tell me this – what would have happened if the curse had affected you, huh? How would you have been able to fix that?”

I bit my lip and didn’t answer.

“Mimi,” Ethan shook me a little. “Say it,”

I closed my eyes.

“True love’s kiss… that’s what breaks the spell.”

Ethan let me go, and took a step back from me, taken aback now that the evidence was staring him in the face.

“Of course,” he said quietly. “I get it. You are in love – with him, but you’re not sure if he loves you back. So if your theory didn’t work, you could just kiss me right?”

“Ethan –”

“So, as usual, you don’t trust me enough to tell me about any of this, but you can trust me enough to solve your problem. But what I don’t get, is if you know that I… If you know how I feel about you, Naomi…”

He was crushed, I could feel it.

“Why can’t you trust me?”

I didn’t know what to say to that. And even if I did, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to give him an answer that wouldn’t hurt him. But the sound of my phone’s shrill beeps cut into the conversation, sparing me, for the moment. Ethan folded his arms and deliberately looked away, as I sighed and fished the phone from my back pocket.

“I’m sorry.” I told him and turned away, answering the call.

“Hey Addy, now isn’t really a good time –”

“You’re tellin’ me,” Addy replied. “I just walked through the door and my dad comes up to me and says that Kimber Raines called him a few hours ago to tell him that Mathew’s in jail. And apparently, Ethan’s family has been going crazy trying to contact him all afternoon. Anyway, I figured Ethan’s still with you, so I thought I’d give you a head’s up.”

Adelle’s voice was a mixture of excitement and dread, a mirror image of how I felt on the inside, beneath the surface of my mask.

“Yeah, thanks. Did they say what happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know all the details.” Addy replied. “Just that Mathew got picked up this afternoon on some money laundering charge.”

“Thanks for calling, Addy. I’ll let him know.”

I hung up and turned back to Ethan, trying to determine how best to go about opening up this newest can of worms.

“Ethan, do you have your phone?” I asked, knowing full well he didn’t.

With a frown Ethan began to pat himself down, checking his pockets.

“No, I don’t. I guess I must have left it at home…”

“Well, your family’s been trying to get ahold of you all day. I’m so sorry, I feel like this is all my fault. If I hadn’t dragged you with me today and then let you fall asleep you would have found out sooner –”

“Mimi, what is it?” Ethan asked, all previous tension lost as he looked back at me with concern. “Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“Ethan, it’s your dad – he’s in jail.”

“What?” Ethan asked, incredulous.

“He got arrested this afternoon. I’m sorry…”

I trailed off, watching as he quickly grabbed his jacket from its place on the back of the couch. He shrugged it on, and without a word began to walk from the room.

“Ethan,” I said.

“You know what?” Ethan said, turning towards me one last time before he stepped through the double doors. “Ever since we met, I’ve just had this feeling like you were supposed to be my dream come true. You are the girl that had the answer to all my problems…”

He paused, and I felt my heart hit the ground.

“But I spend one day with you, and my whole life just falls apart.” I looked at him, and then away, unable to hold his gaze. “I don’t think this sounds like a dream anymore, Mimi. Do you?”

I didn’t answer, but it didn’t matter. And by the time I looked up, Ethan was gone anyway.

*  *  *

If I hadn’t been so completely convinced of my own imminent ruination, perhaps I would have felt more unease at seeing my grandfather standing in my dining room the next morning. But I had expected this, and had seen it coming from a good distance off, so as I slouched into a seat at the table (still in my silk kimono robe, grey t-shirt and pajama shorts), I hadn’t the common sense to be afraid. But if I had been in the right frame of mind, I most certainly would’ve been.

“Why good morning, Grandfather,” I said, patting a yawn as he remained, glowering, in the corner. “I have to say, the way Mrs. Trentley yanked me from the bed and dragged me down the stairs, I was expecting a house fire. And now I almost wish there was one… You wouldn’t mind letting me have just one cup of coffee before you scold me, would you?”

“And there it is – that famous sarcasm,” Charles said coldly, looking down upon me as he held his jacket and briefcase in his hands. “So like your father, and yet so unlike him.”

“Yes, of course,” I agreed. “I’m a blight to the family name, I’ve shamed my future children, and I’ll never have what it takes to be a ‘true Leader’, blah blah blah…”

“You are an insolent child,” he spat, finally stepping forward. “Two Leaders – two good Leaders are gone overnight because you think it’s fun to play games. And if it hadn’t been for my quick thinking and bartering, you would’ve been in jail right along with them…”

“Then why aren’t I there?” I asked coolly, refusing to back down. “Hmm? Why aren’t I rotting in a cell with Sofia or Mathew, since you seem to believe I had something to do with it? Is it because you guessed that might I have the original bank statements? The very ones that could put you in jail right along with them?”

I waited, but there was no response, which meant the man had come here on a cloud of hopes that had suddenly blown away and left him falling.

“You have nothing,” I said, in delicious victory. “So who cares if you figured it out, and so what if Sofia gave the cops my name? None of it matters. It’s her fingerprints and DNA all over that file – not mine.”