Signed In Secrets

Chapter 7

Amelia

The house was unusually quiet, and since Ethan was at work, I seized the opportunity. I knew how much Eleanor had been cooped up indoors recently, and she could use a reprieve from the tight walls of the mansion. I approached her slowly that morning.

"Shall we go out for a bit today?" I asked, trying to be casual but getting a little nervous at the prospect. "Maybe a walk in the park? Just somewhere different."

Eleanor's eyes lit up immediately, and she gave me a small, excited smile. "That would be wonderful, my dear. I would love that. You have no idea how much I've yearned to go out."

I couldn't help but feel warm with pride as I helped her get dressed. It seemed such a small task, going out, but for her, it was a gem. When we finally did go out, the cool air greeted us, and the rumble of far-off traffic and bird song brought a sense of calm into the otherwise still world around us.

We walked slowly, not rushing. Eleanor moved along, cane and all, and I accompanied her, rushing as little as possible. The park was peaceful—softer than blades of grass on the ground, the trees shading us away from the burning sun, and benches situated here and there. Eleanor looked around, taking in everything as if it were a world she'd missed.

"This is exactly what I needed," she answered finally, her tone low but full of gratitude. "Thank you for considering it, Amelia."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "I'm glad you like it. I just thought you could use some change of pace."

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh air, and then smiled at me with a gentle, thoughtful expression. "I don't think I ever thanked you enough for everything you're doing for me, Amelia. You're a good soul."

I shrugged, not sure what to do with such kindness, but I appreciated it. "It's the least I can do. You've been so kind to me since I came here."

We walked a little further down the path before Eleanor spoke again, her tone tinged with something more reflective.

"Do you know, Ethan didn't use to have this life?" She looked at me, as if considering how much to say. "He's been through so much, you know. I don't think he'd ever tell you, but he hasn't had an easy time."

I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What do you mean?"

Eleanor's expression softened, her eyes with a kind of sympathy. "He lost his parents when he was just 13. It's been him, Charlotte, and me since then. He carried the world on his shoulders so young. He didn't have someone to direct him, no actual family to be with."

"It's always the three of us." He's been so focused on protecting Charlotte, on ensuring that she's taken care of, that he never really had a chance to be. A kid, I suppose.

Her words lingered, and my heart tightened as I grappled with the weight of what she'd just said. I had no idea. I had known that his parents were dead, but I didn't know how big a responsibility he'd had to bear. To be so young and have to bear the responsibility of caring for a sibling, of carrying so much before his own life had even truly begun… It gave me a twinge of pity for him.

"Ethan's always been so serious," I whispered, my mind reeling with everything I'd just learned. "I never really knew why."

Eleanor smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "He had to grow up too fast. He never really got the luxury of youth, you see. It's made him cautious, standoffish even. He doesn't want to open up because he's afraid of losing them. But you're starting to realize that, aren't you?"

I nodded, understanding growing within me. Walls around Ethan that I never even dreamed of. Not only the rough business person I first knew, but someone who'd had to protect himself from pain by pushing everyone, including himself, away. And that made me feel a little sorry for him, a little sympathetic towards him.

"Will he ever let anyone in?" I breathed, scarcely daring to speculate whether I was allowed to wonder such a thing.

Eleanor's eyes softened, and she looked down for an instant as if choosing her words with care. "He's been hurt before, Amelia. And sometimes the people who hurt us give us scars that we don't even realize we have. Ethan's no exception. But I hope, for your sake, that he can trust again."

Her voice was soft, but there was more to what she said. It wasn't a sentiment without form; there was something behind her words, something unspoken. There was a moment of tension in the air, as if there was more to the situation, but I didn't push it.

She petted my hand softly. "Ethan's a good man, but he's been alone for a long time. And that kind of loneliness can make you suspicious of others. It's difficult to relax."

I thought about what she had said. There was something deeper to his refusal to open himself up to people than just past commitments. "Do you think he will ever trust again?" I asked, my voice nearly a whisper.

Eleanor's eyes clouded for a moment, her mind lost. And then she smiled gently. "I think everyone deserves a chance. And sometimes it only takes the right person to be able to make them see it."

Her words hurt me more than I had expected. She was talking about me, wasn't she? About me being that person to Ethan.

We walked in silence for a while afterwards, the conversation lingering in my head. I felt a mix of emotions—pity for Ethan, admiration for the way he'd borne so much for so long, and a strange sense of protectiveness that I'd never felt before. There was more to him than I'd seen. There was a history, a past that had shaped him into the person he was now.

By the time we got back home, the sun was setting, casting golden warm light over the place. Eleanor seemed more relaxed than I had seen her in years, and for that, I was grateful. She thanked me once more, and I reassured her we'd do it again soon.

As I escorted her back in, I couldn't help but gain new insight I had of Ethan. His existence hadn't been smooth. And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as aloof as he seemed.

Later in the evening, when I came back home from the excursion with Eleanor, Maya's curious eyes welcomed me. She had been sending me messages all day, asking me how the day was going, but I had been too preoccupied with all that was going on to find the time to reply. I took off my shoes and settled into the couch, sighing heavily.

"You look like you just finished running a marathon," Maya remarked, sitting down beside me, her voice playful but laced with concern.

I smiled, though it was forced. "Yeah, something like that. Eleanor was so happy… It was a good day. Really good."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "But you're not so sure about it, huh? What's up?"

I leaned back, eyes shut, letting the vision of Eleanor's smiling face as she strolled through the park wrap around me. "It's just. I learned some things about Ethan today. Things I didn't expect to know."

Maya stood up straight, the devilish spark in her eyes vanishing. "What things?"

I hesitated, unsure how to say it. "Ethan's been through a lot. More than I realized. His whole family—essentially, he's been alone since he was thirteen. His parents passed away when he was a child, and it's just been him, Eleanor, and his younger sister, Charlotte. He's built this tough shell around himself. I think he's been running from it all.".

Maya's forehead furrowed in sympathy. "That makes a lot of sense about him."

I nodded. "Yeah… I didn't want to pity him, but after listening to all that, I think I do. He's had no one, Maya. And he still keeps everybody at arm's length, even now.".

Maya sat quiet for a moment, still. "Sounds like he built this wall, trying to protect himself. Doesn't tell you everything, but it does let you think otherwise.".

I breathed slowly, trying to get it all. "Yeah. And Eleanor mentioned someone. She didn't say much, but it was a sensitive subject for him. Someone broke his heart, and now. I think he's too afraid to let someone else in."

Maya raised her brows. "Victoria. You think she's the one who did this to him?"

"I don't know. But it does look like it."

Maya sighed, her eyes thoughtful. "Poor fellow. No wonder he's so uncommunicative."

I frowned, my head spinning at the implications of everything I was learning. "I just. I don't know where I stand with him anymore. One minute, I'm just here for the job, and the next minute, I'm part of his 'family,' whether I want it or not. And I still don't even know if he regards me as an actual person. Or just a placeholder for the woman he really wants."

Maya leaned across and gripped her hand tighter around mine. "You're doing what you have to do, Amelia. Don't second-guess yourself. But I do get it. You're trying to figure out who he is, and it's messy."

I nodded, thankful for her understanding. "I just have to keep my head. It's all so messy.".

The evening was quieter than usual with Ethan returning home, tension still evident from the day's happenings. But he wasn't concerned with propriety. He saw me on the couch in the living room, perched cross-legged there, still a mile away in thoughts.

He stood there for some time, watching me, before walking over to sit beside me. "Eleanor was happy today.".

I nodded, gazing at him. "She really was. She just kept telling me how much she enjoyed that I took her out. She had a good time."

He smiled at me faintly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm glad. It means a lot to her… and to me. Thank you for doing that."

I didn't know how to reply. We'd been silent for most of the day, and even now, his tone had an unspoken something to it. I still smiled, however. "It was the least I could do. She's been through a lot, too.".

Ethan nodded, his expression easing, though his usual suspicious demeanor still clung to him like a shroud. "She's had a rough life. I don't always make it clear, but I do appreciate what you've done for her today. She hasn't had much to smile about in a while."

I gazed down at my hands, unsure of how to respond. I had no idea if he was talking about Eleanor's health or something else, something between him and her. "She did seem happy. It's probably good for her to get out, with all that's going on.".

Ethan nodded abruptly, his eyes going to the ground for an instant before rising to meet mine. "She's always been a rock for me in my life, Amelia. I don't always get to see how to explain it, but. she is everything to me. And I'm serious, thank you for standing by her.".

His statement was shocking me, the genuine one bringing some level of levity with the everything else. Not a great deal, to a man such as Ethan it did not mean so much though. "I am only doing what is needed to be done," I remarked low, though from where I was I saw thanks reflected there in his gaze. He appreciated that, and one could gather seeing how it seemed for him not easy.

Ethan stood up, his back straightening as if he had a job to do. But before he departed, he looked at me once more. "I'm glad you're here."

It was a simple statement, but it meant more than I had hoped.

He turned away, speaking no further words, and left me with a strange configuration of feelings that I could not exactly identify.