The Best Life

Chapter 14

 After giving mom the keys and grabbing a snack out the kitchen I head upstairs to get started on my homework. I text Kesha and Skye but they are both home already I hate when we can't compare notes. I finish my homework in about 45 minutes and text Ethan but he is on a job so he doesn't respond. I decide to go ahead and shower and get ready for bed. I know it will be late when everyone comes in and I just really want to cuddle with Ethan. I got up and grabbed one of his hoodies and smelled it. It wasn't Ethan but it smelled enough like him for me to be able to drift off to sleep. 

"Wake up baby girl." Dad says. "What time is it?" I ask. "Mer its only 9 and you need to eat something. Your mom says you came up here and been in the bedroom since you came home. Are you ok?" He ask. "I'm fine dad guess the stress of the day was a lot and sleeping it off was good. I finished my homework and showered I figured I would watch TV but I didn't realize I was tired. Dad are the boys home?" I ask "If you are wondering if Ethan is here he hasn't made contact back yet. I'm sure he is fine but we are running a search and rescue for him."

My heart sink and I'm mortified. My boyfriend is missing and may or may not be alive. I go completely numb. I think about me making him promise to come home. I think about everything I want to say to him but haven't. I burst into tears. Kesha and Skye appear in the doorway and I'm sure they know what is going on. Kesha hops on one side and Skye sit on my other side. Dad is standing in front of me promising me they will find him.

"I'm going." I say "what you mean you going?" Dad ask. "I'm going to find him myself. I have to he would want me to." "No you are not Mer it's too dangerous. We will find him and I will bring him to you." "He promised me he was coming back. He has to come back. Dad please let me go." "No baby girl. We are have this. I will call you soon."

Kesha grabs my hand and her and Skye both wipe my tears and try to be as reassuring as possible. I felt numb. All I wanted was Ethan. Skye needed to rest so I sent her to bed. Kesha wouldn't leave my side. I got up and went in the closet took another one of his hoodies out smelled it and put it on. "Ameris I can't begin to understand how you are feeling. If Mason was missing I would want to be out looking for him too. I think your dad is right. We really don't know what they do or how dangerous it is." "I know I just I want him here not out there hurt, dead, or dying alone." I say laying my head on her shoulder. Kesha was always there for me. I remember when my mom died and she came over at the time we were super young. Her mom brought her over after my dad called and told her what happened. Kesha sat on my bed with me and comforted me like the big sister I never had. I never thought she would have to again but here we sat.

Eventually we drifted off to sleep. I kept waking up crying and checking my phone. Finally at 3am my dad called they found Ethan and was headed to the hospital. I told him I would meet them there. He said ok. Knowing I was going to come anyway. I woke Kesha and told her I was going to meet them at the hospital and she could sleep if she wanted but if you know her you know she went with me.

Arriving at the hospital I see my dad, Jazz and Mason. They are talking to a woman whom I assume to be Ethan's mom. We walk up to them and dad introduces us. I was right this was Ethan's mom. Nothing major. I know he and her had their differences so I could understand why he didn't want me to meet her.

"Ethan tells me he is teaching you to drive for your dad." She says to me "Yes ma'am he is and is a very good teacher." I reply. "I called his girlfriend or well at least the last girl I knew him to be with and she is on the way." She say. "I am his girlfriend. Guess he left that little detail out." I say rolling my eyes. I knew she had to call Aly but why didn't Aly tell her he was in a relationship with someone else. Stupid attention seeking w***e. I thought. Kesha snapped me back to reality asking me if she could get me anything. "Ameris I apologize. I didn't know Ethan and you were a couple. Although I know little about what he has going on lately. I will call her and ask her not to come." "Mrs. Sanchez" a female voice says. "Beth I'm sorry I called you. Ethan didn't tell me you and him were no longer together so I apologize for wasting your time." "We haven't broken up. We are still a serious couple, I mean we are planning to try and work things out. I'm just glad you called." She replied. Before I could reply a doctor comes out the back and calls for the family of Ethan Sanchez. My blood is boiling and at this point I wanted to slap the s**t out of her but I knew that would have me kicked out of the hospital and I really just wanted to see Ethan and make sure he was ok. 

"Ethan is out of surgery and is awake. He is asking for his mom and someone by the name Mer." "That would be me." I say standing by my father. "I will allow you two to go back there as long as you guys don't say anything to upset him." The doctor says. I look at her and ask if it's ok if I went back there with her and she smiles and says yes. "Mrs. Sanchez please let him know I'm here and I will be here for him. I love him." Beth says. Walking back she says it's probably best if we didn't tell him Beth was there.

The nurse escorted us to his room. She told us he had been shot in the shoulder and had lost a lot of blood but would be back to normal soon. We knocked and he said come in. My eyes fill with tears when I enter his room. It was not as bad as it could have been but still he was shot and not coming home.

"Omg my son are you ok? What can I do to make this better? Will you be coming home with me? What happened?" His mom starts asking him while hugging him trying not to hurt him. "'Mom, mom I'm fine mom. It was a small wound I will will back on my feet before you know it. I lost track of the others and got ambushed but I'm ok. They found me and brought me here. They took good care of me. I'm not sure if I'm going home with you when I get out of here we will see. Is dad still a drunken POS?" He says "Your father is still the same if that is what you are asking." She says. "Hey beautiful why are you hiding over there?"

This whole time I was standing back thinking about what the hell happened and thinking this is the risk he takes every time he goes on a mission. "Hey handsome. I wasn't hiding I was letting you and your mom catch up." I say taking a few more steps into the room and closer to the bed. "Mom I know I haven't kept you in the loop but this is my girlfriend Ameris. She is my boss's daughter. I know its cliché but I am in love and the harder I tried to fight it the more I fell for her." He tells his mom. "She is smart and beautiful and I know she must be a good girl for you to actually want me to meet her. Don't hurt her or push her away. I like her." His mom replied. We talked a little more and I learned he had an older brother and two younger siblings that are twins. They are a few years older than Jazz twins. His mom is a sweet lady and I kind of wished that they got along better or that their relationship wasn't strained for reason I do not know. All I know is one day him and his brother stopped talking and then he began staying over at the house with Austin or at Jazz house. That is honestly all I know. I just wished things were better for them. 

As they continued to talk I let my thoughts wonder I am not sure if he realized but he said I was his boss's daughter. The last I checked I'm his boss's sister but I will blame that on the drugs. I think Ethan notice my face and changes the subject. "I'm sorry baby girl I didn't mean to break it." "I know you didn't. I'm just glad you are ok. How long will you be in here and would you like me to pick up your assignments you will miss?" I say trying to defer from what he said but the thought lingered in my mind. Was dad really the boss or was Jazz really my dad. Neither seemed possible. "Not sure how long they are keeping me and yes I would appreciate you getting my homework assignments." "Ok I will do that." His mom smiled again and told me she appreciated it as well. I was just glad to help and the fact that I could spend more time with him while he recovered made me feel better.