“We thought you were…” he finally began.
“Dead.” Ethan finished the sentence. “I know. Now, will you let me in with my luggage, or should I stand here like a statue, you fool?”
For a moment, Lucas just stared at him. Then, against the heaviness in his chest, a laugh slipped out. That was Ethan, right there, always cracking jokes even when the world felt like it was ending.
Lucas stepped aside, and Ethan dragged his luggage in. He walked into the living room, dropped his bag with a loud thud, and slowly turned in a circle, scanning the place with his eyes. His lips curved into a smile.
“It feels good to be here again… after what, years?” Ethan asked, running his fingers along the armrest of a chair before sitting down.
“Six years,” Lucas said. “Six solid years. Nobody heard from you. H
