BRIGHTER
1457 Words
REINA
“We only used a juicer when Mrs King was around, and not often still. She used to have a sweet tooth. Passed that down to Ethan. So Mr King got them a juicer to make fresh juice and stop taking the store bought ones. We only used the juicer about four times. They really hate the fresh juice.” Thelma tells me.
“Oh.. okay, but I brought back some cherry flavored fresh juice from home some days ago. Ethan loved it and wants me to make it again.” I unload the fruits from the fridge.
Thelma sighs. “I knew he was just going with whatever his mom wanted. He liked to do whatever she did so bad.” She looks around, then scoots closer to me to say, “I think he even stopped talking because he can’t hear his mom anymore, so he’s copying her by going silent. Doesn’t that make sense?”
I must have the most stunned look on my face, as it’s exactly how I feel… utterly stunned. What the hell?
“Uh, forget I said that.”
Oh, I will.
I start to make the fresh juice in silence, while Thelma continues with breakfast. Ethan eventually wakes and hovers around the kitchen, attached to my hip.
He hasn’t spoken to me much… only a few one of two worded sentences, but he likes to be around me a lot. It makes my heart swell with love for him. In such a short while, I already know leaving Ethan will take a toll on me. He’s going through something right now, and I’m determined to get him out of it. Slow, but steady.
“All done!” I set out the jugs of fresh juices I’d made. Orange and pineapple, cherry, grapefruits, apple and pineapple.
“Me, please.” I almost miss Ethan’s soft, yet coarse voice. I turn to him.
“Of course.”
Thelma comes up beside me, “I just need to send out Mr King’s breakfast and I’d be back… pour me a cup!”
I chuckle.
“Of course.”
I start to take Ethan’s cup from him when I notice something. His gaze is focused on the tray of English breakfast which Thelma is taking out for Alan.
A thought hits me at once.
“You know what?” I take his cup and set it on the table. “Let’s go take this fresh juice with breakfast, on the table with dad.”
His head snaps up at once. Then he frowns, staring up at me like I’m crazy. I smile.
“I know dad eats at his office, but we can get him out today.”
Yeah, he’s totally firing me soon, but Ethan’s eyes brightened when I brought up eating with his dad. I can’t back down now.
“Let’s go set the table.” I tell him, taking his hand.
Thelma returns from his office, humming a song.
“Mr King is eating with us today.” I tell her, my lips turned up in a smile. Thelma stops in her tracks for a second, then continues walking after shaking her head.
I take that as a challenge, turning to Ethan. “Wait here, okay? I won’t be long.”
He nods. I start towards the stairs, wondering why Thelma feels Alan wouldn’t want to eat with his own son in the first place.
I stop in front of his home office’s door. I know this is about Ethan but I still can’t help the way my stomach rumbles with nerves as I get to his door. Every minute with him is a test, and I know it’s only a matter of time before this tension between us swallows me whole.
I take a deep breath. And I knock.
“Yes?”
The nerves gets worse after hearing his voice.
“Keep it together, Reina.” I mutter to myself. With slightly shaky hands, I push the door open and peek inside.
“Can I come in, Sir?”
He watches me warily, looking tired but put together still. He’s already dressed for work, I realize.
“Emergency with Ethan?”
“Uh… no.”
“Then leave, Reina.”
I frown.
“It’s about Ethan, but it’s not an emergency. You have to hear me out. Please.”
He takes a sip of his tea, then motions at me to come in.
I enter, shut the door behind me. Then I start, “You have to come eat downstairs.”
He stills.
After what seems like hours, Alan drops his tea and asks,
“What did you just say?”
I take a deep breath, struggling to hold his gaze. “Ethan, uh… he wants you to come eat downstairs.”
He frowns. “Ethan doesn’t eat downstairs. He stopped eating on the dining table since Rose died. Whenever he sits there, he never gets food in his mouth. He just stares at her seat. So what nonsense are you spitting?”
I don’t refer to his insult in as much as I want to ask him to speak nicely. I need to focus on what Ethan wants right now, not what I want.
“But he’s sitting there now, and he’s waiting for you. Stop being difficult and come downstairs… Sir. You can see for yourself.”
the He’s silent for the next few seconds. I don’t wait for him to fully make up his mind, scared that he might let his doubts take over and still say no to me.
I walk towards his table and pick up his cup of tea, setting it back on the tray. Afterward, I pick up his tray and move back a bit, all while he watches me fixedly.
“So?” I mutter. He doesn’t say anything, just slowly stands after a while and when I start to strut away from the office, his steps follow behind me.
A smile spreads on my face as I make my way to the dining table. I stop in my tracks when I turn around the corner and meet the dining table empty.
Ethan’s food on the table is gone too. I swallow, then turn slowly to face Alan. He’s expressionless, his gaze focused on where Ethan is supposed to sit.
When he looks up at me, my heart lurches in my throat.
“I swear, I… Ethan?” I call out, going to drop the food on the table. No response.
“Ethan?” I start to hurry towards his room when he steps out of the kitchen, walking briskly to the living room with a full cup of cherry fresh juice.
Air finally rushes back into my lungs and I almost sob at the sight of him. He’d only gone to take more juice. I thought…
Swirling around, I meet Alan’s gaze with a excited smile playing on my lips. My insides simmer with happiness for them.
“Shall we have breakfast, Sir?”
His expression has also considerably calmed, and he even looks like he’s at the verge of a smile.
He quietly takes his seat and Ethan sits too. I go to sit beside Ethan, dragging my plate to myself.
We eat in comfortable silence, with Ethan stealing glances at his father as if trying to confirm if this is really happening. Alan is oblivious about these glances. He stares at Ethan too from time to time, his eyes filled with emotion as he watches the little boy clear up his plate and enjoy his juice.
“You can’t have more juice.” I tell him when he pushes his cup to me again. He shakes his head.
“No… come on. Don’t be like that.”
He pouts, shakes his head again. I’m about to convince him more about why he can’t have more juice but Alan butts in,
“No more juice, son. Finish up the last of your food. Okay?”
He takes a while, but he nods eventually. Ethan picks up his cutleries again and continues to eat.
I try to keep down my smile. When I try to look up and steal a glance at Alan, I meet his gaze instead. I look away reluctantly.
We’re done eating in minutes and Thelma comes to help clear the table. Ethan gives his dad a side hug goodbye and runs off to his room. I can’t wait to go up to his room and tell him how proud of him I am.
I’m taking the last plate in when Alan calls out my name from his seat. “Reina.”
My neck snaps up and I hold his dark gaze.
“Thank you.”
- Writer
