Surviving His Memory

Chapter 17

Ellie

I"m a little out of breath after Ethan and my child-like behavior in the hallway. "June is going to go fan girl crazy. You know that, right?" I said out of breath. Before I can object, he sweeps me off my feet bridal style. "Are you tired? We're going to have to work harder on your stamina, baby. " He winks and we both laugh. I swat him in the chest. "That's probably why I'm so tired. You kept me up half the night and haven't given me a break since." I winked back at him and burst into laughter. Two can play that game. "There's the witty warrior! I just hope June likes me." He smiled at me. "She will undoubtedly love you."

As Ethan closes the distance between us and the lobby, my heart is full. I can't wait to see June and introduce her to Ethan. She has been a Hawks fan her entire life. Ethan Frost, standing in front of her, is going to be extremely amusing. I'm so excited by the idea of June losing her mind that I almost let Ethan carry me into the lobby. I wiggled in his arms. "I would much rather be on my feet when I meet your parents. I'm already nervous enough." I tell him as he places me back on my sandal-clad feet. "As you wish, but don't be nervous. They're great. You'll love 'em." He tells me with a smirk. I love his half smile, it's just enough to show the cute little dimple on his cheek. "Okay. We've got this." I told him as I took a few calming breaths. We made the last turn and headed into the open space of the resort lobby, hand in hand.

No sooner than we found a place to wait for them, I heard her voice. Turning toward her voice, I saw her. She is carrying a small bag on her shoulder, walking away from the counter with a woman I have never seen before. "I'm so excited to see her. I haven't been away from her for this long, since we met." June says to the woman. "JUNE!" I can't help myself. I ran to her. "Ellie, my girl!" She says as I invellop her in a bear hug. "Gosh, it's good to see you!" I feel like I could combust from all the emotions running through me. "Alright girlie, let me look at ya!" June held me at an arms distance, seeming to check me for injury. "Ahh...there it is!" She's looking me in the eye now. "That spark in your eyes, It's back. Lord knows I missed it. I've missed you Nora." Her words brought a tear to my eye. "I've missed you too, Mama J." I crushed her into another hug.

"Alright. Alright. You have some introductions to make, love." June says, pulling away from my embrace. I turned to see Ethan standing with the woman June was with. Wait, why didn't June freak out? I had thought she would know Ethan as soon as she saw him, but no reaction. "Well I really expected you to fan-girl, but clearly I underestimated your self control." I said to June with a laugh. "June, this is Ethan. Ethan, June" I introduced the two of them. Ethan reaches for a handshake and she slaps his hand away playfully. "I'm a hugger. Our girl should have warned you. Also, I met your parents on the shuttle over here. After Ellie had told me they were coming in tonight as well. What a small little island." She says, embracing him. Watching him with June is...emotional. I feel a tear run down my cheek, but I don't wipe it away. It's a happy tear. The first of its kind, since before I lost Evan. Of course, Ethan spots it. I saw his eyebrows dip in concern. I smile to show him that I'm okay, but it only slightly settles him. As soon as he can, he tucks me back under his arm and turns to the woman he was standing with. The same woman that came in, with Mama J. This must be his mother. There's a man with her now and he is definitely Ethan's dad. Ethan looks just like him, only younger. "These are my parents, Richard and Candy. Mom and Dad, this is the woman I've been telling you about. This is Ellie." Both of his parents are smiling at me. Candy came toward me first. "Hello there! It's so nice to meet you!" She says as she opens her arms slowly. I walked out from under Ethan's arm and wrapped my arms around the woman that raised this man. The man I love. "The pleasure is mine," I told her. I looked at Richard next. "Hello Ellie. Feel free to call me Rich". He says as, he too, leans down and hugs me. Rich is as tall as Ethan, or close and just as big. You can definitely tell who Ethan got his size from. Like he had said, his mom is not much taller than I am. "They grow 'em big in Pennsylvania, don't they?" June says. I let out a laugh that made me snort. "No kidding," I said. "...but the real question, little lady. Do you think you could throw me through a table?" Rich's robust voice is filled with playful teasing. Before I can answer, June does so for me. "Without a doubt." I can feel my face heat. "...but only if you made me really mad." I add, we all laugh. "I still can't believe you told them about that." I tell Ethan as he puts his arm around me again. "I've told everyone that'll listen about my little warrior." He says with a wink. I just rolled my eyes at him with a scoff and a laugh.

After a few more minutes of small talk and banter, we all decide it's time for dinner. But first, we have to deliver the bags to everyone's rooms. "Here, you take June's bag. We'll meet you right here after we deal with ours." Rich hands a suitcase to Ethan. With that settled, we began walking in the direction of June's room. "Your parents are wonderful. I'm glad they told me who you were. I probably would have made a fool of myself." June tells Ethan. "I was looking forward to it!" I tell her laughing. "I can't believe you didn't know who he was! I mean, come on Nora. You've watched at least a hundred Hawk games with us over the years." June uses Evan's old nickname again. I had thought it would bother me more. It would hurt me to hear it, but instead, it's comforting. She's not wrong, I have watched a lot of his games. "You know, he seemed familiar...but I couldn't place how I would know him. I mean, you shouldn't be able to forget someone like him." I told her, gesturing toward Ethan. He side-eyes me with that smirk that I love. "I should have told you sooner." He says. "Ehh..maybe, but I don't think it would have changed much." I tell him with a smile.

We reach June's door and she uses her key card to open it. I walk in behind June. Ethan walks into her room last, still carrying her bag. "Oh, just throw that on the bed. I'll deal with it after we eat. I'm starving. I flew in on a little puddle jumper. They didn't have food. At this point, my stomach is eating my tail-bone. Where are we eating?" June is so animated. Everything she says, she does with a flare. I missed her so much. "I'm not sure actually. Maybe we'll just walk around and pick a place at random. Oh! I almost forgot! Tomorrow night we are having girls night..." I told June everything I know about the luau. "Do you think your mom would like to come?" I asked Ethan. "I'm sure she would love that. I think that the invitation would mean the world to her." He tells me with a small smile. I return the smile as June tells us that she's ready.

Walking back toward the lobby, I'm so glad to have both of these amazing humans in my life. I am truly blessed in this world. I still wish Evan hadn't died, but I am beginning to understand that things always happen for a reason. I can't remember now who said it, but someone told me that today would come. The day that I realized my life wasn't over because of Evan's death. That I still have a purpose. That maybe, just maybe, my life could still be beautiful and full of love. Perhaps Evan and I's love was only part of the beginning. Regardless, I think I'm almost ready to read that letter.