MORE TROUBLE
1247 Words
ETHAN’S POV
I woke up with the sun peeking through the curtains, shining soft across the room. For a few seconds, I lay there, staring at the ceiling, not thinking about anything at all. Everything from last night still hung over me, all those things I couldn’t stop replaying in my head.
Next to me, Alexa shifted and her leg brushed against mine. She stretched, her hair falling across her face, and then she rolled over, right on top of me, warm and sleepy.
“Good morning, baby,” she whispered, her lips soft against my neck. “Did you sleep okay?”
I didn’t want to tell her the truth. I hadn’t slept much at all. My mind kept running back to what happened at work, like a bad movie I couldn’t switch off. But I didn’t want to bring it up, not first thing in the morning. Alexa was trying to be sweet, and I didn’t want to ruin it.
“Yeah… I’m fine,” I said, hoping she’d believe it.
She gave me that smile, the one she uses when she wants me to feel better. “Last night was really nice, you know?”
She was talking about how we tried to comfort each other with s*x. It helped a little, for a while. But the feeling never lasted, not for me. As soon as I woke up, all the problems I’d tried to forget came rushing back in, like they’d been waiting for me.
No job?
Accused of something I didn’t do?
Completely embarrassed in front of everyone?
Barely hanging on.
I rubbed my face, trying to calm myself down and breathe steady. I wanted to get up, maybe start the coffee or just get dressed, but before I could move, someone started pounding on the front door.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
The knocks were loud and hard, echoing through the whole apartment. Alexa froze in place, her eyes wide.
“Ethan… who is that?” she asked, her voice shaky.
The knocking got even louder, like whoever was outside was about to break the door down. I suddenly felt wide awake. I rushed to throw on a shirt, hands fumbling with the buttons.
“Get dressed,” I told Alexa, trying to sound calm, but I was already halfway to the living room.
BAM BAM BAM.
“OPEN UP! ETHAN COLLINS!”
The voice on the other side sounded angry, like they didn’t care about waking up the whole street. Alexa ran after me, clutching her robe tight, and I could tell she was scared.
“Baby, what’s happening? Why are they yelling your name?” she whispered.
My hands shook as I tried to unlock the door. My heart was pounding. Nothing good ever comes from someone showing up like this, especially not this early in the morning.
When I finally opened the door, the sunlight hit me right in the eyes. Standing outside were four people, all of them in company uniforms, black and grey. Their faces were hard and cold, like they’d left their kindness at home. Not one of them looked at me with sympathy.
Right in front was Mr. Daniels. I’d worked with him for years. He used to joke around and share coffee with me in the break room. Now he just looked at me like I was something he’d stepped in.
“Good morning, Ethan,” he said, his voice flat as a board.
“This early?” I tried to sound normal, but my voice was thin and shaky. “What’s going on?”
Daniels cleared his throat and opened a folder he’d brought. “We’re here on orders from Mr. Grant. There are two company vehicles registered in your name. We need them back. Right now.”
I felt my heart skip a beat. “Now? It’s only seven in the morning.”
“Yes. Now.”
Alexa grabbed my arm, holding on tight. “Wait, what? You’re taking the cars? Why are you doing this?”
Another official stepped forward and held out a sealed envelope. “You’re also required to vacate this residence within twenty-four hours. This house belongs to the company.”
It felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe for a second.
“What?” I said, barely more than a whisper. “Twenty-four hours? I’ve lived here for three years. Daniels, you know me. What is this?”
Daniels didn’t budge. He just stared at me with those cold eyes.
“You know exactly why,” he said. “Mr. Grant is being generous giving you 24 hours.”
“That’s not fair! The accusation is a lie!” I said, my voice shaking. “You know me. Why would I ever..”
He cut me off, raising his hand to stop me. “Don’t insult me, Ethan. Everyone’s seen the photos. You slept with the boss’s wife.”
Alexa gasped behind me, her hand flying to her mouth.
Rage and shame and confusion all crashed in at once. I felt like I was burning up.
“Those pictures are fake!” I said, my voice loud now. “Mark set me up. He’s been trying to get rid of me for months. He.”
Daniels stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “The boss took you from nothing. Gave you this job, this house, a shot at a better life. And this is how you pay him back?” He shook his head, slow and disappointed. “You really should be ashamed.”
I already was. I felt like I was drowning in it.
Alexa whispered, her voice shaking, “Ethan, is this true? Are we going to be homeless?”
Daniels scoffed and looked at her. “Miss, the company owns the property. Ethan’s the only one on record. You’ll both need to leave.”
Alexa held onto my arm, her face white as a sheet.
“Ethan, do something! Say something!” she begged.
I wanted to fight, to shout, to throw something. But all I could do was stand there and watch as two of the officials walked right past me toward the garage.
“No, please,” I begged, following after them. “Can’t you give me a little more time? Let me talk to HR, let me explain. Please.”
Daniels didn’t even look at me. “It’s out of our hands.”
They opened the garage door. Cold air rushed in, making me shiver. One guy slid into my silver sedan, the other took the black SUV I used for work. They both started the engines while I stood there, helpless.
Alexa was right beside me, shivering in her robe. “Ethan, they’re really taking them. What are we going to do? How will we get anywhere? What if..”
She couldn’t finish. The cars rolled out of the garage, slow and steady, not even looking back. It was like we didn’t matter at all.
Daniels came over, handed me a piece of paper stamped “24 Hour Eviction Notice” in big, red letters.
He looked me in the eye. “Good luck, Ethan. You’ll need it.”
Then he turned and walked away, leaving us standing there in the cold, everything we had slipping away. Alexa squeezed my hand, but neither of us knew what to say. We just stood there, watching the last pieces of our old life drive away.
- Writer
