The Day Ethan Cole Got Sick — And Greyhaven Refused to Let Him Be Alone
Chapter 11
A few days later, Ethan returned to the diner after work.
The table near the window was already full.
Walter waved him over.
“Sit.”
Ethan sat.
June brought him coffee without asking.
Sam was telling a story.
Nobody believed him.
Claire was laughing.
Lily was drawing something on a napkin.
Ethan looked around.
For a moment, he simply watched.
This was the life he hadn’t expected.
Not dramatic.
Not perfect.
Not free from pain.
Just people.
Ordinary conversations.
Shared meals.
Arguments about nothing.
Laughter.
The kind of life he had once thought he didn’t need.
Walter noticed him staring.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re thinking.”
“Maybe.”
Walter smiled.
“That’s dangerous.”
Ethan laughed.
Lily slid the napkin toward him.
“Look.”
It was another drawing.
This time, there were several stick figures.
One was Ethan.
Beside him were Walter, June, Claire and Lily.
Above them she had drawn a crooked house.
Ethan pointed.
“What’s that?”
“Our house.”
He looked at her.
“But that’s not my house.”
Lily shrugged.
“It’s Greyhaven.”
Ethan looked at the drawing again.
Something caught in his throat.
He smiled.
“Yeah.”
