THE LIFE ETHAN COLE NEVER EXPECTED
Chapter 5
Lily noticed before Ethan told her.
Children saw things adults thought they hid.
One evening, Ethan returned home later than usual.
Lily was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework.
She looked up.
“You were with June.”
Ethan stopped.
“How do you know?”
“You smile differently.”
Ethan stared at her.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
She returned to her homework.
Ethan put down his keys.
After a moment, Lily asked:
“Do you love her?”
He sat across from her.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because I want to know.”
Ethan smiled.
“I think I do.”
Lily looked at him.
“Does she love you?”
“I don’t know.”
Lily frowned.
“Ask her.”
Ethan laughed.
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is.”
She went back to writing.
“You ask her.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You’re very bossy.”
“I learned from June.”
Ethan laughed.
That night, he realized something.
He wasn’t the only one building a life anymore.
Lily was part of it.
Her opinion mattered.
Her happiness mattered.
And if June was going to become part of their family, Ethan wanted Lily to feel safe with her too.
