Lyla
After we got back into the house, I went into the bathroom to grab the medicine and a bandage for Ethan’s finger. I just couldn’t believe that he hurt himself. I felt so bad about it. I never wanted to be the one who caused him any pain, in any form.
I met Ethan back in the kitchen, where his mom was ogling over his finger.
“Ethan, you need to be more careful. You might have to get your finger cut off now. You know parasites and all those other microscopic wiggly wormys can get inside and make you really sick. You don’t want to be sick and in the hospital on Christmas, do you? You’ve seen the show Monsters Inside Me, right? I think I have it recorded on the DVR if you wanted to w—”
“Mom, I’ll be okay. Promise,” Ethan murmured.
“I hope so. Okay, I’ll let you two kids get back to socializing. I know you don’t want your mom in the way.”
Cherry said, backing up and leaving the room.
Her fast footsteps hit the stairs. She ran up them. Why the heck was she running? I loved Cherry even though she was really weird most of the time.
Ethan sighed, and I set everything on the table. He removed the blood-covered paper towel and held out his still oozing finger to me. I really thought it needed stitches. I gently dabbed at his skin with an alcohol wipe, making him hiss loudly in pain.
“I’m sorry!” I cried, blowing on it for him.
“It’s fine,” Ethan said through gritted teeth.
“It is not fine! What if you need stitches? No, you do need stitches!”
“I’ll manage, Lyla, okay? I’ll be fine, I promise.”
We stared each other down, until we both smiled at the same time. I continued wrapping him up, being extra gentle this time. I didn’t like seeing him in pain. I just can’t believe I caused it. What the heck was wrong with me? I’m really disappointed in myself. I should be. Who purposely hurts the person they care about and love?
“So, did you want me to help you make the soup?” I asked, throwing everything into the trash.
“I got it, Lyla. Got sit down and warm yourself up.” “But you’re hurt…” I whined, getting ready to stomp my little foot on the floor. I’m sure Ethan would just love that, considering he liked when I acted like a spoiled rotten kid. He said it made me cuter than I already was.
“Lyla, I don’t have a broken leg. It’s just a cut finger. Now go take a shower or something and let me get to work. Chicken has to be cooked and vegetables need to be cut and sliced up.”
“Fine,” I said, walking away and heading down the basement stairs.
By the time I was done showering, the house was starting to smell really, really good. I didn’t know how Ethan could cook so well, but it really amazed me sometimes… okay, all the time. Men in the Summer Solstice never cooked. It was something us women did. Just like the laundry and cleaning house. Ethan did those both, and back home, women did it all. It was frowned upon if a man did anything like that.
I stood in front of the body-length mirror and brushed my hair to remove all the snarls and knots that came from having a snowball fight. I puckered up my lips at myself, and put on some of the new makeup Katie got me. Silver shadow, black mascara, thick black liner, pink lip stain… and then I slipped into a slightly revealing pink dress. I felt so bad about hurting Ethan that I had to give him a show.
When I made it back up the stairs, I found Ethan cutting up cooked chicken and adding it to the pot on the stove. He was humming something. I don’t think he knew I was there. I was debating on going up and wrapping my arms around his middle, but I didn’t want to scare him, making him burn himself, or cut himself, or whatever the heck else could happen while cooking. This time he might lose a finger, and I didn’t want that to happen. I liked his fingers.
I took a few louder-than-normal steps to let him know I was in the kitchen before I said anything.
“Smells good,”
He smiled at me. “I know.” He gave me a once over, starting to blush. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
I turned crimson. “Thank you.”
Sometime later, Ethan and I found ourselves sitting on the couch in the living room with an empty pot sitting in front of us. I moaned and held my stomach. I really couldn’t believe we just ate all that. I tried to focus my thoughts on the Christmas tree, but my stomach was vying for attention, letting me know that it was too full. I don’t think I was going to move for a whole day. There was no way. I ate so much noodles, chicken, and carrots and drank so much broth that it was unbelievable.
Ethan was in a similar state. I’d never saw him look so uncomfortable. He held his hand over his stomach, and it appeared he was a few months pregnant.
“Uhhh, Lyla, we weren’t supposed to eat the whole pot!” He moaned, clutching his belly.
I smirked. “We must have been really hungry. Look at all the work we did today…” Wait. “We never wrapped our gifts!”
He chuckled unenthusiastically. “Too tired now, Lyla, maybe tomorrow.”
“Yeah, tomorrow will be good.” I replied, trying not to think about my painful mid-section.
I made myself ignore my belly and stared at the colorful twinkling lights. The room smelled like pine and burning wood from the fireplace, and it was really nice. Ethan and I were cuddled up together. When I looked over to him a few minutes later, his eyes were closed. I knew he wasn’t in a deep sleep because his normal frost wasn’t coming out of his mouth.
I carefully got up so I wouldn’t disturb him, and unplugged the tree’s lights. I looked back over at my sweet sleeping boy, and went over to the recliner and grabbed the blanket. I covered him up. He sighed.
“Thank you,” he whispered, pulling the blanket away from himself so I could join him.
I did just that. I got onto the couch, and went to his side.
We tangled our limbs around each other. Ethan pulled the seat back so we could lie down. The warm orange glow from the fire illuminated him, making him look sort of angelic.
I kissed him softly, and that went on for a few more seconds before he took the kiss deeper, turning it into something searching and desperate. He pulled back, and breathed heavily. I could feel his heart hammering against his rib cage.
I didn’t know what I would do without him. I loved him, but I just didn’t know how to tell him. How could saying three little words be so freaking hard? What happened to the Lyla that always used to say anything that was on her mind? I really think that girl was long gone, replaced by this shyer, more fragile me. But that was okay.
I wouldn’t trade what I’d become to go back to my old self for a million dollars.
Ethan’s soft breathing tickled my neck. His male scent of spiciness and boy wafted up to my nose. I took a deep, satisfying breath and looked up. His beautiful cobalt eyes were focused on me. I smiled, and touched his cheek. He nuzzled my hand, and kissed my palm. I tingled all over. My stomach throbbed… I whimpered… I kissed his sweet spot below his ear…
“Lyla, no… not on the couch,” he whispered huskily.
“You’re right… maybe we should go to sleep.”
We both said goodnight, but my mind was still wandering. I wanted to do something… but I didn’t know what… My heart was thoroughly disappointed.
I pushed the thoughts from my mind as I drifted off to sleep in the arms of the boy I adored with my whole heart… and missing soul.
By the time I woke up the space next to me was cold. I blinked my eyes open. Ethan was gone. The fire in the fireplace had died down, and there were just small embers burning now. It still crackled here and there, but it was nothing like the pop-pop-pop of fresh, whole logs. It was sort of chilly in here, but that was okay. It was winter, after all.
I sat up, and that’s when I heard a peculiar noise coming from the other room… rip… rip… crinkle, crinkle… I stood up, and followed my ears into the hallway. I listened, and started walking down further. I’ve never been to this section of the house before, and it sort of felt like I was snooping. I giggled silently and kept walking. The floor creaked as I moved, and I passed closed door after closed door. The house was old. I was surprised more than the floor didn’t creak. Everything was in immaculate condition, letting me know that over the years this house was very well taken care of.
When I was sure that I was at the right door where the sound was coming from, I tried turning the handle, but it was locked. I jiggled the handle again just to be sure, and—
All movement beyond the door stopped.
I rapped my knuckles gently across the heavy wood.
“Ethan?” I called out.
Footsteps moved in my direction. The door was slowly pulled open just enough to reveal one of his eyes and the side of his face.
“Yes?” he asked slowly, like he was hiding something. He probably was.
I tried pushing into the room, but he was holding the door shut.
“What the heck are you doing? Let me in!” I hissed, pushing harder.
If he was doing what I thought he was doing in there… I wouldn’t put it past him, seriously.
“Lyla, I’m wrapping your gifts. You can’t come in here.”
“Oh. Well, I’m going to wrap yours. I don’t think I’ll need help. I’ll figure it out.” I said, backing away.
“Okay. See you in an hour!” he said in a singsong voice, slamming the door in my face and locking it up tight.
I narrowed my eyes at the closed door and stuck out my tongue. He at least could have given me a morning kiss or hug or something…
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and decided to give Rylan a call. Rylan was a demon, but he was a good demon. The phone rang and rang and rang, and then went to voicemail. He always answers my call. “Rylan, call me back… it’s Lyla.” I said, rolling my eyes at myself. Of course he would know who it was; my name would show up on his missed call list.
Within a second, he called.
“Hello? Lyla? Are you okay?” he said in a rush.
I giggled. “Hello to you too, Rylan. Why do you sound all hurried and out of breath?”
“I was in the shower; I didn’t hear the phone ringing.” Oh. “So what did you need?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you.” Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say considering Rylan liked me. We shared one kiss, and I don’t think he came onto me accidentally.
I could hear his smile in his voice. “You’re sweet, love.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m going to wrap Ethan’s Christmas presents in a little bit. I’ve never wrapped before. I just take the paper and put it around the gift and then tape it, right?”
“Yes, that would be correct.”
“Do you celebrate Christmas?” I asked.
It took Rylan a few seconds to answer. “No.”
Two hours later, I sat in front of fifteen or so badly wrapped gifts. I began bringing them upstairs and setting them under the tree, just as I saw mine were. I got Ethan some clothes, some gift cards, a piggy bank, a pink-metal tongue stud, some cups that had boobs on it from a place called Spencers, and a big stuffed elephant. I didn’t know what an elephant was until a few weeks ago, but I sort of fell in love with them. They were large, but they seemed to be very gentle creatures. They were family orientated, and very adorable and interesting. I would like to have one. Oh, and a camel. I liked those, too. Some people in the Summer Solstice had them, and I was always sort of jealous about that. Why did my family have to have chickens? I liked the bigger animals. They were usually more gentle… it was really reversed, but… yeah.
Ethan wasn’t in the room anymore. I didn’t know where he went to. I had to find him, because I had to be at work in a few hours.
When I saw that his boots were gone, I put mine on, and my coat, and went outside to look for him.
His tracks led to the backyard. I happily followed them while I listened to my feet squish-squish-squish in the snow. I sort of liked the sound. I jumped up, and then landed hard, earning me a loud SQUISH. I giggled loudly, and did it again.
“Lyla, what the heck are you doing?”
I beamed when I heard his voice, but that didn’t make me stop what I was doing. I was going to keep squishing this snow until I couldn’t anymore. I jumped again and again. I possibly looked like a rabbit or something, but that was okay. Guys liked rabbits, right?
“Lyla?” he asked again.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m playing!” I shouted.
He came closer, grabbed me around the middle, and hauled me away from my half-destroyed pile of snow.
“Be nice to the snow, baby. What did it ever do to you?” he whispered into my ear, causing my body to melt.
“I pulled away. “No, Ethan, I know what you’re doing! It isn’t going to work this time. You wanna know why? Because I know what you’re trying to do!”
He laughed. “And what is that, sweets?”
I whipped around and pointed at him. “You’re trying to get me… GAH! I don’t have a word for it, well, I do, but I can’t tell you.”