Chapter 37 Three Fathers, One Son
Lara's pov
Ethan wouldn't talk to me.
We'd been driving for about fifteen minutes and he hadn't said a single word to me. I didn't know what was bothering him. He just stared out at the window with his arms crossed together.
He was mad or hurt or maybe both.
I kept glancing at the driver's mirror trying to figure what to say to them. How to explain what I heard from his classmates and what his teacher had just told me.
Ethan slapped and hit another kid today.
My son, a very gentle boy , a seven year old who cried when he mistakenly stepped on an ant last week hit Jason Miller in his face.
~~~
Thirty minutes ago, when I had to pick Ethan up in school. Mrs Parker, his class teacher pulled me aside.
I saw some other parents who also came to pick their kids from school as well. They were loading their kids into their cars and she waited for everyone to leave before she decided to approach me.
I should have known then that something was wrong.
“Ms Otto, we need to talk about what happened today”.
My stomach dropped. “Is Ethan okay?”
“He's fine actually. She glanced over at where Ethan sat on the bench, his face done, not looking at anyone.
“But something happened during the recess”.
“What happened please?”.
Mrs Parker shifted uncomfortably. “Ethan hit another kid today. Jason Miller.”
I stared at her. “ Ethan -my son hit someone?
“It was Jason that caused it, " she added quickly. “ He said something that upset him, something about your father”.
The world tilted.
“What did he say?”
Mrs Parker looked more uncomfortable.
“He said something about murder and the trial. I think Jason's parents must have been discussing it at home and then he overheard them.”
Of course they had.
The trial had been all over the news for months now. Claire's arrest and death. Lucas' conviction. My father's murder was played out in front of cameras and reporters.
I thought I’d protected Ethan from it. Kept him away from TVs when the news was on. Changing the channel so that he could not see it also limited his access to the internet.
But I failed in this aspect, I couldn't protect him from other kids.
Other kids whose parents talked about things.
“What exactly did Jason say?” I asked.
Mrs Parker hesitated. “ He told Ethan that his father was murdered by one bad woman. The news was everywhere and everyone knows about it “.
My hands clenched into fists.
“And then Ethan hit him right?”
“Yes, he did. Jason was teasing him. Saying stuff. And Ethan just….. snapped.”
“But is Jason Okay?”
“It was just a bloody nose. It's nothing too serious. But Ms. Otto, the school has a zero tolerance policy for violence. I have to write this up. And you need to talk to Ethan about the appropriate manners to handle his anger.”
Hmmmm….. Appropriate ways to handle his anger.
How was a seven-year-old supposed to appropriately handle finding out that his grandfather was murdered?.
“I understand now,” I said. Thank you. “But can I take him home now?”.
“Yes, please. But we'll still need to schedule a follow-up meeting. With you,the principal and Ethan.
Good.
I thanked her and walked over to get Ethan. He didn't say a word when I told him it was time to go home. He just grabbed his school bag and his lunch bag and followed me to the car.
And now we are here
Driving in silence, not talking to each other.
He was angry and I was terrified.
I took a deep breath.
“Ethan—”
“Mummy, please I don't want to talk about it?”
“But, we need to talk about it.”
“No”
“Jason is a liar! His voice broke. “He said nonsense things about Grandpa Richard”.
I pulled over to the side of the road, parked the car and turned around to look at him in the face.
His eyes were red. He had been crying since or maybe he was about to cry again.
“Why did Jason talk about Grandpa?”
Ethan's lip trembled. He said Grandpa was murdered, that someone killed him, that a bad woman did that for money.
My heart broke.
“Mummy, Is it true?”
I looked at my seven year old son. His trembling lips, his wet face he has cried his eyes out. And those big eyes looking at me like I could make everything better and solve everything.
But truth be told, I couldn't.
I couldn't lie to him anymore. Not even about all the trials.
“Yes my darling. It's true”.
He burst into tears again. Fresh tears spilled down his cheeks.
“So Grandpa Richard was murdered”.
“Yes”.
“But why?” His voice was so small. Now it is very calm. Why would someone hurt my grandpa? Why would someone kill a very special person that I ought to meet?.
I unbuckled my seatbelt, climbed into the back seats where he was and pulled him into my arms.He buried his face in my shoulder and cried more.
“Mummy” I don't understand, he cried. Grandpa was a good person and a nice person. Why would someone hurt a good person? Why is it that good people die and evil people live?
God..
How do I explain people being evil to a child, how do I explain to this baby that some people care more about money than human lives?
“Sometimes, I said slowly to him. Bad people do bad things for bad reasons “ Maybe money. Grandpa was a very successful man. He had a big company and there were so many people who wanted to take it from him.
They wanted the company so badly, the only way they could get him was to get rid of him.
Ethan pulled back to look at me. His face was red from crying.
“So did it work? Did they get the company?”
“Yes , they did but not for a longer period,they did for a little while but then they were caught and sentenced to jail.
“Good for them”.
He wiped his nose with the sleeve of his school uniform.
“But Mummy” Is that why you were gone so much? For the trial?”
Honestly, kids nowadays are so smart.
“Yes. I had to go to the court and tell people exactly what happened so that the concerned people would go to jail.
And believe me sincerely,they are rotting in jail.
I thought about Claire. How she died in prison and Lucas. How he was locked to forever. Also how Natasha and Veronica were broken and humiliated.
Ethan leaned against me, his breathing was calmer now. He'd stopped crying.
“Jason said everyone knows. That it was on TV. But you didn't tell me about it Mummy.”
Honestly my darling, I wanted to protect you, I said. I didn't want you to start to be thinking about scary things like murder and jail.
But you've known it all.
“I should have hit that boy - Jason. He was talking about you and grandpa. He said his mom said you were on TV and that you were crying.
“No baby, you shouldn't have to. She was right. I had been to the courthouse countless times and cameras shoved in my face. I asked him another question.
“What else did he say when he heard from his mom?”.
Ethan shrugged. “I don't know. But he said everyone knows about it, that I'm the only one who didn't know.
"God, these parents. They were gossiping about my family like we were some TV show for them to watch.”
“I’m sorry my darling,” Okay? I said, pulling him closer. I”I should have told you myself. Before you heard it from Jason or any other person”.
"It's okay, Mummy."
He looked up at me with those big eyes. "Are you mad I hit Jason?"
"I'm not mad at you sweetheart. I understand why you did it. But hitting people isn't the right thing to do, okay?
Even when they say things that hurt us."
"But what should in case of another time"
“ I don't want this to repeat itself. But in case, tell your teacher or come and talk to me or Dami when you get home.” We will be glad to hear from you.
"Dami." Ethan's face got a bit lighter. "Does Daddy know? About Grandpa Richard?"
"Yes, baby. He knows everything." We will inform him when we get home.
“Hmm, okay mum.” He said before he remembered another question to ask.
And that was his real fear. What could happen to him after hitting Jason.
“Is anything going to happen to me mum?” he asked gently.
"No, my darling. Nothing will happen to you. You're very safe. I'm safe and everyone is safe.”
He looked at me probably he was going to see maybe I was lying or telling the truth. But he just nodded and said Okay mommy.
I kissed his forehead and hugged him tight. "I love you so much baby. You know that, right?"
"I know Mummy. I love you too."
We sat there in the back seat for some more minutes. Cars were passing by us on the road. People were going about their normal day while my son's whole world had just changed.
Then Ethan pulled away from me.
"Can we go home now? I want to see Daddy."
"Yeah baby. Let's go home."
I climbed back to the front seat and started the car again. I looked at Ethan in the rearview mirror as I pulled back onto the road.
He was looking out the window again but this time his arms weren't crossed anymore and his face wasn't angry.
He just looked tired.
Like a small kid who had to grow up too fast in one afternoon.
My phone buzzed in my bag. I didn't check it while driving but I knew it was probably Damien asking how the pickup went.
How was I supposed to explain all of this in a text message?
\---
We got home about twenty minutes later.
Damien's car was already packed in the driveway. Obviously, he came home early today.
Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt and ran inside the house before I could even turn off the car engine.
"Daddy!"
I took my time. Grabbed my purse and his school bags from the car and took a deep breath before going inside.
I found them in the kitchen. Ethan had already wrapped himself around Damien's leg like he always did.
"Hey buddy. How was school today?"
Ethan looked up at him with that serious face. "I punched Jason Miller today."
Damien looked at him, his face asking what the hell happened.
“He said some words about Grandpa that are not good. So I punched him in the face".
I put my purse on the kitchen counter. "We need to talk."
Damien looked at both of us before he finally said. "Okay. Let's all sit down."
We moved to the living room. Ethan sat between us on the couch like he always did when something was serious.
"So," Damien said gently. "Tell me what happened at school."
Ethan told him everything. About Jason. About what he said during recess. About punching Jason and also teacher.
He told it in that simple way kids tell stories. Just the facts and no emotions.But I could see Damien's jaw getting tighter as Ethan talked.
When Ethan finished, Damien looked at me.
"And the teacher?"
"Zero tolerance policy for violence," I said. "We have to meet with the principal. But honestly, I don't even care about that right now."
"The other parents have been talking," Damien said. It wasn't a question.
"Of course they have. The trial was everywhere. And now their kids are bringing it to school."
Ethan was watching us as we were talking and listening to every of our single words.Damien put his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Hey buddy, look at me."
Ethan turned to face him.
"What Jason said about Grandpa Richard, that was true. Someone hurted him , but they are already being punished for what they did. Do you understand?
"Mommy said that as well."
"Good. And I want you to know something else." Damien pulled Ethan onto his lap. "I will keep you and mummy safe. Is that clear?
"What if something bad happens again?"
“Nobody is going to hurt you or anyone okay?”
Ethan hugged him tight. "Okay Dami."
I watched them together. This man who wasn't Ethan's biological father but loved him like he was. This man who made promises to protect us.
But Lucas's letters kept coming back as a reflection in my head.
Was Damien really who he said he was?
Or had he been lying to me from the very beginning?
I pushed the thoughts away, I didn't want to think about it now.
"Are you hungry baby?" I asked. "Want me to make you something?"
"Can we have pizza?"
Damien laughed. “Yeah, I will order it now”.
While Damien called for pizza, Ethan stayed curled up on the couch. He looked exhausted.
“I think you have to get a rest in your room a bit, you have really had a long day. I suggested it to him. I will call you when the pizza is ready.”
"Okay Mommy."
He went upstairs.As soon as he was gone, Damien turned to me.
"Are you okay?"
“ Not really actually”.
"What did the teacher say exactly?"
I told him everything. About Mrs. Parker. About Jason's parents gossiping. About how all the other kids probably knew too.
"I thought I protected him," I said. My voice was breaking. "I kept him away from the news. From the TV coverage. From everything. And it didn't even matter."
"You did protect him. For as long as you could."
"It wasn't long enough."
Damien pulled me into his arms. "He's going to be okay. Kids of nowadays are stronger than we think."
We stood there in the kitchen. Holding each other. Both of us worried about a seven year old boy upstairs who just lost his innocence.
"We'll get through this," Damien said.
"Are you sure?”
He looked at me."What's that supposed to mean?"
I almost said everything. About my doubts, Lucas's letter and my investigations.But I couldn't tell him yet. Not even now.
"Nothing. I'm just tired."
"Lara—"
"The pizza will be here soon. I should go check on Ethan."I pulled away from him and went upstairs before he could ask more questions.
\---
Ethan was in his room lying on his bed,he was almost asleep when I entered his room.
"Hey baby."
"Hi Mommy."
I sat down next to him on the bed. "How are you feeling?”
"Hmm?"
"Am I in trouble for hitting Jason?"
"With the school, yes. We have to meet with the principal. But with me and Dami? No baby. You're not in trouble with us."
Probably in school ,they'll talk about what happened. Or you just have to apologize to Jason.
"Ethan was quiet for a minute. Then he said something that broke my heart all over again.
"Do you think Grandpa Richard would be disappointed in me? For hitting someone?"
Oh God.
“No my darling.Grandpa Richard would understand. He'd be proud of you for standing up for him. He just would have wanted you to do it without the punching."
Okay mom, “can you tell me about grandpa?”.
So I told him stories about my father. About how kind he was, kind, smart. How he built his company from scratch and how he loved helping people around him.
I talked until the doorbell rang downstairs. Pizza was here.
We had pizza in the living room. The three of us were sitting on the couch. Ethan was between me and Damien like always.
He slept off after eating two slices of the pizza and I took him to his room and returned back to the sitting room where Dami was.
We sat there in silence. The TV was on but neither of us was really watching it.
After a while, Damien spoke.
Is anything wrong apart from what happened at Ethan school today?
I didn't answer immediately before I finally said."Because I don't know what's real anymore."
He looked confused. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing. Just forget about it”.
"Lara—"
"Damien, please. Not tonight. I can't have this conversation tonight, can't do this tonight."He looked hurt but he didn't push. "Okay. But we need to talk soon."
Yeah.
I went to our bedroom, took my shower and got ready for bed. I wore my pajamas and climbed under the covers.But I didn't sleep.
I just lay there in the dark. Thinking about everything.About Ethan finding out the truth.About Lucas in prison, still trying to destroy me.About Damien and whether I could trust him.
About my father and how much I missed him.
Damien came to sleep beside me about an hour later, I pretended as if I was asleep.He got in next to me. Kissed my shoulder.
He slept in a twinkle of an eye after he lied down. I couldn't get any sleep, I stared at the ceiling and kept wondering if the worst was finally over.
Or if it was just beginning.
\---
The next morning, Ethan seemed better.
Kids really are stronger than adults sometimes.
He ate his breakfast, got ready for school and chatted about some video games. Like nothing happened yesterday.
But as soon as we got to the school parking lot, he got quiet and then he voiced out.
Mom, I hope Jason won't be angry or say anything about what happened yesterday again?
"If any other kids say things about Grandpa Richard, you remember what I told you. Remember that he was a good man. That's what matters. Not what some kids at school say."
"Okay Mommy."
He got out of the car. Grabbed his backpack.I watched him walk into the school building. My brave little boy.
He turned around once at the door and waved at me.I waved back.
Then he went inside and I sat there in the car for a few minutes.
Thinking about how fast kids grow up.
How one day can change everything.
How hard it is to protect them from the world.
My phone rang from an unknown number.I picked it up. "Hello?"
"Ms. Otto? This is Robert Chen. The private investigator you hired."
My heart stopped.
"I have the results you asked for. About Damien Otto and the hotel."
"And?"
"We need to meet. Today if possible. There are things you need to see."