My Dearest Son Chapter 2

When he regarded himself in the mirror, Ethan remarked at how the sweater accentuated his shoulders while holding tight to his biceps. The shirt hugging around his waist to give him the subtlest V shape to his body that tapered well down into his khakis. Classy, comfy, and subtle enough that he wouldn't stand out in a crowd. Even Ethan had to admit he was looking pretty good today.

  "Shall we depart lad?" Adrian offered as he folded his hands behind his back.

  "We shall." Ethan said as he walked with Adrian through the dorms and off to the car. The quick makeover was more than enough to lift his spirits as well with the way she caught a few stray glances as well as a number of compliments. Each one bringing a certain spring to his step as he situated himself inside of the back of the car and buckling himself in as Adrian started off towards the city. It was so simple but just getting out of his college uniform and back into a set of clothes he could enjoy wearing already had his mind in a better place.

  As they drove along, Ethan took a moment to think to himself that perhaps things wouldn't be so bad. That perhaps getting out of the school for something that wasn't a business meeting with his family or some kind of bender with the boys would be good for him. Sure, it was an arranged marriage, but… no, no there wasn't any real silver lining to that part but he could still try and stay positive about things none the less.

  Upon pulling up to the café, Adrian informed Ethan that this is the place he would be meeting with his date and that they already knew he was coming. Ethan thanked Adrian for all his help and told him that if he needed an easy out that he was more than welcome to find a little bit of trouble to get into. With that, Adrian laughed as he rolled his eyes before he drove off down the street. Ethan waving him off as she found somewhere out in the open to welcome his date.

  Scanning his eyes across the people sitting among the crowds, Ethan began to wonder just what Lena might look like. He caught the glimpse of a salacious young girl in a pair of distressed jeans wearing a band tee shirt that looked to be a size too big for her. It wasn't uncommon for the children of high-class families to dress down out in public but this style wasn't one that was intentional. The worn-down working boots as well as the grease staining her fingers gave that much away as she passed him off with a smile.

  When another car pulled up and a bleach blond woman with tanned leathery skin wearing an animal print jacket strolled out. Ethan's heart sank while his stomach lurched as she appeared to be walking towards his table. When she inevitably walked past him however, Ethan berated himself for the no doubt shocked look he regarded the stranger with.

  "E-excuse me…"

  Ethan placed his head in his hand and began to count the cars passing in the street. Perhaps she wasn't here.

  "Uhh… would you just so happen to be Mr. Merit?"

  The thought of being stood up by his own wife to be made Ethan scoff if only because maybe she wanted to be here as much as Ethan did.

  "My name is Lena, I'm here on behalf of Lupin Merit… your, um, your father?"

  Ethan paused at the mention of his father's name as he turned to see the young woman standing before him. She stood just shy of Ethan's height and regarded Ethan with timid hazel eyes that darted around at the simplest change in the area around her. The girl's hands, while hidden behind her, betrayed nervous and shy movements as she cast her gaze towards the table. Her long brown hair fell around her shoulders while her clothes synched around her body. A narrow waist tied tight with a dress laced up along the back. The shoulders of which were left exposed while the sleeves hung long across her wrists. The hem of the dress hung short along her bare legs that swelled into modest hips while her exposed collar bones sloped down into her humble cleavage.

  Ethan thought that perhaps this wasn't going to be as much of a waste of time as he initially thought. At least he did till he shook the thought away by reminding himself that this was still just a ploy by his father.

  Crossing his arms over his chest Ethan nodded to the seat across from him as he rested his leg across his knee. He wanted to growl, he wanted to scream. What the hell was his father thinking with this? Was it too much work to attach a picture because obviously Lena knew who she was looking for here? Then again…

  Ethan felt his shoulders drop as he realized that his father never really told him much about this Lena Swan girl. Perhaps he was being too brash already, making snap judgments when Lena deserved a chance to talk at least. 

Ethan stood to regard Lena who stood with her hands gripping the length of her dress with her shoulders bunching halfway to her ears. No doubt picking up on the frustration in Ethan's body language. At the same time, Ethan saw something else in Lena as well.

  Fight, flight, fawn, freeze. The four typology of trauma and something Ethan was too familiar with and now it was staring at him with big beautiful hazel eyes.

  "I'm Ethan," Ethan said and swallowed back the dryness in his throat. "Ethan Merit, it's nice to meet you. Would you like to take a seat?"

  "Lena Swan, the pleasure is all mine." Lena said as she brushed a lock of hair over her ear and smiled at Ethan's offer and looked to relax as Ethan pulled her chair out before taking his own.

  "I suppose were supposed to get to know each other, aren't we?" Ethan began as intrusive thoughts began to creep into his mind as he took the time to finally take in Lena's features. The way her perfect peach lips curled into a smile and the way her eyes lit up when she did. Ethan felt his heart beat faster in her chest as he found himself leaning forward onto the table and brushing a lock of his own hair over his ear.

  "I understand if you're not happy with this arraignment Mr. Merit, so if you'd like I can just as well tell my father and yours that we both had a wonderful time and-"

  "Actually," Ethan interjected and felt his heart leap at the way Lena squeaked in surprise. "I thought I recognized you from school."

  "Of course, I don't think we have class together but I know you are part of the lacrosse team." Lena asked as she pulled her hands up onto the table, unfurling them from the tight grip she had before as she began to brighten up while her shoulders began to ease themselves.

  "I am, so that means you're a bit of a sports fan yourself then?" Ethan asked, cocking his head to the side as he regarded the figure on the woman before him.

  "I know I don't look the part, but I'm actually part of the fencing team so I'll be able to fend off your deviant advances with peerless grace." Lena said with a smile that caused Ethan's fair skin to flush red as his heart skipped another beat.

  "Tell me more about that, it's something I've never had the chance to learn more about." Ethan said as he supported his head in her hand. A trammeled smirk curling across his lips as his half-lidded eyes regarded the blush dusting Lena's cheeks.

  Lena started into what all entailed going into fencing as a sport while Ethan hung from her every word. Nodding his head when he needed to and paying attention to every facet and detail while adding a bit of his own thoughts to keep the conversation going. It was just about all Ethan could do to keep from losing his train of thought in Lena's eyes. Those bright hazel eyes that held a dull light to them. Like something that once shined bright but over the years something or someone slowly wore it away. It was only when Lena spoke so freely that Ethan noticed that dull sheen flare in favor of a bright shine. That very same shine, Ethan realized, was also the street lamps that flicked on as the sun began to set past the horizon.

  "I suppose we should probably head back then." Lena said when Ethan broke line of sight with her to see that the café cleared out for the most part while the nip in the night air suggested they find somewhere warmer.

  "I suppose we should, but what do you say we take our time heading back?" Ethan asked as he stood and offered a hand out to Lena before looking across the street and smiling at Adrian waiting for him in the car. Without another word needed, Adrian nodded and made his exit.

  Lena meanwhile, tentatively placed her dainty fingers in Ethan's hands and stood with him and wrapped her arm around Ethan. The closeness of Lena's body was something Ethan could appreciate considering the two of them were only dressed for a day out. The night, while not overly freezing, still held an edge in the air that pulled at Ethan's skin till goose bumps rose across his body. Or perhaps that was the feel of Lena's chest pressing against his shoulder as Lena pulled herself closer upon the wind picking up.