Chapter 15: Free Arms!

Oh finally, winter is about over and his casts are finally able to get removed. Ethan was overjoyed.

After about two months of being impared, unable to write and do much, he couldn't ever be more ecstatic.

Now, however, he has gained an irrational fear of ziplines. He shall never hang from a wire rope that slides you from point A to point B.

He looks down at his now free hands, gripping the air in fascination. His arms, something he never thought he would care about or stare in awe at, he sees in a new light. He now appreciates his arms greatly, never doubting them.

"Now that you can pick up things again, it's time for you to get a job." Ethan's father says one morning at breakfast. Ethan, he was chewing on the delicious waffles his mother had prepared before she left and rightfully so choked on his waffles.

"A job? Right now? I just got out of those darned casts." He mumbles before picking up his glass of water and taking a sip to clear his throat.

"Of course, whatever did you think I was speaking of? Wait another year or so? I think not." His father says sternly as he eats his own breakfast also while looking at the morning newspaper. It was a cold afternoon so his mother had to get the fireplace going. In a bit, he had to go to chop wood out back so the girls could feel warm.

"Where would I get a job?" He asks after a small period of silence. The house was silent with just the two of them, Marriane and his mother were at an event that was set up for the kids at the elementary school.

It was a saturday, usually a day he would hang out with his friends, however it appears his father has different plans.

"Perhaps the library, you're a books boy. Maybe the Italian restaurant just a few ways down? Maybe the bistro? There are many jobs that could accept you." His father lists before standing up and putting his plate in the sink.

"Get ready, boy. We're going out back." Ethan nods and stuffs his mouth to not keep his father waiting. With a big gulp of water, he gets up and hurries to get on his coat and scarf.

A little ways in the backyard, a tree stump sat silently, waiting for logs to be split on it. His father grabbed a log from the log pile and set it up on the stump.

"Just like last year, get the axe. Keep your legs a nice few inches apart and split the wood." Ethan follows his father's example and swings the axe down, splitting the wood in half.

"Good, we need about twelve logs split. Come in when you're done." His father says, leaving Ethan in the cold weather to split wood. His arms aren't that great since he just got out of the casts yesterday, but he pushes through it.

He gathers the logs he split and carries them back into the house, where his father is preparing the fireplace.

"Boy, set the logs against the wall and grab me my newspapers." His father instructs and Ethan obeys, setting down each log against the wall next to the bricked fireplace, stacking them on top of each other.

He gets up and goes into the kitchen closet, bending down and grabbing his father's stash of newspaper he keeps for the fireplace.

Ethan sat down on the burgundy couch, feeling himself sink into the slightly bouncy cushions as the physical strain of splitting wood and getting the fireplace ready settled on his body. The fireplace was crackling and slowly the house began to warm up.

Mr. Pinwick sat next to his boy on the couch with a book in his hand.

Ethan lifted his head from the cushion behind him and looked at his father's face curiously. He had always been a quiet man that didn't speak more than what was necessary.

"We will go out looking for jobs tomorrow, so dress accordingly." His father speaks softly, his mind more so drifted onto the book in his hands. Perhaps he got his love of books from his father?

"Yes, sir." Ethan murmurs before stretching his arms above his head.

The door is heard opening and closer and the clicks of heels and the pitter patter of feet enter the door.

"Daddy!" Marriane cheers as she runs into the living room, jumping into her father's lap with great enthusiasm. Mr. Pinwick wraps a hand around her torso to keep her from falling and he sets down his book and uses that hand to pat her head.

"Did you have fun?" He asks softly as his wife comes over to take off her scarf and coat to hang near the front door.

"Oh, yes! Arlo was there, mostly because I told him if he didn't come I would burn every book in his personal library. But I was endlessly happy at his presence." She explains, gripping his shirt and hugging him.

Mr. Pinwick seems to get a bit silent at this news and he looks up at his wife who was cleaning the table in the kitchen since she wasn't able to this morning.

"Maraline, did you see Celine?" He asks, causing Mrs. Pinwick to turn towards him.

"Oh yes, I did. You wouldn't believe it, she changed so much! No more is her blonde bob, her hair grew out. Bet it's because her husband's six feet she decided to not cut it, poor thing." Mrs. Pinwick explains, ending with a sympathetic sigh.

Ethan's father doesn't say anything as he holds his daughter in his arms, stroking her hair as she starts to get drowsy around the crackling fire.

"I suppose, I got a bit uncomfortable at her constant questioning about you. She asked how you were and if you were still working as an accountant." Mrs. Pinwick continues as she moves over to sit next to him on the couch.

Ethan hears his father scoff, causing Ethan to raise an eyebrow. "I see." He responds simply and pauses his strokes on Marriane's auburn hair briefly before continuing.

"Why do you not like Ms. Farce? She was nice to me, she seemed like a kind lady." Ethan speaks up, sitting up to look at his father.

"You simply wouldn't understand, boy." His father grumbles and doesn't spare a glance at Ethan.

The boy doesn't dare question his words, having a feeling his father simply would not answer. Ethan had no plans for the afternoon, but he wished to continue his studies or maybe read an old goodie.

"Oliver, you must learn to forgive and forget." He hears his mother say to his father, causing his father to look up at her. Ethan watches as his father furrows his eyebrows at her comment.

"Forgive and forget? That is unnervingly hard, I must say. After what she did—" He is cut off by a kiss on the lips by his dear wife, causing Ethan to look away almost immediately in discomfort. Must his parents get affectionate in front of him?

"Oliver, you are turning into an old grumpy man that holds grudges." His mother mumbles and out of the corner of Ethan's eye, he spots his father having a pink dusting on his cheek. Had Ethan had his polaroid, he would take endless amounts of pictures because his father was certainly not one to express much.

"Not in front of the children." He grunts and stands up, moving out of his wife's grasp with a sleeping Marriane in his arms. Ethan's mother smiles as he goes upstairs to put Marriane in her bed.

"So, heard your father is making you look for a job tomorrow. Have any place you want to work at?" His mother asks after a brief moment of silence.

Ethan stays quiet for a second, having the need to think about who he would like to work with.

"We will see tomorrow when he introduces me to the jobs."