Suzie’s House 435 : Home Sweet Home

Ethan stood on the stoop of his own house and looked at the key on his chain, glanced at Gabriel, and offered up a sick laugh.

“I’m not quite sure what the protocol is here. Should I knock?”

“It’s your family. I haven’t been closer than a hundred miles to my family since I left home.”

“That’s not true. Isn’t Peter your family now? What if the two of you argued while you were on this trip? How would you greet him when you got home?”

“I’d throw myself into his arms and demand satisfaction!” Gabriel grinned.

Ethan winced. He shouldn’t have asked.

If felt weird to knock on his own door, but considering the way Sophie had sounded when he phoned to say he would be home soon, he better. He started to raise his hand, but the door flew open and Sophie came tumbling out.

She wore her old nurse’s uniform. When she spotted him, her expression turned savage.

“You!” She got up in his face with hands curved like a vengeful eagle. “I don’t have time for you now. I’ll deal with you when I get home from work.”

She marched out to the driveway and got in the car.

“Good thing I didn’t park her in,” Gabriel said. “I’d be afraid she’d put a dent in my car on her way out.”

“She… she didn’t use to be like that.” Ethan said it more to himself than to Gabriel.

Had he really done all that to her just because he didn’t come back right away? She’d always been so sweet and accommodating. She’d been the ideal wife. She roared off in a huff and left the door to the house wide open.

“Well, I guess we just go in.” Ethan lead the way.

“Emma! I’m home!” Ethan held his arms out for a hug. At least here he knew what to expect.

“Dad?” Emma went tense with wide eyes and a backpack half way on. “Dad!” She ran across the living room and gave him a hug. “And um… ah…” She looked around him at Gabriel.

“This is Gabriel. He gave me a ride from…”

“…Um…. Hi. D-d-dad, I’m sorry. But I have to go now.” She pulled loose from his embrace, and hurried out the door, leaving Ethan and Gabriel standing in the living room of an otherwise empty house.

My humble and heart-felt apologies to all of you for the constant mess ups with Emma’s father’s name. Clearly I have some sort of mental block since I have now used three different names for him – Nathan, Ethan, and Nials. I am so sorry for the confusion. I’ll be going back through old posts and changing it all to Ethan. Hopefully this time it’ll stick.

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