Hot Coffee (The Hollens) novel Chapter 42

Ethan's POV

She was gone. She just up and left. It's funny how relationships change overnight. One minute you're happy the next you're left all alone with sorrow in your soul.

It was Saturday morning. I wasn't going into the office today because I'd promised my Nana I would spend the day with her at the golf course. I hadn't seen her since the birthday party and I was looking forward to some of her wisdom.

After showering and getting dressed in denim jeans and a plain white T-shirt with white sneakers, I took my black SUV from the mansion's garage. It wasn't one of my favorite cars but it was a comfortable ride for my Nana and it was spacious enough for the golf clubs, picnic basket and cooler for drinks.

It was sunny and bright as I drove down the street and took the first intersection to her mansion. It was much smaller than mine but it was suitable for her; she lived alone; my grandfather passed away three years ago. Her mansion had its security guards and systems, automatic voice recognition gate, and a nice swimming pool at the front. It was located on a hill side and looked a lot like the country. I used to love coming here before I bought my own house.

"Ethan, you came!" She look so cheerful in a white flower printed dress and a white hat.

"Hi Nana, of course I came," I returned her hug.

"But why didn't you bring Emma along? The fresh air, she would have loved it. Oh baby, go back for Emma." She pulled playfully on my cheeks, which was one of her favorite things to do when asking for a favor.

My facial expression immediately changed. I already missed Emma. Letting her walk away from me was the stupidest thing I had ever done, but I didn't want to hold her against her will. She wanted to leave.

"Nana, that's not going to be possible," I said, placing the cooler into the van.

"Why is that?"

I didn't answer.

"Ethan! What did you do?"

"Nana, she left. She threw the ring at me and she left."

"Why'd she throw the ring? She's not crazy; she wouldn't just throw the ring for no reason."

"I almost cheated on her and the woman I almost cheated with left her underwear in my jacket and Emma found it." I placed the clubs in the van also then the picnic basket.

She got in the passenger's front seat, fanning herself with the hat. I knew she was upset because she was silent the entire ride to the golf course.

It was midday when we arrived. There were other golfers around and I really wanted to try my swing against her, but Nana's mood was now gloomy and dark. She wasn't up for golfing anymore. She just sat on a bench.



"Nana, I'm sorry I messed up things with her. I know you were fond of her."

"You have to fix this. How careless of you to be in another woman's arms while your fiancee was at home waiting for you!"

"Nana, I wasn't thinking straight. I've been under a lot of pressure, especially with the company."

"What pressure?"

"Well,  remember when I explained to you about the project for expansion? Well it had been disapproved."

"Why?"

"I didn't have the collateral. I needed my trust and, as you know, I have to get married and become a father or the verge of becoming a father."

"Oh my goodness, Ethan. Please don't tell me that you took the frustration out on that poor girl because she had a miscarriage."

I hesitated to answer. Was that what I did?

"Ethan, do you even love her, or were you just using her to bare a child and become your wife so your pockets would become fatter?"

"I loved her. I still do."

"Then you better fix it and make it right. I can't believe you. I didn't raise you to go around breaking young girls' hearts. Fix it before it's too late."

"I'll fix it. I'm just giving her time to calm down. She was furious with me, Nana."

"She should have slapped some sense into you."

I chuckled. Nana always knew how to brighten the mood, even when she was serious.

We did some golfing, drank and ate the goodies from the picnic basket.

Emma would have loved this. She loved the outdoors, I took her to a park once and literally had to carry her to the car because she didn't want to leave. There were so many places I had planned on taking her before winter began, so many things I wanted to teach her and let her experience with me. I wanted to spoil her and love her to the moon and back, but I messed things up.

I knew the miscarriage wasn't her fault. I knew, when I began to shut her out, it wasn't her fault as well. I didn't know what was wrong with me and why I did what I did, but what Nana asked me went deep into my thoughts. Did I really love her, or was I only in love with what she would have allowed me to gain once I had a child and gotten married to her? I knew I cared about her. I didn't want to see her cry or scared or hurt but was that love? What the hell is love?

"Nana, what's love?" I asked as our day together came to an end and I was driving back to the house.

"Love is the only word with thousands of descriptions. It doesn't have just one meaning, my child. Love is putting someone else's needs before yours. Love is understanding and respect. Love is kindness and admiration. Love is joy, laughter and humility. It's never unkind and boastful, or hurtful or painful. Love is everything good and nothing bad."

See what I meant when I said I could always count on her? The woman was a god send. She was my all and more, but whenever I told her that she would scold me and say, "God is your all and your Everything. He's a jealous God and doesn't want anyone else before him. Put your all in God. I'm just a human being, and I am your grandmother. I'm supposed to love you and want to see the best for you."

She was amazing beyond words, and was nothing like my mother, who had yet to surface because she was wanted by the police, she and Sharon.

______________________________________

(Somewhere in Italy)

Sharon's POV

"Sharon, this taste like old socks!" Mrs. Hollen screamed at me and pushed my homemade pizza across the small wooden table.

We'd been in hiding in Italy since we'd kidnapped Emma and found out that she was still alive. The stupid driver was supposed to put a bullet in her skull then dump her in the swamp for crocodiles or alligators or huge fish to feast on; but he screwed us over. The police caught him and he admitted to everything. That fool! 

"I'm sick of this place. There are too many mosquitoes. My back aches from that hard mattress. I've had it!" She shouted again, swatting at a mosquito and missing wildly.

We were in a tiny house, far from civilization. We ate fruits and nuts from trees and, when we were in need of groceries, would dress in full clothing, leaving only our eyes exposed, and travel into the city.

"Mrs. Hollen, please. At least I tried. The soup you made Wednesday gave us the runs."

She glanced furiously at me and stood up, arching her back. She went towards the small bedroom and lay on her hard mattress.

"I'll leave some for you!" I called.

"Shove it where the sun don't shine!"

"How do you plan on getting our lives back to the way they were? We're wanted by the police."

"I know that, Sharon. Do you think I don't know that? I don't know how we're going to fix this. I didn't know she was pregnant. I injured the woman pregnant with my grandchild."

"She might not be pregnant, Kate. Word is she lost the baby."

"Well, you've accomplished phase one."

"We. We're in this together. We've accomplished phrase one!" I corrected as I approached her room and pushed in the door. "You're not backing out on me, we're in this together. I say we use your damn connections, get new identities, go back to America, and finish the damn job. That little bitch ruined my life. She took away our chances at wealth; she took away my fiancee and my wedding. I want her dead!This time, I'll do it myself."