Page 96 of Ethan & Grace

He let his arm drop. “Grace, please.”

“Getting drunk won’t help. You’ll just feel terrible afterwards.”

“I already feel terrible,” he said quietly, as if he hoped I wouldn’t hear. But I had.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

He gave me a brief summary of how he’d found out about Hazel’s assault, and how he had then comforted his mum, who was understandably devastated. “When I left the room, my dad was just sitting there in his armchair, and he had the audacity to ask whether Mum had calmed down yet. I told him that he was a pathetic bastard and that I wished he weren’t my dad. And then he slapped me.” Ethan touched his cheek absently. It was red and visibly irritated, but the mark would probably be gone in a couple of days.

“He shouldn’t have done that.”

“No, but I shouldn’t have pushed him either. I’m no better than him.”

Ethan’s words left a bitter taste in my mouth. “Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true. He’s hurt people. I’ve hurt people. He hit me. And I pushed him.” He shook his head and gave a dry laugh, as if he’d told a joke only he understood. “I tried so hard to become the opposite of what he wanted to turn me into, but somehow I’ve ended up just like him anyway.”

I stiffened. “Don’t be silly.”

“It’s not silly. I was selfish the last few years, just like him. I was arrogant—like him. I was condescending and thoughtless—like him. And now I’m hitting people. Like him. If that doesn’t make me like him, I don’t know what does,” he said, his voice firm. He genuinely seemed to believe every word.

I shook my head. “You were never like him. And you still aren’t.”

“I treated you like shit, just because I could.”

It was true that he’d made my job difficult last year, but he’d never hurt me, physically or emotionally. We’d pushed each other’s buttons, that had been all. And I wouldn’t have let our verbal sparring get to me nearly as much if I hadn’t been so annoyed by the fact that I secretly found him attractive.

“You annoyed me. I annoyed you. That’s all,” I said resolutely, fixing him with my gaze. “Your dad, on the other hand, raped women and girls. And beat you as a child. You were just defending yourself against the man who made your life hell. That doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“Still, I got violent with him.” It was clear how heavily it weighed on him, and I could understand why. Through his fear-distorted perception, he thought he had become the person he was most afraid of—but he was wrong. He couldn’t see the situation clearly. His vision was clouded by a veil of dread.

I scooted closer and reached for his hands. His fingers were cold and clammy between mine, but I didn’t let go. I squeezed him tightly, giving him my warmth. “OK, sure, you got physical, but unlike your dad, you feel bad about it. Do you think he regrets having hit you? I doubt it. And that makes a huge difference, which you probably can’t see right now. But I see it. And I see you,” I said, smiling at him encouragingly. “And when I look at you, I see the polar opposite of your dad; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. You’re not bad. You’re traumatised, and you were afraid. No one would have acted rationally in that situation. That doesn’t say anything about you as a person. So please don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Ethan was silent, but at least this time, he didn’t argue with me, which I took as a victory. It was the best outcome I could hope for in this situation. The rest would just take time and a lot of care.

“How about you get dressed? I’ll make you something to eat, then we can watch a film together. Or I can watch the rest of Sk8 with you, if you like.”

“I’ve already finished it,” he muttered.

“Great, so I can show you Haikyu!! next. It’s about volleyball.”

I got up from the floor and held out a hand to Ethan. He took it, and in that moment, I wished he could see himself through my eyes for just one second, because it would have banished all his worries and fears.

He might not be perfect—no one was. But he was by far the best thing that had happened to me in a very long time. He was understanding, gentle, and supportive. And I would do everything in my power to make him see how wonderful he was, if he could just find the courage to be himself.

The Blackroom

There’s been a surprising twist in the Richard Darlington case! Just a few hours ago, it was still looking as though Darlington might get away unscathed, his highly paid lawyers having pulled out all the stops to paint him as the victim of a smear campaign led by angry women. Again and again, they claimed that former hotel employees Miranda McCloud, Chloe Lawrence, and Amiyah Marsh were waging a personal vendetta against Darlington out of frustration at being passed over for promotion.

But a new plaintiff has now come forward: Hazel Parker (20). Parker has accused Darlington of luring her into a storage room and assaulting her three years ago at a charity gala they had both been invited to. Hazel was not an employee of the hotel and had no personal connection to Darlington. What’s more, she has something the other plaintiffs do not—solid evidence. In a video, Darlington can be seen assaulting her, a minor at the time, in a truly disturbing manner.

We deeply regret that Hazel had to endure such an ordeal, but her brave decision to come forward stands as a testament to her strength and offers hope that justice will prevail.

35

Your dad told me what happened.

His arm is broken. I thought you might want to know. I hope you’re OK.