Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ethan

THE GROUP CLASS wasn't at all what Ethan expected. He'd filled out the forms with Reagan to set up his schedule and payment. He knew without asking that Justin would support this decision of his. He had one private session with Danny on Tuesdays before group and group met on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week for one month before the start of a new session. After completing the first group, there were options for an intermediate and an advanced group to continue the training. Ethan felt good about this, and he appreciated that it genuinely felt like a safe space without only claiming to be.

A kid, around thirteen or fourteen, was buzzed in and stopped at the desk next to Ethan. He looked at Ethan, and Ethan naturally looked back, not failing to notice the fading yellowish-green bruise under the kid's eye.

"Markus," he said and handed Reagan his cell phone.

"Ethan." Ethan glanced down at his own cell phone on the counter and then at Markus again.

"You have to give it to her for class," Markus said. "I don't have keys, but the grown-ups give her those too."

"Well, thanks for letting me know." Ethan handed over his phone, keys, and completed forms.

"Markus, you want to show Ethan what to do since he wasn't in the first class?" Reagan said.

"Sure. We just have to stretch."

"All right," Ethan agreed, though he'd already stretched since they still had about twenty minutes before class began.

"I like your shirt. Warriors. That's cool."

"Thanks," Ethan said, following the kid. "What does yours say?"

"Drama club. It's from my school. But it says Thespian. "

"Yeah, this one is from my old school too."

They sat down on the spring floor, and Ethan copied the stretches Markus did.

"You have to stretch on your own before class," Markus said. "You are supposed to get here fifteen minutes early so you can stretch."

The door opened, and several people came in.

"That's Kelly, Linda, and Micha. This is Ethan," Markus announced.

Ethan gave a wave as the others joined them, everyone getting busy with their tasks and offering simple hellos. When the last four joined them, it was pretty much the same: a brief introduction by Markus, and everyone stretched. There wasn't a lot of chitchat. No one wore fashionable gym clothes; it was down-to-business T-shirts, sweats, shorts, and tennis shoes. Ethan got it; everyone was here for the same reason as him, and he could admit he didn't feel intimidated or embarrassed.

Danny came in, briefly greeted everyone, and said, "Leave any jewelry with Reagan. We don't want any accidental injuries."

Ethan slipped off his ring and headed back to Reagan, along with Linda, who had forgotten to remove her earrings. They handed them over and returned to line up for the session at Danny's direction. Another coach, Jessie, a female instructor, would co-teach the class.

"Jessie is cool," Markus whispered next to Ethan. "Don't worry."

Ethan fought a grin. The kid was a cool little dude, trying to help him out. "Thanks, man."

"I got your back."

"Same," Ethan whispered, and they nodded at each other with a solemn agreement.

*

ETHAN PARKED HIS car in the garage and mustered enough strength to open the door and drag his ass inside. His mom, my God, he loved her , was cooking dinner and chuckled at the sight of him.

"Feed me, I'm dying."

"Tell me all about it," she said, scrunching her nose. "After you shower."

A few minutes later, Ethan returned, not much better but clean, and sat at the plate she had ready. Her question couldn't be put off for long, but Ethan greedily ate a few bites and then told her.

"I started a self-defense class today."

"Really?"

"It kicked my ass."

"I see that. Are you going back?"

" Oh yeah , tomorrow and Thursday," Ethan said, and then he had to stop talking so he could eat more.

"Hmm, maybe it is a good thing Justin isn't here right now," his mom said, lifting a brow.

Ethan only chewed, cheeks full, and shook his head. Justin would be ready to kill someone if he saw Ethan in this state and didn't know why.

"I'll have to give him a heads-up about it," Ethan said between forkfuls.

"I'm proud of you. Eat, and tell me the rest after."

He did, and then he told her everything as they loaded the dishwasher.

"I think I want to go back to in-person school. I just learn better that way. So, I thought I'd take this class while I have time off, and that way, I'll be in the right headspace to go back and finish up."

"You and Dad talked about it before."

"I wasn't ready then. I am now."

"Can I tell him?"

"Yeah." Ethan told her about support day and wanting them to be there.

"We'll be there. Now, we didn't finish talking about this hair situation."

"I'm letting it grow out a little bit. I've never done that, so…" Ethan shrugged.

"Fine."

*

ETHAN WENT TO his group classes for the next two evenings. During the daytime, his mom helped him with things around the house. They ran errands, tried a few restaurants, found a few take-out places Ethan could use if he didn't want to cook for one, and handled getting his new Florida driver's license. By Thursday evening, she was ready to head back home and help with the Booster club for his dad's team, and Ethan was practically bouncing all day Friday, waiting for Justin to finally come home. He couldn't wait to tell him everything.