His Loving Embrace

ETHAN'S POV

We were seated in the living room, having a nice family time when all of a sudden, it was interrupted by a knock on the door. ' who's that' I asked myself.

Ethan, please check who is that the door " mum said. "The security didn't inform me of any one's arrival " she added.

I lazily stood up and went to open the door only to behold a beauty, a goddess in human form. At that moment, I could have sworn that anyone would agree with me that she deserved to be crowned MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD. Her makeup. goshh... Complemented her face, not too heavy, not too light.

George.... Her voice echoed piercing through my thought. I just cleared my throat and smiled. She seemed to checked me out and that brought out a feeling, a warm, cozy feeling, a feeling that has been lost for years. Then I recognized her. Selena, George's wife. GOD. She looked different. When I came back six months ago, I was told of her and shown her pictures. She looked beautiful. There was a time that I secretly tracked her to her house and followed her. But then she was not glowing, she was not even as beautiful as she looked in the pictures I was shown. It looked like she supposedly made herself unattractive and off course George was the reason but now I was seeing a totally different person. 

"You must be Selena I said and she immediately composed herself and answered. Then she blushed. She actually blushed. Her reaction alone made the knot in my belly come loose. I brought my hand forward and introduced myself.

She accepted it and we shook hands. When we touched, I felt sparks moving around my body. I was so lost in her beauty.

Ethan who's there? I heard mum's voice bringing me out of my own little world. I opened the door and step aside as she let herself in happily

'Why is she happy?

Does she know that George is coming back?

Who told her ?'

I kept asking my self these questions. " Hi mum, hi Dad" she greeted. I closed the door and approached them. I saw a surprised mum and dad.

And as for Hannah, her head was down. Then the realization hit me. Of course she was the one who told Selena. Considering the way she always speaks good of Selena. And poor Selena got herself a new makeover and came here happily waiting impatiently for her husband. I felt so sorry for her.

The poor ignorant woman did not know what the future had installed for her. She looked so happy that I wondered if she would ever be able to handle the incoming heart break.

This was why mum and dad suggested not to tell her anything yet so that they could find the best way to break the news to her but Hannah just had to tell her. She must really love him. I couldn't help being angry at George knowing what he would be subjecting this poor woman to.

"What are you doing here? " Mum asked still shocked. Instead of replying, she went towards them and hugged them as a good daughter in-law but they didn't return it.

" Fine, I know you guys are suprised to see me.

Well a little birdie told me that George is on his way back" she said smiling. " Who told you? " Mum asked almost immediately and turned to looked at Hannah who was no where to be seen. Turns out she had sneaked away. " That woman" mum muttered she was audible to our hearing. " Mum common, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I am here now" she said. " Aren't you guys happy to see me?" She asked but none of them answered.

How will they be happy to see her when her presence here will just cause trouble? Seeing that they were still mute, she added " mum, dad, I know that you guys wanted George to come see me himself which would have been very romantic.

Trust me, I would have loved that too. Butttt... I couldn't wait. I want my face to be the first thing he is greeted with immediately before he steps into this house. 

'OH MY GOD ' I exclaimed inwardly' what an ignorant woman.'" mum, dad why are you guys not saying anything. Are you not happy to see me ?" She complained. Dad, who had not said anything since she came back due to shock immediately stood up and hugged her. "My daughter, we are excited to see you. It is just that your visit is unexpected. We're glad you're here. Just go upstairs and unpack. Your room is opened ". Kate did not seem happy to hear what he said. She looked at mum who was still seated looking dazed and then looked at dad again. The sparkle in her eyes had disappeared as she sensed that something was wrong. She quietly took her luggages and went upstairs. Well, that was expected.

" Mum, dad how can we do this to her. Look at how happy she was. Happily ignorant". I said angrily." Ethan please not now. " Mum said trying to pacify me. " This is why I wanted her not to know so that when George comes back, he would explain everything but no, some people's mouth can't be shut even for a second. Where is Hannah? Mum, please leave Hannah out of this. She too does not know anything. If she had known, she wouldn't have informed George. Mum just sighed. Problem upon problem. 

SELENA POV

I went upstairs thinking about mum and Dad's attitude. I couldn't even asked them about Ethan seeing the way they were behaving. I guess that is for another day. I got to the room George and I shared. When I opened it, it was already arranged and decorated. Every where had a rose flower scent. That was George favorite flower. As I was about approaching the bed, Emily, the house maid stopped me.

"Aunty Selena" she screamed lightly and hugged me.

At least she was happy to see me. "How are you doing? " I asked her as I hugged her back " I am fine" she said and we both laughed. " Let's go to your room " her words shocked me. Is this not my room? " What do you mean Emily? " I asked her. " Well. Aunty said you should occupy one of the guest room. " " Guest room? " I asked perturbed" yes" she replied innocently. She seemed surprised also. I didn't want to argue as I felt tired. " Okay, lead the way " I said yawning. " You seem tired?" She asked. " I am" I replied her. She helped me with my luggages and led me to another corridor.

They were two rooms there adjacent to each other.

One looked like it was already occupied as it was slightly opened. Who owns this room It is for Mr Ethan. Ethan, I repeated in my mind.

I opened the room fully out of curiosity. Every where was messed up. Empty wraps of snacks and chocolate everywhere, clothes scattered in the bed, an underwear hanging on the plasma TV. I had seen enough. Don't you arrange his room? I asked Emily. I arranged it this morning she replied. It reminded me of George who was even worse. If the room is arranged, within two minutes, he would turn it upside down. What attracted me to this guy?

Emily opened my door and dropped my luggages by the side. After she jumped on the bed and made space for me. I laid beside her. I missed you a lot sis, how was your journey? Still the same old chatty girl. Emily why didn't you tell me that George was coming back? I asked ignoring her questions. Well aunty said to keep it from you.

She said something about George surprising you. 

After she said that, I relaxed a bit. Emily we will talk later I'm tired okay, but when you wake up we will have a lot of catching up to do " okay" I said and dozed off.

I woke up to a weird sight, seeing a fair version of George gazing intently at me. George I muttered sleepily. Then I noticed him grinning widely with a smirk on his face. Immediately I stood up and rubbed my eyes regaining my senses. " You, Ethan, what are you doing here? " I asked angrily. " Don't you know it is bad manners to not knock and barge into somebody's room especially when that person is your brother's wife? Plus you even have the audacity to sit on her bed, staring, what if someone comes here? " I complained endlessly.

Instead of replying me, he laughed. " I love the way you snore with your mouth open. You looked adorable. I do not snore, I argued. " You do " he argued back. And picking your nose and putting the ' whatever' inside your mouth JEEZZZ. I never expected such from a lady especially from my brother's wife he said using the air quote.

GOD, he caught me. My mum always complained about it, including dad, Naski, even George and everyone that has seen me sleeping. What was wrong with me. I bowed my head a little, feeling ashamed and I blushed. Selena stop it. What is with you blushing when this man is always around' I scolded myself.

"You should always blush, it suits you. " He caught me again. I looked at him and heaved deeply. " What are you doing here? "Well I wanted to check on my sister in-law. " He answered. " I knocked but no one answered. So I opened the door only to be welcomed with an amazing sight of a sleeping you.

"Thank you". I said smiling. At least someone cared for me. " So George had a brother and no one told me about it? " I asked. " Technically, I was kind of disowned. Disowned? Yeah he answered. I was accused of murder and it looked so real that even my own parents believed I was the culprit. Dad, being hot tempered as always sent me away for years to stay in Singapore until the matter was settled. It happened when I just turned eighteen. After about 4 years, I was able to make something of myself and stopped depending on mum and dad for money. The truth recently came out. It was discovered I was framed by some person that is still unknown. They begged me to come back. Initially I refused but after a lot of persuasion, I came back. I have being around for six months. Soon I will be going back as I still have my business to run

"You must have felt lonely. " " You have no idea."

We soon got caught up in a conversation. " I will be thirty in less than two months. Six years of my life has been wasted " I said sadly in the middle of our conversation. " Don't say that " he said trying to console me. " Okay. At least George would be around to celebrate with me my thirty birthday. Immediately I said that I noticed his mood turned sour. Is anything wrong? I asked him. Why did you wait? You should be remarried. " He said. I smiled. " That's not how the heart works. " He nodded in agreement. You know, I have fallen in love before, during the time I was away. Those moments where very beautiful. He smiled sadly. " So what happened? " I asked curiously. " Did she break your heart?" He laughed. No. She died. She died leaving me. It was so painful. 

I didn't realize I had stopped breathing the moment he said that. I took a deep breath and looked at him. His face bore sorrow. I couldn't imagine what would happen if George dies. " I'm sorry. We all will eventually die one day". I said trying to cheer him up. "Yes we will" he said smiling. We continued with our conversation. I discovered he had a lot of likes with George. Though they're three years apart, anyone who sees them together, would think they are twins only that he was fairer than him. I couldn't help but notice that anytime I brought up George or anything related to him, Ethan would become uneasy. ' I just hope my husband is fine. ' we continued talking until Emily came to call us for dinner. He excused himself while I went to freshen up.