Exes & Ohs

The Vow

Ethan is on the phone with his mother. She sends condolences about Betsy, but she's more than a little jealous that Odette's family met Ethan before she met Odette. She loves Ethan, the Parkers are a very close family. Ethan promises they'll visit soon.

Ethan and Odette are back at his beach house, She refuses to go back to her loft at Tic Tac Joe's. Ethan isn't sure if she's going to work there anymore. Yesterday she sleepily muttered something about everywhere being stained with memories.

Ethan was fine with Odette staying home all day while he worked. He knew that she probably wasn't the type of girl who would leech off of whatever guy she's with. But he thought she would like being free to write whenever. He would think of it more like being a patron of the arts instead of a sugar daddy.

All Ethan wants is for Odette to need him the way he needs her. If he were forced to choose he'd pick Odette over air because the thought of losing her burns worse in his chest than when he holds his breath for too long. That's what being in love with her is for him, he is so wrapped up in her existence that he's starting to question his own.

If Odette ceased to exist he thinks he will too.

Odette turns to him and says "If I killed myself, would you blame yourself?"

He stops and really thinks about it. "Yes, No, I don't know. No because you would be the one taking your life. But yes because it's my job to protect you." He finally answers.

"You can't protect me from myself. I think I'm too broken."

He sighs and strokes her face. "You're a person Odette, and a lovely one at that. You're this beautiful formation of chromosomes and blood, skin and bones. You are human, not some toy or thing. You are not broken." He says.

He then grabs her by her jawline lightly forcing her to look him in the eye. He says "If you die, I swear I will kill myself."

She looks displeased, like something far too sour has been shoved into her mouth, violating her palette. "That's sick, Ethan. If I ever die I wouldn't want that for you. I would want you to live on and be happy."

"I couldn't be happy. I think that the moment your heart stops beating mine will just stop too. I promise."

She sighs. "Don't promise something like that."

"Too late."

"You're a little unstable aren't you?" She says.

"Probably. It bother you?" He answers.

"No, I'm more than a tad unstable myself."