i put the key into ignition, starting up my jeep. i then take out my phone and text ethan to send me the address to his apartment.
after a few seconds, he sends it. i put it into the GPS app on my phone and then back out of the driveway and follow the directions there.
when i get there about ten minutes later, i park in the parking garage and then wait at the entrance of the building for ethan to buzz me in.
"it's me," i say into the speaker on the wall, and the door buzzes unlocked.
i walk to the elevator, hitting the button for the fifteenth floor. once i get there, i can hear shouting as i walk to his door.
i knock, and ethan opens it almost immediately. "thank god you're here."
i hear glass shattering in the background. "what's going on?"
"here, take luna." he hands me luna gently, then turns around and walks back in. i follow hesitantly.
luna's eyes are puffy, as if she's been crying. i hold her close to me instinctively.
looking around, there's a bunch of broken glass on the ground. i see kara standing there, her eyes wide. "i can't believe you ethan!" she yells at him, grabbing a vase from one of the end tables and throwing it on the ground.
"kara, stop it!" ethan shouts, grabbing kara's arms. she tries resisting him, hitting his chest to make him let go.
i cover luna's ears lightly and turn my body to face her away from them. when i look down at her, i can see she looks scared.
well, i would be too if my parents were screaming at each other and i was in some stranger's arms.
kara finally stops hitting ethan and glares at me. "you brought her here?" she narrows her eyes at ethan.
"i just needed her help so she could watch lun-"
kara cuts him off, slapping him across the cheek. i flinch as the sound echoes through his high-ceiling apartment.
then she breaks down crying. she falls to the ground, ethan still holding her wrists. he kneels next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"get her out of here," kara says through sobs. "and get my baby out of her arms."
ethan hesitates, looking up at me. "now!" she screams at him, then goes back to crying.
ethan stands up and walks over to me. i hand him luna, and he holds her so her head is on his shoulder. i can see luna is relieved to be back in her dad's arms.
"i'll just go then," i say, not wanting to piss off kara any more than she already is.
"no, go up to my room," he says quietly so only i can hear. "i'll be a few minutes."
"are you sure?" i look over his shoulder at kara, who's watching us with narrowed eyes.
"yes, just wait for me up there." his large hand holds luna's back as she snuggles into his neck. "i have to deal with kara."
i nod and then turn around, heading up the stairs behind me. before going up, i look over at them one more time and see kara taking luna from ethan's arms as she gives him a death stare.
before kara can see me, i walk into ethan's room.
-
ETHAN'S POV
kara takes luna from me, and i instantly feel fear consume me. "where are you taking her?" i ask her as she starts walking away.
"away from you."
"why?" she keeps walking, ignoring my question. i grab her shoulder and turn her to face me. "answer me."
"she's my baby, ethan. i can do whatever the hell i want with her."
"she's my baby, too," i try reaching for luna, but kara grips her harder and jerks her away.
luna starts crying, and kara glares at me. "look at what you did, ethan. now she's not going to shut the hell up the entire ride home."
i feel panic rising in my chest. "kara, let me take her then. tonight's my night with her anyway."
"no! not while you have that slut here. i don't want her anywhere near luna." she looks me dead in the eyes. "am i making myself clear, ethan?"
i just nod, not wanting to get her upset. she turns around again and opens the door to leave.
"when are you bringing her back?" i ask before she leaves.
"i don't know, we'll see." luna keeps screaming in kara's arms and kara just squeezes her closer to her. then she shuts the door and i feel my chest heaving.
i am so scared she's going to hurt luna. it's not like it'd be the first time she almost does.
i pace around the living room, running my hands through my hair. i didn't know what to do. if i call her right now, she could get into an accident.
leaning down, i start picking up some of the bigger pieces of glass and toss them in the trash. then i grab a broom and start getting the rest of the smaller fragments.
rylin comes down now. "did she leave?"
i just nod, rubbing my face with my hand and then continue sweeping.
rylin looks at me with concern, then looks around the room. "where's luna?"
"kara took her."
rylin stands there not knowing what to say. she walks over to me, seeing my worry. "she'll be fine, though, right? it's not like kara would hurt her own baby."
i scoff. "you'd be surprised."
her eyes widen. "she's hurt luna before?"
"well, not technically. but i feel like if she were to get angry enough, she might."
rylin sits on the couch, motioning me to join her. i move the pile of glass to the corner of the room and then lean the broom against the wall. i then walk and sit next to her. she leans over, resting her elbows on her knees lost in thought. finally, she turns to face me.
"can i hear that long story now?"
i exhale heavily. i didn't even know where to start.
"well, i guess it sort of started once luna was born. kara couldn't connect with her. she said she felt like luna wasn't even her baby. so kara got really depressed for a while and started having thoughts about hurting luna." i pause, taking a breath. "so we decided to try therapy and they told her she has postpartum depression."
rylin nods, biting her lip.
"the therapy actually helped her for a while. she was spending more time with luna and being a really good mom to her. but then she started drinking, and she got more irritable and aggressive. she was picking fights with me all the time, and every little thing luna would do would annoy the shit out of her. she won't go to therapy anymore, either."
"why do you let her near luna?"
i sigh. "she's still luna's mom. and we share joint custody of her. i have her friday through monday, and kara half of monday through thursday. but lately she's been dropping by and taking her whenever she feels like it."
"why don't you stop her?"
"i try my best not to get her upset so she's in a good mood while she has luna." i hunch over, letting my head rest in my hands. "but i don't know what i'd do if luna ever got hurt."
the thought of anyone, even kara, laying a hand on my baby kills me. luna's my everything now.
rylin scooches over on the couch so our legs are pressed against each other. she places a hand on my back comfortingly, moving her palm back and forth. "i'm sorry i haven't been here for you through all of this."
as much as i wanted to be, i couldn't be mad at her. i had to understand her decision in leaving. luna isn't her obligation.
"don't be. i'm glad you're here now." i sit up, looking her in the eyes. she smiles at me and i feel my feelings for her rushing through me.
i still love her so damn much.
she blushes, looking away from me while i keep staring at her. being around her again makes me so happy.
"so why can't you move in with me?" i ask her.
"ethan, i told you, i live in new york now with amy."
"and? move here."
she laughs. "it's not that easy. and amy would kill me if i just left her like that."
"i'm sure she'd understand."
"no, she's very stubborn."
"like you?"
she bites her lip. "no, not like me. i'm not stubborn."
i scoff. "rylin, you are the absolute most stubborn person i've ever met in my entire life."
she hits my arm playfully, gasping. "okay, that was a little extra, e."
i laugh, bumping my shoulder with hers. when i look at her again, i find her already staring at me.
"how's your cheek?" she asks me, concern laced in her voice.
i press my hand against it, having completely forgotten kara even hit me. i guess i'm used to it by now.
"it's fine. i don't even feel it." i give her a small, reassuring smile.
looking at the ground, i can feel my stomach twist. i was still so worried about luna.
i stand, looking at rylin. "i'm going to go over her apartment. something just feels wrong right now."
the way kara looked at me when she left with her was different than other times. i needed to check on them.
"want me to come with you?" rylin asks me as she stands up.
"you're not busy?"
"no, and even if i was, it wouldn't matter. i'm here for you now, okay, ethan?" she grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze.
i nod and then she lets go of my hand as we walk out.
-
when we get to kara's apartment, i knock on her door and we wait.
after about a minute, i knock again, louder this time. she still doesn't answer.
my heart beats faster as i keep knocking. "kara! open the door!"
i feel relief wash over me when she finally opens the door. "what the hell do you want?"
i push past her, walking into her apartment. rylin follows, staying behind me.
"you're fucking kidding me. you brought rylin?" she closes her door and then takes a step closer to me. i swallow, taking a step back.
"rylin is going to be in my life whether you like it or not, kara." i look at her sternly.
"that's fine. do whatever the fuck you want ethan. but she will not be in luna's life." she crosses her arms.
"you don't get to decide that."
"i'm her mother, not you or that whore. so yes, i do." she glances at rylin, then narrows her eyes at me.
"i'm not having this argument with you again. we're both her parents. you don't have more say than i do."
"i'm the one that actually carried her for nine months. she's more mine than yours."
rylin's hand strokes my back, keeping me calm. when i glance back at her, she gives me a warm smile.
"ethan, you should just go." kara opens the door again, motioning for me to leave.
"not until i see luna." i stand straighter, crossing my arms over my chest.
"she's fine. you don't have to worry about her." kara smiles.
i don't believe a single word she says. she's lied to me countless times about luna. any trust i ever had for her is gone now.
i try walking past her but she puts a hand on my chest. "stop. i'm telling you she's okay."
"then why won't you let me see her?" i push her out of my way and walk down the hall that leads to luna's room.
and that's when i hear it.
as i walk past the bathroom, i can hear the water running. i open the door and see the tub filled with water.
my breaths come out fast and choppy as i run over to the tub. through the water, i can see luna lying under the water.
- - -
hey guys! i know it's super late, but here's another update!
btw, i don't know if i'll be updating tomorrow since it's father's day and i'll be with family. but as always, if i'm not busy, i might! :)
hope you all have a great father's day!
love you all, keep commenting and voting!!
- lexi