Page 112 of Ethan

His mom stared at me. "Who are you?"

"My partner, Ethan, Mom. I just told you."

"Is he your son?"

Daniel exhaled long and hard. "No, Mom."

"They never come to visit."

"Who? My kids? Do you blame them? They don't even know you."

Daniel had told me his mom had nothing to do with his kids as they grew up, despite being only twenty minutes away. Now, they felt uncomfortable around her.

"Everyone wants me dead."

Daniel groaned. "No one wants you dead."

"You don't love me. You want me gone."

"Why do you think I don't love you? I've never said that."

"Those." She pointed at the closet, changing the subject. "Everything is gone." Her mind appeared to scatter at random, not able to hold onto a thought for long.

Daniel looked over his shoulder to where she was pointing. "You have lots of clothes there. They probably took some to the laundry. They should be back with them soon."

"I knew it." His mom shook her finger at Daniel. "You want to kill me."

Daniel sighed. "I thought you were already dead."

She clenched her jaw and her eyes changed. It was the freakiest thing I'd ever seen. Her gaze turned to pure evil. A death stare. "It's no wonder your dad beat you. You deserved it."

Daniel flinched but didn't stand. I sensed he was frozen in place.

"You're a nasty little boy who needs to be strapped." She turned her attention on me. "And you. You're just like your dad. You need to be punished for what you do to each other."

My dad?

Was she talking about Daniel?

A sorrowful whimper travelled the short distance from Daniel to me.

I launched myself toward him. He gripped the edge of the bed so hard his knuckles turned white, and he started shaking. I stood between him and his mom to block his view of her.

I need to get him out of here.

He looked up at me, his gaze pleading, tears in his eyes. I took his hands in mine and lifted him to his feet. "It's okay … I've got you. Come on. We're going home."

"That's it, I'm dead," his mom shouted. "He killed me!"

I glared at her. "No one killed you. Especially this wonderful man." I knew it was pointless to argue with her. Her mind had been destroyed by dementia. Those were the only words I had for her. This was why Daniel didn't visit often. He was still traumatized by his childhood, and she knew how to claw it back up. I led Daniel into the hallway and motioned for a care aide.

His mom was hanging off the back of my shirt, yanking at me, and screaming.

The care aide came running.

"Sam, dear, let them go," the care aide encouraged. "Your son will be back."

Not so sure about that.

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