Page 10 of Tides of Change
“Not enough times,” Ethan countered. A grin tugged at his lips as he settled on the other side of Noah. Ethan nudged Noah with his elbow. “This is one of my favorites. I could quote the whole movie by heart—I’ve watched it about a thousand times with my niece. Let’s see if you can keep up with me.”
That earned him a beaming smile from Noah, who seemed thrilled to have found a fellowFrozenaficionado. I grabbed the remote, queued up the movie, and hit play.
The opening notes of “Frozen Heart” filled the room, the deep voices of the ice harvesters singing as they worked. Noah narrated and explained every character and scene, like he was giving Ethan a personal tour of Arendelle. Ethan hung on everyword, nodded, and asked questions that only fueled Noah’s enthusiasm.
When Anna sang “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Noah and Ethan joined in, loud and off-key. Ethan, for all of his virtues, had a cringeworthy singing voice. The two clicked their tongues like a clock, and Ethan flicked his eyes back and forth like Anna peeking through the keyhole. That sent Noah into a fit of giggles, and I chuckled.
I noticed Ethan’s energy. He wasn’t just tolerating the movie for Noah’s sake—he was fully into it and dramatically gasped when Hans made his first appearance.
Noah solemnly declared, “He’s the bad guy.”
Ethan clutched his chest. “What? No! He seems so nice!” and earned another round of laughter from Noah.
My spirits lifted at their interactions, and I sat back and enjoyed the fun.
By the time the snow creature showed up, the intensity on the screen had Noah sliding closer to Ethan. When the creature roared, Noah covered his eyes and snuggled into Ethan’s side. Ethan froze for a moment and his hand hovered uncertainly above Noah’s back. He glanced at me and his eyes silently asked,Is this okay?
I nodded, and Ethan gently rested his hand on Noah’s back. He rubbed small circles as he murmured, “It’s okay, bub. I’ve got you.”
The simple gesture punched me in the gut. I watched Ethan care for Noah so naturally and thoughtfully, and an ache stirred within me—an ache that was unfamiliar and yet settling.
For the rest of the movie, Noah stayed glued to the edge of his seat, practically shouting at the characters as if they could hear him. “No, Anna, don’t trust him!” He threw his hands up.
I gave Ethan a knowing look and mouthed, “See what I mean?”
Ethan smirked in return, but a fondness lit his eyes.
When the movie ended and everyone in Arendelle had their happy-ever-after, Noah flopped back on the couch like he’d just finished a marathon. “That was awesome.”
I couldn’t agree more, though my thoughts weren’t about the movie. Ethan fit so effortlessly into our little family dynamic, which left me with a tug to know him better.
“All right, kiddo.” I ruffled Noah’s hair. “Bedtime.”
Predictably, Noah groaned. “But I’m not tired!”
“You just flopped like a snowman melting in the sun.”
Noah frowned. “Okay, maybe I’m a little tired. But can Mr. Ethan read me a story?” He turned to Ethan. “Pleeease?”
Ethan looked at me, his expression unsure, as if worried he was intruding upon our bedtime routine.
“Your call,” I said with a shrug.
Ethan nodded, smiling gently. “We can read the book I signed.”
“Yay!” Noah launched off the sofa and his feet pounded the floor as he disappeared down the hall, a whirlwind of renewed energy. His laugh trailed behind him and lit up the house.
“Brush your teeth and go potty!” I called after him.
A glum, “Okay, Daddy,” floated back, muffled by the distance.
Ethan’s mellow laugh followed me as I headed toward Noah’s room. The sound wrapped around me, low and warm.
Inside Noah’s room, I helped him into his dinosaur-print pajamas, the colors faded from countless washes but still his favorite. Ethan respected our privacy and waited quietly in the hallway. I appreciated his consideration. Noah wiggled eagerly when I handed him the book.
“You can come in now.” I glanced over my shoulder.
Ethan stepped inside, and his hesitant smile caught me off guard. Shy yet sincere, it sent a ripple through my chest. Ifurrowed my brows, confused by my reaction to Ethan. It had been so long since a man’s smile affected me.
