Page 420 of Chaos has a Name
That was one of the fundamental reasons the man’s psyche was fractured. He had trauma from his youth that he’d just begun working through.
“Yes.”
“Callie,” he said, not believing he was about to say this. “I don’t want to leave here. Wyler is going to have chemo, and as soon as Elizabeth closes this case, we’re leaving.”
Uh-oh.
“Okay, Ethan. Now, I have to ask questions so I can help you.”
He was ready.
“Are you saying this because you genuinely want to be there or because of that pull.”
Well, he was pretty sure it was because of the pull.
“I feel like I have unfinished business. I feel like I need to be here. The place is calling to me, and I’m not sure I should fight it this time.”
She listened.
“I have been practicing Shamanism, and learning everything I can for the last four years. I’ve been finding new things out about me, and I know that Timothy wanted me here.”
She stopped him.
“But do you want to be there? That’s the question, Ethan. You get to do what Ethan needs, not what Timothy always wanted. Frankly, he made a mess.”
Yeah, he was aware.
He was honest.
“I saw what we’ve done here. Recently, Gene and I inherited a company from Chris. We’re so rich it’s ridiculous. I want to be here to make all the people here feel valued. I saw this little child, and I remember being poor here.”
She knew he had a giant heart.
That wasn’t his issue.
It was navigating the damage that was.
“I can do so much here. My issue is that Elizabeth hates it here, and so does Callen. All they’ve said since being here is theycan’t wait to leave. Chris has old memories here that hurt him too. What right do I have to ask this of them?”
She was curious.
“And Gene?”
He thought back.
“When we were younger, we had an amazing relationship—until we didn’t. Then, he always said he’d come here with me. I haven’t asked him, but I think he’d stay.”
Callie sighed.
“You already know the answer to this, Ethan. You need to just tell your partners your needs. You always hold them in, and it makes a mess. That’s Callie your friend, not Callie your shrink.”
He was curious.
“What does Callie my therapist say?”
That was easy.
“That if you want a healthy relationship, you sometimes have to trust and believe that you’re allowed to have what you need. You need to be there. Tell your family, and go from there. If they can’t be there, you can still see them, Ethan. You have the luxury of wealth to do that. So do they.”
