A Surprise For Ethan

POV: Harper

I sat on the plush white couch in our bedroom, my heart heavy with guilt as I watched Ethan search frantically through the house for clue Serena might have left behind. She has not contacted him like she promised and he is so worried about her. He has exhausted his contacts in an attempt to find the hotel she had lodged in. But Serena is a professional when it comes to covering her tracks. She sure knows how to keep her location a secret.

I still feel guilty for being the reason why she left. It’s my fault and I know it. The echoes of our earlier arguments replayed in my mind, and I felt responsible for her departure. If only we could put our difference aside and live together so Ethan could keep his promise. He had promised to look after Serena, and now that she is gone, he was left to pick up the pieces of a broken promise.

If only we could find her so I could speak with her and convince her to come back home. For Ethan’s sake, to ease his guilt, I am prepared to put our differences aside and let her have her way. I could let her redecorate her room if that would make her stay. I just want her to feel at home and enjoy her stay in our house.

After hours of searching and numerous phone calls, Ethan finally learned that Serena had checked into a nearby hotel. It’s his friends hotel and he had access to the hotel records. That’s how he got to know that she is staying there. Relief washed over him when he called the room number and heard her voice from the receiver. He spoke to her, finally, but it was tinged with frustration.

“Why would you leave without saying a word to me, why would you prefer the hotel to my house?

I have everything you need, I can take care of you and protect you. But you choose to leave. Why Serena, why did you leave?” he asked her furiously, demanding an explanation for her actions. She gave him some flimsy excuses, stating that her presence had pushed me to invade her privacy and visit her sister.

“She doesn’t like me, Ethan. She could hurt my sister if I don’t get away from her space. I’m scared now that she knows about your past with my sister. I have to protect myself and my sister, Ethan. We have to stay away from you from now on,” she told him, using my visit to the hospital as an excuse for her actions, making me feel even more guilty.

If you ask me, I don’t think this has anything to do with my visit to her sister. It’s been her plan from the onset, she never wanted to stay and that is why she caused so much problem fro me. My actions only made it easier for her to make excuses and leave. I know it's not my fault, it’s her desire to leave. But that doesn’t change the fact that I feel so damn guilty about it.

I know how much it’s going to affect Ethan if his relationship with them is threatened. It’s hard enough that he has to live with the guilt of misleading her sister for the rest of his life. To think that he would never have the opportunity to make up for his mistakes. That would be devastating. He turned to me with a smile, trying to ease my guilt.

"I know how you must be feeling, Harper. But trust me, It's not your fault. I’ve been there, I know how the guilt eats you from within, making you feel like a monster. For some reason, these sisters have a way of guilt tripping you even when you know are right. Unknown the feeling, and I’m telling you right now that it’s not your fault." he assured me, pulling me close and kissing me deeply.

The kiss was filled with longing and passion, but when Ethan's hands began to wander, I gently pushed him away, stopping him. He broke our kiss and looked at me, his eyes full of questions.

"I’m just not in the mood right now, Ethan. " I whispered, looking into his eyes with a warm smile on my face. He smiled back at me, understanding my need for space as he wrapped his arms around me instead, holding me tightly in his arms, cuddling me until we both drifted off to sleep on the couch.

The next day, I woke up to the scent of fresh Cappuccino and Butter Croissants, my all time favorite. Ethan sure knows how to put a smile on my face, he can go the extra mile for me. This little things he does to make me happy is the reason why I fell in love with him in the first place.

I could tell that this coffee and croissants weren’t made at home. He got them from my favorite spot, the same place Kate and I met Liam just yesterday. He probably got them before heading to the office. I smiled to myself as I picked up my phone and texted him,

“You sure know how to put a smile on my face, my love. I know I didn’t make a mistake when I agreed to spend forever with you. Thank you my love, I love you endlessly.

PS: I also have a surprise for you when you get back home tonight. I’m making your favorite meal, the same way I made them on our anniversary dinner.” I texted him, smiling to myself because I know I’m just pulling his legs.

Yes, I got his favorite meals ready, but not here at home. I called his favorite restaurant and ordered his favorite meals. I paid extra to make a special request, I specifically chose his favorite chef to make the meals because he makes them just the way I would make them for him. I remember when we first visited this restaurant while we were dating.

I was shocked when he ordered for a particular chef to make his food and even paid extra for it. It was when I tasted the food that I knee the reason for his actions. The chefs recipe are heavenly, the food melts in your mouth like ice-cream, revealing different flavors buried within. To please my husband and make his favorite meals, I had to go to culinary school and also paid to get chef floozy’s recipe.

I learnt how to make his favorite meals with the same recipe, but I’m certainly it as good as Floozy, his favorite chef of all time. So tonight, to make the surprise more fun, I called his favorite restaurant and I specifically requested for chef floozy and I had him make all Ethan’s favorite meals, all for him. This wouldn’t be a hard task because Ethan frequents this restaurant and he is used to my husbands special requests.

For starters, I had made a classic dish with prawns in a tangy Marie Rose sauce served on a bed of lettuce, the same meal I made on our ruined anniversary dinner. I’m going to finally tell him about our baby, so I want tonight to be perfect, just perfect.

The main course is a tender beef fillet coated with mushroom duxelles and wrapped in flaky pastry, served with roasted vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. Then I told him to make his favorite dessert, a warm sponge cake made with finely chopped dates, topped with a rich toffee sauce and served with vanilla ice cream.

I smiled to myself as I told him I would be having water all night because I’m pregnant. It sounded kind of alien to me, I mean being careful so I don’t hurt my baby. I will have to cut down on the coffee too. I would do anything to protect my baby, anything it takes.

I had the maids set the dining as if I was the one. Ethan knows how I add little details to my settings to make it special. I had set the dining as if I prepared his favorite meals like I promised. I’m sure Ethan would be expecting my food when he gets home.

But that’s not a problem because he would be getting something way better than food, something so special. I put the envelope in his plate, adding some rose petals around it to draw his attention to it. He knows how much I love rose petals for special occasions.

Ethan returned home to a beautifully set dining table. He must be salivating because I had promised to prepare his favorite meal as a surprise. I watched him from my hiding spot as he walked in, his heart lifted at the sight of the beautiful setting on the dining. His face brightened with a smile and he threw his suit and briefcase on the sofa and headed to the dining, practically racing to his favorite meals.

If I were him, I would have noticed that something was off the moment I walked into the house. For starters, there was no scent of spices in the house, not even in the kitchen. He seems to have forgotten how the entire building Carry’s the sweet aroma of food spices each time I’m cooking for him.

Then again, the maids who are supposed to serve the meals are nowhere in sight because I sent them home early. I know we will be eating at his favorite restaurant, so I told the maids to take the evening off and let us have fun. Only two maids are available and they are not even at the dining because he would lash out at the if he doesn’t find his food ready.

It may take a few minutes before he spots the surprise, and in his anger, he may scold anyone around. So I had them leave the dining area while I hide by the stairs and watch his reaction, capturing every moment on camera. In his excitement, he overlooked the absence of the main dish and the Fragrance that usually accompanied his meal.

When he lifted the cover from the serving dish, disappointment hit him for a split second when he found out that it was empty except for an envelope beckoning him. I saw his anger switch to surprise as his curiosity was piqued. I chuckled behind the camera, watching with love as he picked up the envelope and opened it carefully, reading through it’s contents.

Shock coursed through him as he pulled out a positive pregnancy test result, and stared at it with eyes as wide as saucers. At that moment, he heard my soft footsteps and turned to see me standing nearby, a radiant smile on my face that mirrored his joy. I stood with eyes filled with tears, cradling my flat stomach that had a little life growing inside.