Ethan turned and began walking away, leaving Cal to stare wide-eyed at the crumpled piece of paper carrying the results that would ruin Ethan's life.
The statistics...
Hot tears began to burn Ethan's eyes as his legs carried him further and further away. He had no idea where he was going-he just had to get away. To escape from all of this. Even if it wasn't true, he could still pretend that he could run away from this.
I'm clear, Cal!
He couldn't have let Emilie know about it- what kind of son would he be to let his mother's last moments be tarnished by the knowledge that she had passed her Huntingtons down?
But now Ethan was going to have to deal with it. Deal the fact that slowly, so slowly yet so surely, he would begin to lose control. Lose control of everything- first his mind, then his body. And then once it had taken over his whole body, he wouldn't be able to do anything anymore. It wouldn't be him, it would be the Huntingtons using his body, controlling his every move like a robot.
And then there's Cal. How would Cal deal with this? Either it would tear Cal to bits to see Ethan like that, or he would end up running away. Again. Just like he ran away with their adopted mother, when things got too hard for him.
But somewhere deep down, Ethan knew that Cal wouldn't run away this time. But, in a way, that made things worse. Much, much worse. He knew that Cal would do everything he could to help Ethan, and that meant quitting his job, spending hours tending to Ethan's every need, becoming stressed and over-protective- he couldn't let that happen to Cal.
"Ethan!"
A voice that he knew so well called out from behind him. He kept walking.
"Ethan, stop! Please!"
He slowly stopped, but still didn't turn around to face his brother.
"What is it, Cal?" He asked quietly, his voice shaking as he held back tears.
"Look, Ethan, maybe... Maybe the test was wrong or something? I mean... You... You can't have it, right?" Cal said nervously.
All of a sudden, Ethan lost it.
He spun around to face Cal, "I HAVE IT! I HAVE IT, OKAY! STOP TRYING TO DENY IT!"
Cal flinched in shock as Ethan yelled. This was very un-Ethanish.
"I-I'm sorry Ethan, I just... I just wish it could be different..." Cal mumbled, staring at the ground.
"WELL IT'S NOT, OKAY?! I HAVE HUNTINGTONS, AND MY LIFE, AND MY CAREER, AND... AND EVERYTHING, IS RUINED BECAUSE OF IT!" Ethan shouted, a sob escaping his throat.
"Ethan..." Cal whispered, the pain in his voice audible, "Ethan, I promise you, we are not going to let this ruin your life."
"We?" Ethan inquired quietly, his eyes meeting Cal's.
"Yes, we. There's no way I'm letting you go through this alone, okay? I promise you, I'll do anything, anything, for you. I-I'll quit my job, I'll-"
Ethan cut him off, tears now running freely down his face, "No, Cal. This... This is exactly what I'm afraid of. The Huntingtons is already going to ruin my life, my career, everything, but it doesn't have to ruin yours too."
"We... We're brothers, Ethan!" Cal protested, wringing his hands anxiously.
"I know, of course we are, but... Look, I just don't want this to hurt you too, Cal." Ethan said, chewing his lip so hard that he tasted blood.
"No. I promise, right here right now, that you will never have to go through anything alone anymore. I'm going to be right there next to you, forever. You're not alone." Cal said firmly.
Another fresh wave of sobs racked Ethan's body. He felt so helpless.
And then Cal was right there, his arms wrapped around Ethan's sobbing frame, soothing him, comforting him.
You're not alone.