beckyboogle, I'm glad you liked the last line of the poem. It's based on a moment in the series when Cal is writing a poem for Taylor and asks Ethan what rhymes with 'fondle'. 'Dongle' was as close as I could get! Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, Cal didn't actually send his version of the poem - mainly because I didn't think of it! I'm sure Ethan's final couplet was much cleaner. There's probably always a hidden agenda with Taylor! Thank you for your review.
Tato Potato, thank you for your review. Yes, Caleb was very naughty! But stealing his brother's sonnet was better than stealing his inheritance. I have to say that writing the final couplet was a lot more fun than writing the rest of the poem!
Gillian Kearney Fan, I'm glad you liked the poem. That is the first poem I've ever written voluntarily - I'm glad the rest of the story will be in prose! I hope your work placement went well. Thank you for your review.
20BlueRoses, thank you for your review. Cal could definitely have done a lot worse to Ethan - and probably still could! I'm glad you're enjoying the humour - I didn't want it to be too serious as it could be quite depressing just waiting for Taylor to do her worst!
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I really didn't think Cal would be able to resist having some fun with Ethan's phone! I'm glad you found it amusing as I don't think Ethan did! That's true - we could end up with two broken-hearted brothers.
Ethan was very nervous about leaving his room the next day. He didn't want to walk into a naked Honey. It was bad enough walking into naked strangers, but it would be completely impossible to buy coffee from someone he'd accidentally seen naked.
But although Cal was in a very good mood, there was no sign of Honey. Cal said he'd seen her home like a gentleman and they hadn't shared more than a few cuddles and kisses, but Ethan didn't believe him until he discovered Cal kissing Honey over her shop counter later that morning. He didn't think Cal would still be interested in Honey if he'd slept with her.
Ethan, along with the rest of the queue, tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Honey to let go of Cal and realise she had customers.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" said Honey. "Cal, you bad man: go away and stop distracting me or the second date's off!"
Even Ethan knew enough about women to know that Honey wasn't really annoyed with him.
Cal took his time about kissing Honey goodbye. "I don't know what you're looking at me like that for," he said to Ethan as he left. "You can't have all the girls, you know!"
Taylor phoned Ethan shortly after he'd finished his lunchbreak. "Hey, hot stuff. Sorry I wasn't available to take your call at lunchtime."
"That's okay," said Ethan. He'd been disappointed not to speak to her, but he knew Taylor's work was important.
"But I'm going to make it up to you," said Taylor.
"You already have," Ethan assured her.
Taylor laughed. "You're so sweet, Ethan! And you'll never guess what."
"You've… um… received a big donation?" said Ethan hopefully. He knew that would make Taylor happy.
"Wrong!" said Taylor gleefully.
"Your charity's been nominated for an award for all the hard work you do?"
"I love you, Ethan," said Taylor. "I really do. But no. One more guess."
Ethan thought hard. "You've met someone else and you've fallen in love with him and you're leaving me."
"Of course not!" said Taylor. She giggled. "I can see I'll have to tell you. I have the office completely to myself until 4pm and I was wondering if you might like to pay me a little visit."
"Taylor, I can't," said Ethan regretfully. "I'm so sorry, darling. I'm working this afternoon, remember?"
"Of course I remember," said Taylor. "But you're allowed to take breaks, aren't you?"
"Yes, but not for very long," said Ethan. "I haven't got time to drive all the way over to see you and then… well… drive back again."
"Couldn't you get Dribbles to cover for you?" said Taylor. "He must owe you after all the times you've covered for him."
Ethan couldn't help but smile slightly at Taylor's nickname for his brother. "He does owe me, but I can't, Taylor. This is my job. My colleagues are relying me."
"Oh, come on, Ethan," said Taylor. "Live a little. You can do it just this once."
"No, Taylor." Ethan's voice was firm. "I'm very sorry, but I absolutely can't."
Taylor was silent for so long, Ethan began to worry she'd hung up on him. But finally, she spoke. "You're right, Ethan. I'm sorry. I never should have asked you." Her voice quivered.
"You don't have to apologise, darling," said Ethan. "There's never any harm in asking. Not unless it starts going to my head."
Taylor laughed. "I can't imagine anything ever going to your head, Ethan."
"You've been drinking a lot of tea today, Ethan," said Honey coyly.
"I suppose I've been thirsty," mumbled Ethan.
Honey propped her chin on her hand. "Anyone would think you'd finally realised you like me just when I've got together with your brother."
"Of course I don't like you!" said Ethan, horrified. "I mean... no. I do like you. I like you very much. I just don't like you. But I do like you."
"I like you too," said Honey. She smiled at him. "As a friend. Obviously."
"Obviously," said Ethan.
Honey handed him his tea. Ethan cupped his hands around it, but didn't pick it up.
"Honey," said Ethan.
Honey smiled. "Yes, Ethan?"
"I just want to... to warn you," said Ethan.
"Warn me?" said Honey.
"About Cal," said Ethan apologetically. "Cal's relationships... they tend not to last very long and I... I don't want you to get hurt."
Honey took his hand and turned it over, brushing her thumb over the palm. "I knew you were kind, Ethan. Look: you've got a branch line here. It branches off the head line underneath the Mount of Saturn and joins the heart line underneath the Mount of Mercury. That means you're kind." She looked up at him. "But I knew that already."
"Oh. Thank you," said Ethan. "That's good to know."
"But there really is no need to worry," said Honey. "I looked at my birth chart and Cal's and we're perfectly aligned." She stared into Ethan's eyes. "I really think I've found my soulmate, Ethan."
"Just be careful he doesn't knock you off your perch," said Ethan.
Honey gaped. "You what?"
"It's a joke," explained Ethan. "Sole is a type of fish and perch is a type of fish too so... sorry. It doesn't matter. I'll see you later, Honey."
An hour later, Taylor phoned again. "Ethan, I'm so sorry to disturb you at work, but I need your help."
"You haven't disturbed me," said Ethan. "What's wrong?"
"I don't feel very well," said Taylor. "Please come, Ethan. I don't want to go to the ED in case it's nothing, but I can't get in to see my GP and I'm all alone and I feel so awful."
Ethan wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to leave Taylor on her own when she was ill, but he really shouldn't leave the hospital. "How about if I ask one of the paramedics to go round and see you? They won't have to bring you to the ED unless they decide you need emergency treatment."
"No, I don't want a stranger," said Taylor, a catch in her voice. "Please, Ethan. I only want you."
"Oh, Taylor…" Ethan couldn't bear it. He checked the time. "Of course I'll come and see you. Hold on for me, darling. I'll be with you as soon as I can."
Taylor threw her arms around Ethan. "Oh, Ethan, I'm so glad you came!"
Ethan hugged her back. "Of course I came, Taylor. Let's sit down." He helped her to a chair and sat beside her. "What's wrong, darling?"
"I'm not feeling myself," said Taylor. "I feel very hot. I can tell my blood pressure's up."
"It's actually not possible to feel your blood pressure," said Ethan, slightly surprised she didn't know.
"No, of course not, but I just know," said Taylor. "I'm having palpitations. And I'm just so… so frustrated." She climbed from her chair into his lap.
"Taylor, could you-" Ethan had to break off because she was kissing him. "Taylor, what are you doing?"
Taylor was unbuttoning his shirt. "What does it look like I'm doing? I know you want this as much as I do, Ethan. You're such a good boy, but I knew I'd find a way."
Ethan grabbed her hands and held them as he looked at her in growing horror. "Taylor… do you mean you're not really ill? You got me here under false pretences?"
Taylor smirked. "Clever of me, isn't it?"
"No!" said Ethan, completely shocked. He let go of Taylor's hands and looked at her in disbelief. "How could you do something like that?"
"Quite easily," said Taylor, and ran a hand down his chest.
Ethan caught hold of her hands again. "Taylor, if you were providing emergency aid and I phoned to say I'd booked us a hotel, you wouldn't come and see me, would you? I might not be working in a third-world country, but I do provide emergency aid to people who are dying. There are patients in the hospital who need me, Taylor. And I'm going back to them right now."
"Oh, I don't think you are," said Taylor. She couldn't pull her hands from his grasp, so she jiggled up and down on his lap instead.
"No," said Ethan. "I'm definitely going back. Please don't ask me to do anything like this ever again. Maybe some people wouldn't mind, but I think it's a terrible thing to do when there are people at the hospital who could be dying." He lifted Taylor from his lap onto her chair. "I'm sorry, Taylor, but I really do feel very strongly about this."
"But now you're here…" said Taylor.
Ethan stood up. "Now I'm here, I'm leaving! Goodbye, Taylor."
