Letting Him Have It

"Theresa, wait!" Running outside after Theresa, Ethan stops short before colliding into her back. Taking a deep breath, he turns her around to stare into her brown eyes. "I do love you, Theresa, and I hate the fact that you have moved on." He says in a whisper.

Turning around, Theresa clenches her hands. "What, Ethan, it's alright for you to go back to your wife and have feelings for me, yet I can't move on? I'm sorry, but love doesn't work that way. You can't love me and not be with me. You made that choice not to be with me, and I REFUSE to stand around and wait for you to finally realize what you're missing."

"Theresa, I had to respect my vows, I had to do right by Gwen."

"Funny, but every time you come near me, you seem to forget that you're married."

"Theresa, that's not fair."

"Fair? You want to talk fair? Okay, Ethan, how's this for fair: You told me you loved me. You told me you wanted to marry me, and yet, in a drop of a hat, Gwen turns up pregnant, you abandon me and my child. Sure, that's fair enough, Ethan."

"Theresa…"

"WHAT! What the hell do you want me to say? Do you want me to say I'm sorry, Ethan? Nope, not going to apologize for speaking the TRUTH. You know what your problem is, Ethan? You're too damn moral for your own good. You want to do right by everyone, but damnit, why can't you do right by your heart? You know you love me, you know it, and I know it."

I do love you, Theresa…but I can't be with you… Taking a breath, Ethan sighs. "I'll leave you alone now, I've caused you enough pain."

As Ethan begins to head back into the restaurant, Theresa stops him short. "So that's what you do? You just run away? That's your problem, Ethan, you don't face decisions head on, you just make a choice and run."

"What the hell do you want me to do, Theresa?" Ethan says as he turns around to face her again.

"I want you to stand up for yourself and stop letting Gwen and Rebecca dictate your every move! I want you to be the man that I fell in love with…the man that I still love…I want you to be the Ethan Winthrop that is deep inside you."

Closing his eyes, Ethan sighs. "That man is long gone…"

"Well, it's a shame that he is, because that was the man I loved..and still love. Now, if you will excuse me." Moving away, Theresa heads back into the restaurant, leaving Ethan to look after her.

"What has my life come to?" Ethan asks himself, as he heads back to his table, and meets his wife's furious stare.

"How dare you embarrass me and go after that gutter snipe! What the hell are you thinking, Ethan?"

"Gwen, just can it. I'm married to you, so don't forget that."

"Oh, believe me, Ethan, I will ALWAYS be Mrs. Ethan Winthrop. I will never let Theresa win!"

God, why is my life this way….

Coming Up

Ethan reflects on his actions alone

Please R/R