Ethan didn't know where he was going. All he knew was he needed to get away from the flat, away from Cal. He soon found himself down at the pub a drink in hand. He was about to order a second one when he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder. Ethan looked to his left and saw it was Charlie.
"Everything alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, couldn't be better." Ethan muttered.
Charlie could sense something was bothering him.
"Come on, this isn't the Ethan I know." Charlie nudged him.
"I'm fine, Charlie." Ethan replied.
He took another sip of his drink. He wasn't going to confront Charlie about what had happened between him and Cal, but he suddenly thought the better of it.
"Why didn't he tell me?" Ethan asked Charlie.
"Who didn't tell you about what?"
"Cal. The paternity results. Us not being brothers." Ethan rolled off.
"Ah. I guess he wanted to know more before talking to you."
"That's what he said."
"And he's right. He didn't want you to ask him questions that he didn't know the answers to. He wanted to know all the facts"
"I understand that, Charlie. I do but, what I don't understand is why he felt like he couldn't talk to me."
"He didn't want to cause you pain."
"Pain? Not only have I lost my niece, I've also lost my brother. Tell me how is that not painful?"
Charlie sat down beside him.
"How have you lost your brother?"
"Because that's just it. We're not brothers."
"Ethan, just because you're not biological brothers doesn't mean you still aren't brothers. You two share a special bond. You have done since you were children. Why does that have to change now?"
Ethan looked Charlie in the eye. He hated himself for what he was about to say.
"Because I don't know if I can trust him."