Jane

“Okay, you can do this. You can do this. You can do this.”I repeat to myself, staring at the phone in my hands with utter trepidation.

The pups are sleeping soundly in their bedroom, and I’m getting ready to sacrifice my dignity in their honor.

I’m not sure how Ethan will respond to my phone call, if he’ll even answer when he sees my number on the screen. I’m half tempted to go find a pay phone and calI from a number he won’t recognize, but I decide to try this first. Taking one last deep breath, I dial and hit the send button, raising the device to my ear.

It seems to ring for an utter eternity, but eventually the line clicks, and Ethan’s deep voice sounds in my ear.

“Jane?”

The familiar sound sends a shiver down my spine. “

Hello Ethan.”

“I thought I told you not to contact me.” Ouch, I know l expected failure, but that seems harsh, even for Ethan.

“Actually you just told me to leave, you didn’t say I couldn’t ever reach out.”I correct him hoarsely. It’s only been four weeks, but it feels like an eternity since we last spoke. Those early days after l left with the pups had passed in a haze that still haunted me, and it feels so surreal just to hear his familiar voice.

“Well I should have.” He growls. “I didn’t realize I had to spell everything out letter by letter. I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Wil you just listen for a moment.” I beg, hating how cruel he’s being.

He pauses for a moment. “Is something wrong?

“Well that depends on how you define wrong.” I snap. “Your pups are absolutely heartbroken without you. They don’t understand why they can’t see you, they’re completely traumatized from the Southern lsles – every other night they’re having nightmares and begging for you instead of me, and yesterday they attempted to run away to the North Pole so they could ask Santa to bring you back to them for Christmas.”

for a response, wondering if he’s even still there. “Ethan?” I prompt after

that all? He questions

horse-drawn sleigh and were taking off into the mountains. They’re desperate to

snaps, sounding even harsher than he had a moment

hiss. “I took the blame for you so they wouldn’t develop a complex, and now they think that

not wrong.” Ethan rumbles. “It is your fault. If you’d done what you were supposed to in the Southern lsles,

to me this way. He wasn’t

up for my children. “So you don’t even care that you’re punishing the pups for my

re completely innocent and they worship the ground you walk on – especially

wanted? You were planning to take her from me and cut off contact from

burst out, loosing hold

what?” He

you made me love you

cared this little about the children, why did you fight for me the

rumbles. “You owed me for

You deserved to pay.”

to break my heart, but it’s another to punish innocent pups. They didn’t do anything wrong – they don’t deserve this, Ethan.” I protest, tears burning in

what you wanted Jane. And yeah, maybe I snuck a lesson in there for you along the way, but this was your dream ending. You made your bed, now go sleep

the ground. I follow suit, sinking onto the floor and wrapping my arms around my knees, finally letting my tears fall freely. How could

how I fell in love with him, he’d been sweet,

necklace he’d bought to match my eyes. It was the first gift l’d opened, and already

He grinned. “l picked it

much!” I insisted. “Girls like me aren’t meant for jewels and finery, and I’ll

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