Loving A STRANGER

Kylie looked up at Ethan as she dried her hands on the hand towel. She was in the kitchen and had decided to bake a cake (just one of those days). Kylie remembered when she was little, she and her mother used to spend hours in the kitchen coming up with weird recipes they would see on television.

"What is it?" Kylie asked, and her expression was puzzled. Ethan seemed excited and seemed to be bouncing on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet. "Where have you been all day, anyway?" Kylie looked at his disheveled appearance, his wrinkled clothes. Was that dirt on his shirt?

"Come outside!"

"Outside?" Kylie glanced out the window. It was evening now, but there had been no sun all day, and it was quite chilly; she could hear the wind whistling through the drafts.

"I"m not going outside at this time! It"s freezing! Plus, what do you want me to see? It"s dark outside!" She replied, trying to coax him to stay inside their house. 

Ethan grabbed her arms and walked her towards the back veranda door. "Just come. I have to show you something."

Kylie huffed but walked outside willingly. The cold air hit her as soon as she stepped outside the door.

"Look there," Ethan whispered in her ear with a low, magnetic voice. 

Kylie was entirely stunned as she turned her head to the side. The trees lining their back yard were connected by bright small string lights. On the string between the trees were hundreds of paper cranes hanging, swaying gently in the breeze, as if they were alive. Kylie can"t believe what she saw. 

Kylie covered her mouth in surprise and joy as tears started to gather in her eyes. Ethan had been out here all day in the cold folding paper cranes for her? Kylie walked closer and saw that the paper cranes had been folded by someone who was not an expert. Kylie cherished the gesture that much more when she saw the effort Ethan had put. She can"t imagine how deep the love of this man is for her. Her husband was never filled with giving her surprise. For a short period of time that they spent together, Ethan showed his unconditional love. 

"Make a wish." His voice was like a lamp, and it instantly lit the darkness of the cold night sky and warmed Kylie"s heart. The uneven pieces of the paper cranes filled her heart completely. Kylie turned around and stared at Ethan with so much love in her eyes. Ethan smiled and brought Kylie in his arms, twirling her around as if dancing. 

"Total three thousand, three hundred twenty-five, you can make three wishes."

Kylie held a paper crane in her hand, the most awkward of them all, and closed her eyes. Tears were glistening on her face as she wished hard. After making her wish, Kylie turned around and pa.s.sionately kissed Ethan, trying to portray all the love she had for him in one kiss even though it was impossible.

"Thank you so much, love. I love you so much," she whispered soulfully.

Ethan smiled at her and pa.s.sionately kissed her back," I love you too, love!"

Kylie was woken up by a coughing sound coming from beside her. It was Ethan; he was asleep but coughing so roughly that she turned to her side and felt his forehead.

"s.h.i.t Ethan! You"re burning!"

Ethan simply groaned in response. Kylie stood up quickly and ran downstairs to prepare some tea for Ethan and to grab the medicine.

Setting the cup on the bedside table, Kylie softly shook Ethan awake.

"Ethan? Love, you have to get up. You need medicine. You are burning with fever!"

Ethan opened his eyes blearily and tried to get up. Kylie frowned in worry when she noticed that he seemed to be so weak that he could not pull himself up. Kylie helped him settle into a seating position and brought the cup closer to his lips.

"Love, I think we should go to the hospital," Kylie said as Ethan simply closed his eyes and rested his head against the bed. He must have gotten sick due to being out all day in the cold! Kylie felt guilty; after all, he had done all this for her. Once Ethan laid back down, Kylie went to get the thermometer and put it under his tongue.

When she saw the temperature, Kylie blanched! Ethan had an extremely high fever.

"Ethan, we have to go to the hospital. You"re burning up!"

"No…it"s okay… I"m fine…" Ethan mumbled.

"You"re not fine! We have to go, Ethan." Kylie encouraged him to get out of bed and helped him dress. Ethan was so drained that he could not even pull a shirt on top of his clothes. Kylie helped him stand and step by step, led him downstairs and into the car. Ethan coughed violently, and as soon as he sat down, he fell asleep against the seat. 

Kylie drove fast, for she had never seen him in such a state. When the car stopped at a red light, she looked over to him. His thin lips were chapped and dry, and his thick and curled eyelashes were clearly defined as they fell closed. Despite being sick and looking bedraggled, his perfect face conquered her heart.

When Kylie reached the hospital ER, she left the car and immediately called for a wheelchair and an attendant. They carefully took Ethan out of the car and into the hospital, checking him in immediately after seeing his condition. Kylie sat outside in the ER, waiting for the doctor to come out and tell her the verdict. To get her mind off of the horrible scenarios running through her head, Kylie stood up and decided to walk downstairs to the gift shop.

However, she did not expect that her younger step-sister would be there as well. The last person she wanted to see was Khloe. She avoided crossing her path with this woman.