Since returning from Philly, it's been hard to get back into the routine of therapy and real life. The weekend in Philadelphia was so much fun, and a definitive turning point in my relationship with Ethan. My parents were thrilled when I told them that Ethan and I are now "official". He's a golden child in their eyes, and they've been watching my feelings for him grow all along, even if I was in denial.

As Ethan promised, we've seen each other every day this week for lots of unofficial dates like lunch outings, walks, even shopping. He often comes out to my parents' house after work, even though we see each other at the clinic when I go for therapy. It's more enjoyable to be outside of his work environment, of course, but I'm happy to see him every chance I get.

I have another appointment today. Fern and I are just finishing up when Ethan pops his head into the therapy gym. "Can you come to my office when you're done?" He asks.

"We're done now," I tell him, looking to Fern for confirmation.

She nods her head and grins at Ethan. "She's all yours."

When we enter his office, he closes the door and wraps his arms around my waist. "I'm glad you're all mine now," he says quietly, and then kisses me quickly but tenderly. "Patrick's wedding will still be our first official date," he tells me, " but, will you go somewhere with me tonight?"

"I'll have to check my schedule," I tell him playfully as I pull out my phone. "Hm, I'm going to have to cancel my yoga class and re-schedule my marathon, but I think I can manage."

"Getting cocky now, aren't you?" He laughs. "Can I pick you up around 4:30? I'm leaving work a little early today, and then I want to take you some place special before dinner."

"Sure," I tell him. I pull him down for another quick kiss and then meet my mom in the waiting area.

After a quick nap, I shower and start to get ready for my outing with Ethan. I'm not calling it a date since he wants the wedding to be our first date, but in my mind, we've already had hundreds of perfect little dates.

I'm more excited than I thought I would be, but I have absolutely no idea what to wear. Skirts and dresses are still out of the question because I don't have any fancy shoes to wear with my prosthesis. I decide on a flowing pair of dressy white slacks and one of the flowery tops my mom had bought for me while I was in the hospital, topped with a light scarf. I put on my gold flats, but I don't like the look of my prosthetic foot in them, so I change shoes about 25 times. In the end, I decide on the gold flats with a light pair of trouser socks, hopefully making both of my feet look like they're the same color. I haven't really worn anything dressy yet, so this will be an experiment.

I decide to put my hair into a curly updo, letting some ringlets frame my face. I put on a little makeup and a spritz of perfume just in time to hear the doorbell ring.

I beat my parents to the door and find Ethan standing there with a bouquet of flowers. His eyes pop wide open when he sees me. "You look amazing!"

"Thanks," I respond quietly, taking the flowers from his hand. "For this not being a date, it sure feels like a date."

He leans over to kiss my cheek, and then whispers in my ear, "I know, I couldn't help it."

I tell my parents that we're leaving and I let him lead me to his car, where he opens the door for me and assists me in getting in. The drive into Lansing is quiet but comfortable. I'm eager to see what he has planned for the evening.

"Any chance you'll tell me where we're going?" I ask.

"Nope. Just be patient."

I lean back against the seat and close my eyes for a bit. The next thing I know, Ethan's hand reaches mine and he entwines his fingers with mine. My eyes are still closed, but I smile at the warmth.

We get into Lansing and head to Old Town on the North side. We stop in front what appears to be a large shop. The word "Flair" is spelled out in whimsical letters on the large front window, but I can't see into the shop because of a heavy curtain behind the window. Ethan comes around to open my door and help me out.

As soon as we step inside, I realize it's an art gallery. Ethan leads me to a wall filled with a variety of paintings, all with a common theme: Lansing. He points out a painting that I recognize as the Brenke Fish Ladder, then another one of the Riverwalk, just outside of the Lansing Center, and finally, a painting of the three-story topographical map of Michigan inside of the Michigan Historical Museum. Upon further inspection, I see that all three were painted by none other than Ethan M. Broadwell.

"Ethan, they're amazing!" I look at him with my eyes and my mouth wide open, and then back at the paintings.

"Thanks," he tells me, using his finger to push my chin up to close my mouth, upon which he then bestows a sweet kiss. "This is the up-and-coming artists exhibit. They'll be announcing the winners of the contest, Best New Artist, in a few minutes. That's the one in which I entered the painting of you. Oh, and I forgot to mention, my family is coming. They should be here any minute."

My eyes widen again. "Do you think you'll win?" I ask excitedly.

"I doubt it. There's a lot of talent here. But I'm honored to be a part of it anyway."

We help ourselves to some refreshments and we soon hear, "Ethan! There you are!" A blonde girl leads a group of people through the crowd to reach us. "Hey!" She greets him with hug and a kiss on the cheek. The rest of his siblings crowd around him, hugging him excitedly.

Ethan puts his arm around me and tells his family, "Hey, everyone, this is Sarah." Turning to the tall blonde, he tells me, "This is Jessica."

Jessica's excitement disappears as she looks me up and down and mumbles "hey", without extending a hand or offering a hug. Ethan gives her an awkward glance, and I feel a little slighted, but my attention is drawn to Ethan's brother, the one who looks exactly like him, but without a goatee.

"This is Zachary." He smiles and shakes my hand, as do the rest of his siblings, Tanya, Amy and Annie.

Finally, Mr. Broadwell greets me with a hug and tells me, "It's nice to see you again, Sarah."

"Thank you." We're soon interrupted by an invitation to gather at the center of the gallery so the winners can be announced, so we take a seat near the front.

A very slender young man, dressed in a midnight blue suit steps up to the microphone on a small platform. There are three easels behind him, each draped in a drop cloth. "Welcome, everyone, to our annual Best New Artist competition. As you can see from browsing around the gallery, we have a wealth of talent in the Lansing area."

The crowd applauds before the announcer continues.

"It was an extremely difficult decision due to the exceptional talent represented here. To begin, I will announce the 3rd place winner...Ms. Evangeline Stills of Okemos, with her painting entitled MSU Blossoms." He unveils a painting that seems to be almost a patchwork of many, many different flowers. According to his description, every single flower that grows on MSU's campus is represented in Evangeline's painting.

A thunderous round of applause follows.

"The 2nd place winner is...Ebonie Marshall of Dewitt." I sneak a peek at Ethan. His face is pale and he looks extremely nervous. I give his hand a squeeze and watch as the announcer unveils the 2nd place painting, entitled "Wynken, Blynken and Nod," which are the affectionate nicknames given to the three smokestacks at the Eckert Station of Lansing's Board of Water and Light. The artist created an exquisite rendition of the childhood lullaby by the same name, with the three towering smokestacks woven into her design, all floating along the Grand River in Lansing.

More applause. Ethan was right about the competition being stiff. Those two paintings are incredible.

"And finally, the first place winner of this year's Best New Artist competition is...Ethan Broadwell!" He pulls the drop cloth off of Ethan's painting to the sound of hushed gasps.

I turn to him and squeal with excitement, "You won!" The crowd around us erupts in applause as Ethan stands next to me, dumbfounded and clearly overwhelmed. I pull him towards me and kiss him and he barely kisses me back, his eyes glassed over with disbelief.

The announcer continues after the crowd quiets down, "I'd like to invite Ethan to come up and tell us a little about this unique portrait entitled Brave."

I've never seen Ethan so nervous before. He's usually so calm and confident, but now he's shaking like a leaf. I give his hand another squeeze and let him go.

When he reaches the podium, he takes a deep breath and begins. His voice quivers in the beginning, but he quickly regains his composure. "I...I don't really know what to say. Thank you so much. This means so much to me. I truly enjoy painting, but this particular piece holds the most meaning to me. The girl in this painting is actually here with me tonight. Sarah, can you come up here?" He motions for me to join him, so I leave my seat to join him. He extends his hand to offer me support as I mount the two steps to the small stage. When I reach him, he puts his arm around me and pulls me close.

"The title of this painting is Brave. The image I've captured here is the day I first met Sarah...the day she almost died." Gasps and whispers make their way through the crowd. "On February 16 of this year, I came upon the scene of an accident. Sarah had been sledding and lost control, sliding into the road, where she was hit by a truck." He pauses for another round of shocked gasps from the audience.

"When I found her, she was lying in the snow and she was bleeding profusely. I did my best to stop the bleeding and keep her conscious until the ambulance arrived. Sarah keeps calling me her hero, but to me, she was – and still is – a hero. She's shown exceptional courage in her recovery. Sarah lost her leg that day-" Another round of gasps interrupts him. "-but here she is, five months later, walking like a pro with her new prosthesis, ready to take on the world!"

The crowd erupts in cheers and applause. Before I know what's happening, everyone in the gallery has risen to their feet. I pull my arm away from Ethan and begin to clap for him as well. He pulls me close to him again and whispers in my ear, "They're cheering for you!" Then he wraps his arms around me completely and kisses my forehead. The applause is then replaced by a collective "Awww."

After the commotion dies down, Ethan is presented with a plaque from the gallery and a $1000 check. As soon as the prizes are in his hand, the rest of Ethan's family comes up with hoots and hollers, congratulating him wildly. He's then dragged away to snap pictures for the local newspaper and to do interviews for a few of Lansing's TV stations. I'm chatting with his brother and younger sisters when I see him waving me over.

I reach his side again, and he tells the reporters, "Sarah is an integral part of this award. I'd like her to be in the pictures with me." After many flashes and brief interviews with the news reporters, we are reunited with Ethan's family.

Mr. Broadwell informs us, "I'd like to treat everyone to dinner, including you, of course, Sarah."

"We'd love to," I say, not giving Ethan a chance to respond.

He gives me a delightful grin and then turns to his father, saying, "Thanks, Dad. We'd love to."

"How about the Riverside Grille in Williamston? It's a bit far, but I know it's your favorite."

"Sounds awesome," Ethan replies as we head out of the gallery towards his car.

As soon as we're on the road, I tell him, "I hope you don't mind that I said yes for us. I think it's important to them."

"It's perfect. I'm glad you did."

"I'm glad I'll get to know your family," I tell him.

Ethan grabs my hand while keeping one on the steering wheel. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Not today," I giggle.

"I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too."

When we arrive at the restaurant, we catch sight of everyone else, already seated at a large table. The twins, Amy and Annie, have left one spot between them and yell to me, "Sit here, Sarah! Sit here!"

"Sshhh, girls," Ethan quiets them. "I might like to sit by my girlfriend, too." The girls giggle when he calls me his girlfriend. "How about if we both sit between you, and then you can switch seats when we have dessert? That way, you'll each get a chance to sit by Sarah."

The girls agree and I sit next to Amy first. Ethan sits down on the other side and grabs my hand under the table. Annie notices and nudges his arm, giggling. When our drinks arrive, Ethan's father raises his glass. "To Ethan – you've made us proud time and time again. Congratulations on being named Best New Artist!"

"Hear, hear," we all reply and then sip from our glasses.

"Thank you. It really means a lot that you were all there. I couldn't ask for a better family. Or girlfriend." He looks at me with a grin and the twins giggle again.

I catch sight of Jessica and she's the only one not smiling. I wonder if she's normally just quiet. Or shy. The way Ethan described her to me, I can't imagine shyness is the problem. Does she just not like me? I shrug off my concern as we place the orders for our meals.

"What do you recommend, Mr. Broadwell?" I ask quietly, leaning towards Ethan.

"You've never been here?" he asks incredulously.

"Not yet," I laugh.

"Well, I love the bruschetta as an appetizer." Then he leans to whisper in my ear, "But since I would really like to kiss you later, I'll skip that."

"Why don't you just order for me? I'm sure I'll enjoy anything you choose."

He orders the ribeye steak and a marinated salmon dish, saying, "We'll share, okay?"

The meal is fabulous and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know Ethan's siblings. His younger brother is so much like him, not only in looks, but in mannerisms as well. His sisters are all animated when they talk, and Jessica joins in the conversation as well, but she doesn't look at me at all, nor does she direct any questions to me. I'm too excited for Ethan and to be spending time with his family to worry about Jessica's apparent reservations toward me.

When dinner is finished, we place our dessert orders and I excuse myself to go to the restroom. As I'm applying fresh powder and some lipstick, Jessica walks into the bathroom. I smile at her and she barely returns it, hurrying into a stall. I decide to wait until she comes out so that I can talk to her.

She looks mildly surprised when she sees me still standing in the same spot as when she came in, but she proceeds to wash her hands without making eye contact.

"Jessica?" I ask quietly.

"Yes?" She replies, sounding a little snippy.

"Is there something wrong? I mean, did I do something to offend you? You just seem like...like you don't like me very much."

She hesitates, twisting her lip as if she's trying to figure out what to say. But she doesn't immediately refute my concern, which means there must be some truth in what I've said. Finally she takes a deep breath and begins, "You're a nice person, Sarah." I stare at her, waiting for the but. She sighs and continues, "I'm sorry, Sarah. It really has nothing to do with you. I just want Ethan to be happy."

"He's not happy with me?" I ask, blinking, trying to decipher her meaning.

"Ethan has taken care of our whole family since Mom died, practically raising everyone except me. I was just hoping that once we were all old enough and he was out on his own, he wouldn't have to take care of someone else for a while."

There it is. I flinch as her words hit me. She's found my Achilles heel, my weakness. I've always hated the idea of having someone else take care of me, but Ethan made it seem so easy, like it was okay to let my guard down a little and have him come into my life and help me. But now I see it from the other side. Ethan has always been caring for someone else. It seems only fair to let him take care of himself for a while.

She continues, "Since he thinks he's in love with you or something, you should know this. I strongly suggest you break it off because he won't. He will just realize somewhere down the line that he doesn't want to be a babysitter for the rest of his life."

She walks out of the bathroom as I'm left reeling in the aftermath of her words. I can't cry here. Not now, not in front of Ethan or his family. I take several long, deep breaths and force myself to head back out to the table.

When I return to my seat, mine and Ethan's triple chocolate cake has arrived. He hands me a fork and says, "dig in!" I take one bite and although it's delectable, I don't really want any more. I've lost my appetite. I try to smile as I listen to the conversations around the table, but I really can't wait to get out of here.

"Are you okay?" Ethan leans over and asks me.

"Yeah, I'm just really tired all of a sudden," I try to reassure him.

He puts an arm around me and squeezes and then gives his attention back to Tanya, who's been telling him about her horseback riding lessons.

Once we're back in the car, Ethan turns to me and asks again, "What's wrong, Sarah?"

I just shake my head, not wanting to think about what Jessica said to me. "I'm just tired."

"Sarah," he whispers, reaching out to touch my chin and turning my face toward him. "I know you're not okay. What's wrong?"

"Is it okay if we just don't talk about it? Please? I don't want to ruin this night for you. We can talk about it another time, okay? I promise."

I can tell that he doesn't want to drop it, but he finally says, "Okay," and then kisses me tenderly.

"I'm really proud of you, you know!" I tell him with a genuine smile on my face. "Thank you for sharing this evening with me. I'll never forget it."

Satisfied that I seem to have rebounded from my funk, he starts that car and drives towards Charlotte. He reaches for my hand and squeezes it tight, not noticing that tears are streaming down my face as I look out the window.

* * * * *

Uh-oh :(