In the first three chapters, we met Ethan Tate and his girlfriend Liberty Hollingsworth. We learned that Ethan's father died when he was young, and that he has been the man of the house ever since. He and Liberty are also struggling with the moral dilemma of losing their virginity.

Preface: I wrote a book when I was 18. It was inspired by a cigarette pack on a coffee table that I noticed at a house party.

My eyes were drawn to the Health Canada warning on the box of smokes.

I think the statistic about tobacco-related deaths was supposed to be the scary one. But, for some reason, I was more alarmed by the fact more people died by killing themselves than by getting into car accidents.

I never did anything with the book I wrote. Looking back, some of the amateurish writing makes me cringe. But, the concept of The Popular Depression is an important theme for us to think about.

If the Steemit community seems to like this content, I'll keep posting chapters. If not, I'll take the hint and keep this 54,000 word document filed on my computer, where it's been sitting for 10 years.

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Chapter Four

A loud buzzing sound wakes Ethan up on what looks to be a chilly Tuesday morning. Ethan walks into the bathroom, turns on the shower tap, and undresses. The smell of Glade Vanilla fills the washroom. Ethan opens the glass shower door and tests the water. He waits a few seconds, then steps in.

After his daily bathroom routine, which takes about 40 minutes, Ethan opens the bathroom door, looks both ways, then walks quickly toward the front door and out of the house. Usually Ethan has breakfast after showering, but today is Diane's birthday, and he has something planned.

Ethan’s day at school is pretty typical. Other than the drive in the morning, he does not see Liberty all day. After school lets out, Ethan waits in his truck for about five minutes before he notices Liberty walking toward the Tacoma. Ethan presses the unlock button just before Liberty reaches for the door handle.

“Hey stranger,” Liberty says.

“Yeah, it was weird not seeing you all day.”

“You must be miserable. So what’s on the agenda for the night?”

“Oh probably nothing.”

Ethan says this while sticking the key in the ignition and turning it to the right.

“Birthdays are over-rated. I’m guessing my mom probably just wants to take it easy tonight.”

Liberty seems surprised by this. From the stories she has heard in the past, Ethan has always planned something special on the occasion of his mother’s birthday.

“Really?” she asks.

“Yeah,” he quietly replies.

“Ethan, I think we should do something nice for your mom tonight. You could come over to my house and we could think of something, anything. I mean, I think she would really appre—”

“No Lib, I’m not really in the mood for anything like that tonight.”

Liberty stares at Ethan, confused.

“But,” she slowly starts. “It’s not really about what you’re in the mood for.”

“I said no Liberty.”

Ethan backs up the vehicle and drives away from Catholic Central’s parking lot.

The conversation on the drive to the west side of Lethbridge is non-existent.

The silence is broken when Ethan pulls the Tacoma into the Hollingsworth’s driveway.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ethan says softly.

Liberty nods while looking down and then opens her door.

Liberty gets out and Ethan watches her close the car door and walk towards her house. A half-smile is evident on his face. He is convinced that she doesn’t suspect a thing.

Ethan arrives at home and walks in the door. Cindy and Diane are sitting at the kitchen table and Diane quickly acknowledges Ethan’s arrival.

“Hey hun, how was your day at school?”

“It was pretty typical.”

“Look at what Cindy got me for my birthday.”

Diane points towards the other end of the table where a necklace made out of beads sits with a card that has a picture of a mother and a daughter on it. Ethan quickly recognizes the necklace because Cindy had shown it to him a couple weeks ago. It was a project she did in her crafts class at school. Ethan recalls how Cindy was so excited to give it to her mom.

Ethan reaches over and reads the card.

“From a daughter to a mother, on her special day… Happy Birthday.” –written by Hallmark.

“I hope you have an amazing day. I am so lucky to have you for a mom and I love you.” –written by Cindy.

Ethan walks over and gives his sister a hug with one arm.

“That was very nice of you sis,” Ethan tells Cindy.

“What’d you get for mom?” Cindy asks her older brother.

Ethan pauses and then finally turns to his mom. He looks down.

“Mom, I don’t know how to say this, but your birthday slipped my mi—”

“Don’t you worry about it sweetheart, no apologies. You’ve been so busy with school lately, it’s completely understandable,” Diane interrupts before Ethan has a chance to complete his excuse.

Still slouched, Ethan asks, “Will you at least let me take you and Cindy out for a movie?”

“Most definitely, that would be lovely,” Diane says as she stands up and gives Ethan a hug.

After dinner, the three get into the Blazer and Ethan insists on driving.

“What are we going to see?” Cindy asks.

“We’ll figure that out when we get there,” Ethan replies.

After a few minutes of driving, Diane looks confused as she stares out the window.

“This isn’t the way to the theatre hun,” she says.

“I’ve just got a quick stop to make,” Ethan replies without skipping a beat.

Ethan continues to drive until the three are outside the Lethbridge city limits.

“We’re going to miss the show Ethan, where are we going?” Diane asks, starting to become concerned.

“Mom… Cindy… we are not going to see a movie tonight.”

“Then where exactly are we going?” Cindy asks from the back seat.

“You’ll see.”

Coldplay's X and Y album is playing in the Chevrolet Blazer.

Ethan pulls off approximately 5 kilometres out of town, onto a farm-road. After about 10 minutes of driving on this road, he finally pulls over towards an area that sits above the coulees on the outskirts of the city.

“What are we doing here Ethan?” Diane asks.

Ethan doesn’t reply. The night is chilly and unknown, yet awe-inspiring. The wind has slightly died off and it seems relatively calm outside the city. The stars are perfectly visible, and though Cindy and Diane are utterly confused, an unspoken excitement looms.

Ethan continues to walk until he reaches a bench that over-looks the beautiful hills. Sitting on the bench is a gift-bag, with a card sticking out of it.

“Happy birthday mom,” Ethan says as the three stand gazing out into the star-glistening prairies in the still of the night.

Diane smiles. She reaches for the card sticking out of the gift bag.

“Happy Birthday: To a woman who does it all. To a woman who does it all, yet is humble. To a woman who does it all, yet is humble, and refuses to take credit. To a woman who does it all, yet is humble, and refuses to take credit… but above all, is someone who I am proud to call, my mother.” –written by Hallmark.

“I love you mom. Those are four words that I don’t say often enough. You have done so much for our family, without ever thinking twice about it. Dad would be proud. I know I am. I love you mom.” –written by Ethan.

A tear glides down Diane’s cheek. She walks over to where Ethan and Cindy are standing. She stretches up on her tiptoes and kisses Ethan on the forehead. She then gets down on her knees and kisses Cindy on the forehead. She sticks her left arm around Ethan, her right around Cindy, and whispers words that neither child will ever forget.

“You two mean the world to me.”

The Tate family shares in this moment for a couple of minutes before Ethan breaks the silence.

“That was only the card mom - don’t you want to see the rest of your present?”

Diane nods and reaches for the red gift-bag that sits on the bench.

She takes a peak and looks puzzled.

She reaches for the flashlight to verify her suspicions.

“Fireworks?” Diane asks.

Ethan laughs, “Oh common mom, can’t I get you a fun gift for once?”

“Are these things even legal Ethan? More importantly, aren't they dangerous?”

Ethan pulls out the Roman candles one at a time. The first one he lights off himself. He holds the Roman candle pointing towards the sky over the coulees. As each colourful light explodes, the hills below become illuminated.

“Whoa!” Cindy yells with excitement.

“Pretty cool,” Diane says.

Ethan gives Diane the next Roman candle.

She looks at Ethan hesitantly.

“Go ahead mom, it’s fun, I promise.”

Diane finally caves in and takes her turn at shooting off the fireworks.

Cindy lights off the last Roman candle, while being closely supervised by Diane. The three walk back towards the vehicle.

“My friends are going to be so jealous. Not only did I get to stay up late, but I got to light off fireworks,” Cindy says, breathing heavily from the excitement.

After arriving back at the house, Diane goes to Cindy's room to tuck her in. After that, she walks down the hallway to Ethan's room and stands in the doorway.

The walls of Ethan's room are covered with seaport blue paint: most of which is hidden by various posters on the wall.

"Thanks so much for tonight sweetheart. This will definitely be one of my most memorable birthdays."

Diane glances around the room and notices Ron's old leather strap watch, and Swiss army knife, sitting on Ethan's nightstand. She stares at it for a while, and Ethan notices this.

"Dad would always wear that watch," says Ethan. "I remember that clearly."

"You're right," says Diane. "But what about the Swiss army knife? What do you remember about that?"

"Oh, well when dad passed away you said I was allowed to have anything of dad's that I wanted. And no other kid in elementary school was allowed to have a pocketknife."

Diane laughs, then the two are silent for a few moments.

“I really miss him,” Ethan says.

“So do I hun,” Diane says as she walks over and hugs her son. “But we will see him again. If I am sure of anything, it is that.”

The two are quiet for a few moments until Diane breaks the silence.

“Oh sweetie, I should really get to bed,” she says. “I have to be up early tomorrow for work.”

Diane is a nurse at the Lethbridge hospital. The paycheque is not typically one that is used to support a whole family, but the money that Ron left behind allows Diane to pursue a job that she enjoys.

“OK, well goodnight mom," says Ethan.

"And Happy Birthday."

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