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Chapter Forty Eight - Esther

"And while we're here, I figured we could look at college campuses," Loretta announced beside me.

The four of us decided to take a trip that Will wanted so badly to go on, one where it took us almost all day to travel by car. Separately, of course.

Apparently Johnson had come on work business and took endless pictures of everything, but mainly of this huge museum with gothic architecture, and when Will saw them, he wanted to go for his birthday.

So here we are, in all our dysfunctional family glory.

"College campuses? What for? You thinking about changing your career?" I joke to her.

Neil and Johnson are ahead of us with Will, any passerby could mistake them of their own little family as Loretta and I hang back like two creeps following them.

"No, for Will."

We're waking down a busy street to get to the museum that's in the middle of the city, unmoved from the time it was originally constructed centuries ago as a cathedral.

I look up to her, "He doesn't even get to apply to college for another, like, ten years."

She peers down at me in a friendly demeanor, "It's never too early. I wanted to see what kind of academics are provided and to get in touch with whoever teaches them."

I look away, confused, "Why plan something so permanent when it's just a visit?"

The silence falls pregnant.

The men are too many paces ahead of us to hear this conversation, but I'm hoping that Neil will turn around to see if I'm alright.

Please.

Loretta gently holds my elbow back, stopping us, "Esther, listen..."

I turn to face her, my heart unready for what she might say.

"Johnson is taking a new position. And in that, it requires him to relocate."

I should have never asked that question.

When all I can do is stare into whatever stupid color her eyes are, she takes me by the shoulders, as my friend, before continuing on, "He came here for one of his work trips, and they offered it to him. But Esther, that means Will is coming with us."

"That trip was weeks ago," is all I offer, trying to piece together how long they have either been thinking about moving or when it was decided.

"We've been anticipating this–"

"And you never asked me about it?" I say loudly, not caring at the moment about who heard me.

"Esther, please–"

"Why would you do that, Loretta? You're my only friend and," I pause before choosing my words carefully, but spitting it at her, "Will's mother."

Johnson is circling back now, hyperaware of the altercation that could happen, probably because they planned this conversation to come up. Will and Neil eventually follow suit.

Johnson's words come clear and tight, "Esther, this is what's best for him. You're not putting him first."

I shake Loretta's hands off of me, "You can't just take him away, you know that, right? That's not apart of the–"

"Auntie Esther!" Will shouts at me, "Don't you ever push my Mom."

My eyes go wide at this little boy, the way his fists are bunched at his sides, eyebrows scrunched with fury.

So much like his father.

Johnson doesn't move to correct his behavior and Loretta just stands there in awe. He's walking closer to us, to me, and stops right before me.