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“Not moving there. I’ll come home every weekend.”
“When were you going to tell me about this?”
“Tonight. I just found out for sure today.”
“How long have you known it was a possibility?”
“About a month.”
“Matty? Since before we moved here?”
“I’m sorry. You’ve been settling in. Caleb is doing great. I didn’t want you to think we had to pack up and leave. I really didn’t expect it to happen. This town has been great for you two. I don’t want you to leave. I’d rather commute. Or…” He sighed. “If you don’t want me to take it, I won’t.”
She walked over to him and hugged him. “Of course you need to take it. How big of a job is it?”
“A strip mall. I’ll probably be on it through the summer and into fall.”
“Wow.”
“But if you’re not ready to…I don’t need to go.”
“You’re going. When are you going?”
“They break ground next week. But I can delay until we get you and Caleb settled in someplace new.”
“I can look for a place without you. Knowing more people will certainly help.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
They spent the next hour discussing logistics until it was time for Wilda to pick up Caleb from school. On the drive there, her hands began to shake. She started to sweat and struggled to get enough air. She rolled down her window and tried to calm herself. She knew someday she’d need to face life alone without Mathias, but not this soon. Not this suddenly.
She blew out a breath. “I’m losing our home. I’m losing my brother.” She stopped at a light and looked at the picture of Milo and Frenchie. “I could use a really good friend right about now.”
Wilda arrived at the school and stood with the other parents waiting for their children. At the sight of Milo leading his class, Wilda’s hands trembled again, and her legs grew spongy. She took a deep breath and forced a smile as Caleb ran to her.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He hugged her around the waist, and she picked him up. “How’s my sweet boy?”
Wilda watched Milo lead the kids to the bus, then headed toward the parking lot. If she stayed to talk, he would surely notice that something was wrong. As she reached the car, he jogged up to her.
“Hold up.”
“Oh. Sorry. I…” She opened the door and let Caleb into the backseat, then took a breath and turned to face Milo.
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, then looked away from him.
“Wilda, what’s up?”
“I’ve had a bit of a rough afternoon.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not here.”
“Let me go grab my stuff. Will you wait for me?”
