*FLASHBACK*
I walk to my closet as Esme stares at me. I know she is upset but there is nothing I can do about it. I’m only 19, and my grandma’s sick. There aren’t a lot of options in these types of situations. I start packing the clothes in my closet as Esme unpacks them and hangs them up. I stop packing and sit on my bed knowing that I don’t want to pack either. I’ve known her since grade 8 and I’ve loved her ever since; now we’ve finished our second year of university. She rests her head on my shoulder as I stroke her back with my free hand. I just want to stay like this forever. As we’re about to forget that fact that I’m leaving, my mom enters and says,
“Josh, are you in here? Oh my goodness! You’re not even close to done! You said Esme wouldn’t be a distraction and she was going to help! Get to packing!”
She leaves before I get a word out, obviously induced by stress. Esme is already standing up, I know she wants to complain but I have to go first.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know we’d be leaving this soon. She just got so sick so quickly.” I whisper into her ear as I pull her into my arms.
“Why do you have to leave now? Why can’t you leave at the end of the summer or something?” She asks in desperation.
“My dad wants us to get there as quickly as possible because the doctors don’t know how much longer she will hold. By the end of the summer, it may be too late. Even though I don’t want to, it’ll still be better for me to leave now and return when school starts than the other way around.” I can feel her tears seep through my tee as she rests her head on my shoulder.
“No. it’s really not. When school starts, I’ll have class to distract me. Now I don’t. I want my boyfriend to be here, so we can go to the beach and have late night talks.”
She looks at me straight in the eyes and says, “I don’t want you to leave.”
“Babe, I don’t want to either, but this is my grandmother and I would like to say good bye before she passes.”
She asks if there is a cure, I say there is, but that it isn’t fool proof. I hate being in this situation. Not being able to make her happy tears me apart but I can't please everybody. She pulls away and wipes her tears, suddenly angry. She sits and I sit beside her but she scoots away from my touch. I ask her what is wrong.
“You say you love me but at the first chance you get to leave, you take it. I know she’s your grandma and all, but I’m your girlfriend. I NEED YOU TOO!”
“Esme, it’s not that easy. I mean, do you think I would actually leave you, if it wasn’t that serious? To be honest, I don’t even have a say in this…”
“Of course you have a say!” She interrupts.
I move closer to her. I brush her bangs out of her eyes and kiss her forehead. She doesn’t know how conflicted I am. I really don’t have a choice. But even if I did, who would I choose? My grandma is dying, why can’t she get that she needs family right now? Why is leaving so hard for her to accept, it’s not like I’m not coming back. Wait... Are we coming back? I leave the room abruptly to ask my mom; Esme follows, questioning my abrupt move.
“Mom, you never told me when we’ll be coming back.” I say as I enter the kitchen. The detachable grill is connected to the stove. Mom must be making burgers and hotdogs.
“Hun, didn’t dad tell you. We’re going to live there. Grandma gave us the house and everything else in her will.”
“Are you kidding me?!?” Esme exclaims.
Esme turns to me, waiting to see what excuse I could come up with for this shocking news. I have absolutely no idea what to say. Since I don’t reply to my mother, she asks,
“So, what about us Josh? What about everything we’ve been through? What happens with us? Are we just going to throw it all away?”
I reach for her hand but she pulls away.
“No. No cute little actions can help you escape this. You’re actually just going to leave, and not come back?”
“Esme, this is his grandmother.” My mom interrupts, clearly offended.
“I know Mrs. Smith, but I love your son. You’re not leaving your son with any options. You can’t just break us up like this!”
“We’re not intending to break you two up. You can always visit. But one question; did you ask Josh if he wants to see his grandmother?”
Esme turns to me now, in disbelief and ask if I do want to go to my grandmother. When I don’t reply, she says “Sorry I was such a burden to think about” and leaves. I run after and tell her she’s not. She isn’t in the mood to listen so I tell her our final day is Wednesday and I’d love to see her before I left. She doesn’t respond. She gets in her car, looks once at me with an angry look but her eyes show sorrow and sadness. I watch as she drives off and stare even after she turns the corner.
