Something in me warms. He was expecting me to just walk in. The smile I give him is genuine.
“Sorry, I wasn’t sure whether I should with all these guests you seem to have,” I say. “You didn’t say you were having a party.”
“Well…it was kind of a surprise,” Ethan says sheepishly.
He steps back to let me into the house, and we head to the living room, where several people are crowded. There’s Grant and Jessica, with little Owen, Kyle and Allison. Hayley is there, too, grinning broadly, while Alex is skulking next to her, glaring at her. I repress a giggle, wondering what those two are arguing about now. Lily is bouncing around everyone, and, standing nearby…
“Susie!” I say in wonder.
“Hi, Georgia,” Susie says warmly, reaching out to give me a hug. She presses her check to mine and I catch sight of a mischievous smile on her face as she lowers her voice to a whisper. “You and Ethan really need to talk.”
“What?” I ask as she pulls away.
Susie just winks, looking highly amused.
“Ethan decided to throw a party for you,” she says in a normal voice. “When he invited us, I couldn’t resist coming down to see you. The kids were excited, too.”
I look around. Rory is playing in the corner with Daniel, Susie’s husband, and her other three children, the twins Alice and Fred, and the eight-year-old Isaac. It’s been some time since I’ve seen all of them, and I can’t help but smile despite the fact that I’m really confused about what they’re all doing here.
“It’s wonderful to see everyone,” I say to Ethan and Susie. “But why’s everyone here? Why are you throwing a party for me?”
“Ethan says it’s a farewell party,” Hayley calls cheerfully.
I glance at her. She just smirks. Farewell?
Wait…does Ethan know about my job offer?
Slowly, I turn to look at him. He’s not looking at me, staring instead determinedly at the wall. I open and close my mouth, but I don’t know what to say.
“Ethan?” I ask.
“I know you took the job,” he explains, and then he turns to smile at me. There’s something both sad and determined in the expression. “I thought…well, everyone here loves you, and I thought a farewell will be nice. Just a small party to give you good wishes for your new job.”
I stare at him.
“How did you find out?”
Suddenly, Ethan looks a little shifty.
“Ah, we can discuss that later,” he says in a too-loud voice. “We have food!”
He rushes off, heading to the kitchen. I watch him go and then turn to Susie with a glare. Hayley, the only other one who knows what’s actually going on, is snickering.
“The two of you are first class bitches,” I say bluntly, and they both laugh. “Did neither of you think to tell Ethan the truth?”
“That’s your job, little sister,” Susie says, clapping me on the back. “As I said; the two of you obviously need to talk.”
“I’ll say,” I mutter. “How did he even find out about the job, anyway?”
“I think Ethan did a little snooping,” Kyle says wryly.
“Again?” I snort.
“What’s the truth?” Allison asks, looking suspiciously at us.
“Let’s just say that Ethan only has half the information, and I’m not actually going anywhere?” I say, rolling my eyes.
Everyone stares at me. And then, slowly, the laughter starts. It’s incredulous, because Ethan has been telling everyone that I’m leaving, and no one knows what to say now that they’re here, at a farewell party for me, one that’s actually pointless.