When the speeches ended, Ethan handed her a gift bag.
June narrowed her eyes.
“What is this?”
“A gift.”
“I’m suspicious.”
“You trained me.”
Inside was a train ticket.
Ottawa to Halifax.
Two weeks later.
June looked up.
Ethan smiled.
“You always said you wanted to see the East Coast without driving.”
June stared at the ticket.
“You paid for this?”
“Yes.”
“Can you afford it?”
He laughed.
“Yes, Mom.”
“You’re still paying me.”
“Yes.”
“Your car—”
“Emergency fund.”
She stopped.
Claire leaned close.
“We checked the budget.”
June looked at them both.
Then started crying.
Ethan hugged her.
June pushed him away after a second.
“You embarrassed me at my own retirement.”
“That’s revenge for the engagement party.”
Claire slapped his arm.
June laughed through tears.
The trip lasted five days.
June went alone.
Not because nobody wanted to go.
Because she wanted to know what it felt like to be somewhere without being needed.
At first, it felt terrible.
At the station, she kept checking her phone.
At breakfast, she found herself thinking about Ethan’s schedule.
