Page 92 of Back to Willow

Do they know? Were they outside? I can’t remember anything after my panic attack, but surely they didn’t notice.

“How are you feeling after everything?” he asks, confirming my fear.

They witnessed it. Taking a staggering step back, I cover my mouth. The embarrassment is intense as I look at Ethan and Hazel’s concerned faces.

“Hey,” he coos. “We don’t need you to tell us the whole story. From what we figured out, that is between you and that…guy. We just want to know how you are feeling.”

“Of course, she’s in bad shape,” Hazel tuts. “Johanna’s move was dirty and fucking low if you ask me.”

My head snaps up at the same time Ethan hisses, “Hazel!”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, it’s not our place–”

“Like hell it isn’t.” Hazel snaps. “She started by meddling. We’re only doing what’s right.”

“Still,” he insists. “You are causing unnecessary drama.”

What the hell are they talking about?

Then, Hazel’s expression changes from her usually angry to a sad one. “That’s what I would want if it was me in her place, anyway. I’d want to know.”

Ethan’s throat bobs as a guilty expression takes over. “Fine,” he concedes.

“She seems kind of obsessed with Liam, to be honest,” she comments with a roll of her eyes. “Whenever you aren’t there, it’s all she talks about, and as soon as she discovered you had a past with Liam, it got worse. When it came to your son, since they look alike so much, she’s been more determined than ever to put you on the spot, claiming he deserves to know the truth.”

“Which he does,” I sigh, agreeing.

“Well, she isn’t doing it for the right reasons. She’s doing it with the hopes that he’ll hate you so much she’ll have a chance because the poor man is still head over heels for you.”

“That’s–”

“Don’t even try to deny it,” she cuts me off. “You guys seem to have a shitload to solve, but can I tell you a secret?” She giggles when I nod. “That bitch doesn’t stand a chance!”

“Hazel!” I gasp, and Ethan chuckles.

“Who doesn’t stand a chance?” Johanna’s voice startles us, stunning everyone into silence.

My eyes widen when I notice Hazel’s mischievous expression, only to be pushed back by Ethan. “My sister,” he blurts.

“And you let her call your sister a bitch?” Johanna’s perfectly plucked eyebrow rises.

“Johanna,” I call before they can dig a deeper grave. “You called Liam to be there on Saturday?”

Our other two friends take a couple of steps back while I fully turn to face Johanna. Confronting people is not my thing, but she touched a part of me I will never let anyone mess with.My son.

After a long and awkward silence, watching her mouth gape, she admits, “Yes. I told you, he deserved to know.”

“And I told you I was working on it,” I grit. “It wasn’t your place.”

“Are you kidding me?” she snaps. “He is still so hung up on you, it’s ridiculous. For what? You’ve been lying and hiding your son from him this whole time. It’s obvious how much you’ve hurt him!”

“I don’t care what you think. It was my son’s birthday. Did you even think of him? How it would ruin his day? The impact it would have on him?”

When she fails to answer, I continue, “Of course, you didn’t. But I did. Because of that and many other reasons that are not your business, I was taking my time, yes. I was figuring out how to go about it because it’s not as easy as you think!”

“Tell her, girl,” Hazel hollers.

---