“Are you going to live here? Can we get our nails done every week? And make cookies?”
I laughed. I skipped her first question and said, “Maybe not every week, but we can certainly get our nails done and make cookies.”
She beamed, and it filled my heart. When I pulled her in for another hug, I got choked up. My life looked so different now than it did six months ago, and I couldn’t be happier. If anything, the feeling of peace and certainty I felt running back to South Station yesterday sunk deeper roots inside of me.
“And I can braid your hair whenever you want,” I added, flipping a lock of her hair around in my hand. Her ponytail had all but fallen out at school.
“Yes!” She pulled back from me. “Can we have a snack now?”
She made her way into the kitchen, and Luke and I looked at each other, shaking our heads.
My heart released a breath.Thank goodness she’s happy.
Later, I was teary-eyed in the kitchen. Luke was finishing up thedishes, and we’d poured fresh drinks. It felt like we were celebrating. “I’m so happy she’s happy.” I swallowed.
I couldn’t help but watch Luna when we had dinner, searching for any signs she was uncomfortable. Luke grabbed my hand on the table at one point, and she didn’t bat an eye. She pontificated happily about her trip to Hershey Park with her grandparents last week, adding that we should come next time—both of us. Some stress left my shoulders when she said that.
When she mentioned she wasn’t sure which outfit to wear for hersecondday back at school, I told her I’d love to help her pick it out. She dragged me up to her room to decide right then and there.
“What’d you expect?” Luke asked, turning to look at me. I leaned against the counter next to him.
“I don’t know. She’s a kid. Kids don’t always like change.”
“That’s true. But it’s not really a change for her. You’ve been there for her all summer.”
I smiled. Luke dried his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away my tears.
“They’re happy tears, I promise,” I said.
He kissed me. The soft press of his lips, his now familiar taste, felt like home.
When we settled on the couch, drinks in hand, baseball game on mute on the television, music playing at low volume from the speakers, my entire body relaxed.
This, my heart and my mind sang in unison, finally aligned.
Luke looked at me, suddenly pensive. “You look at her the way Monica used to. I’m sorry it took me so long to see it.”
I reached for his hand. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I think maybe she knew—my sister. She knew that someday I’d meet someone like you, and we’d have a family, that Luna would have a family that loved her. Is that strange?”
I loved that he was already thinking of us as a family.
“No. I kinda believe in the divine. But I also know you wellenough by now to know your sister chose you because of whoyouare. Luna has had a family this entire time.”
“Thanks, Val.” His voice was soft and full of something deep. He said it like my words meant something to him. Maybe everything to him.
He pulled me closer, pressed his warm lips to my cheek, and said, “It just didn’t feel complete until now.”
EPILOGUE
Six Months Later
I’d neared the end of my Broadway musical playlist as I drove along the beach road toward Edgartown. The formidable wind whipped into the side of my car, and the bodies of salt water on either side of the road were covered in white-capped waves.
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, humming along. This car I bought with my dad last year had served me well. I finally let Luke start splitting my car payment and insurance with me. His argument was that I used it to pick Luna up and take her places, so it was a family expense. I liked it when he used the word family like that, even though we hadn’t made it official yet.
I got my period a week after that day we threw caution to the wind in his office. I was ninety percent relieved, but shocking even myself, ten percent disappointed. We’d been more responsible since then. We talked about the future and the promise of more kids often enough that I knew we were still on the same page.Intime, I told myself, not wanting to wish this time away, when we were a family of three.
