Page 110 of Until the Last Star Fades

“Around four.”

“We better get our asses in gear, otherwise Maggie will catch us in the act and try to help. When you’re done with the flowers, can you hang the sign and then fill the chip bowls?”

“Yup.” Piper adjusted the burst of blooms in a tall vase. “Thanks for suggesting Gerberas. I had no idea smelly flowers might make Maggie queasy.”

“Yeah, Gerberas tick all the boxes—no scent and they’re gorgeous. I hope Maggie’s all right. The last treatment is always a strange one. My mum was glad it was over, but felt too tired and sick to celebrate.”

“Riley said your mom had a tough time, years back?”

Ben leaned away to admire his handiwork. “Yeah, but find a cancer patient who doesn’t.”

Piper frowned and transferred the vase of flowers for Maggie to the small table in the living/dining room where they joined a stack of board games and Ben’s pot of forget-me-nots, Riley’s favorite. She picked up the large HAPPY BIRTHDAY RILEY cutout, lovingly crafted from yellow construction paper. “How cute is this?! It must’ve taken Maggie forever to cut out the letters. Rye’s shown me photos of her kiddie birthday parties. Friends come and go, but this thing was always there!”

“Tada!” Ben lurked behind her shoulder, a plate with his gooey cake proudly in his hands. “Icing hides a multitude of baking sins.”

“Hey, I’ll never tell,” said Piper with a wink. “I know I’ve been teasing you the whole time, but if a dude baked a cake for me, I’d be blowing more than just his candles.” She stepped onto a small stool, the birthday sign and its ties dangling from her hands. “I’d say you’re getting lucky tonight. Good thing I’m staying at Casey’s.”

“Yeah, thanks for that!” He did a double take, catching a flicker of sadness cross Piper’s face. “I’m sorry you and Cicely split.”

“I really liked her, but doing long-distance…” She shook her head. “That’s what sucks about graduating and finding jobs. Everyone scatters.”

“It’s your turn next.”

Piper tacked one end of the sign above the entrance to the kitchen. “Yeah.” Her shoulders slumped slightly. “That’s what I’m most sad about. I miss Cicely, but it’s not like how I’m gonna miss Rye. Four years together, almost every day…she’s my heart.”

“Riley will miss you, too.” Ben set the cake on the table. “Pip, you know her best. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“I’ve been online, trying to read everything I can about depression but…what can I do to help her? I just want her to feel safe, you know? Understood and supported.”

“Well, just keep doing what you’re doing—be there for her, and don’t try to solve it with a quick fix.”

“But that’s it—I just want to fix it so badly.”

“But you can’t, Ben.” She pushed a tack into the string on the right side of the sign. “I don’t mean to sound like a textbook, but we learned about this in class. Depression ebbs and flows. Every day is different. Every person is different. Be patient and take your cues from her. If she seems distant or lost, ask what she needs and go from there. Depression can be really isolating. No one should have to struggle alone.” She hopped off the stool and popped her gum. “Just the fact that you’re asking makes you a superstar in my book. So many people think the depressed person just needs to snap out of it, you know? Cheer up and smile more, go exercise, and stop eating crap, like that will solve everything, but that’s bullshit! That’s why people like Riley end up with smiling depression in the first place—the stigma doesn’t allow them to be themselves.”

“I want to do everything I can for her. Riley’s the first girl I’ve—” He caught himself. “Really been into.”

“Yeah, I know.” Piper patted his arm. “I hate to say it, Ben, but you’re not that great an actor!”

• • •

It’s the cutest thing ever! Sitting on the floor, Riley leaned into Ben as he closed the clasp on her bracelet. On her wrist, a small silver puffin charm dangled from a delicate chain. “Cake AND puffins!” Ben is just… Her heart pounded, refusing to slow down. It’s happening—I’m falling for him. Her eyes left the bracelet, finding Ben gazing at her. And maybe…he might be falling, too? She smiled warmly and kissed him then turned to her mom, who was curled up beside Piper on the sofa. “Isn’t this gorgeous?”

“It’s adorable, sweetheart,” said Maggie, cutting into her slice of birthday cake. “So perfect—you did good, Ben!”

Still grinning, he glanced back at Riley.

“I’ve always meant to ask.” Piper swallowed the last bite of her butter chicken burrito. “Why puffins, Rye?”

“Well, like me, they love cliffs, rocks, swimming, and islands. And they look like clown birds—”

“You hate clowns,” said late-arrival Casey, sitting down with his plateful of cake.

Riley laughed. “I know, but puffins are cute, and they look happy all the time.”

“I always thought that old stuffed thing with no eyes lying on your bed was a mangled parrot.” Piper set her empty plate on the coffee table and scooped up a handful of pretzels. “His neck’s all floppy.”