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Conclusion: Some people love by holding on. Alexander had finally learned to love by letting go. And because he had left every choice entirely in my hands, I had never felt freer to choose him.

* * *

Three observations. Three independent opportunities for Alexander to return to the man I had once feared he would always be.

Three times, he chose differently. The hypothesis no longer required testing.

The evidence had been observed over ordinary days and unremarkable moments, until it reached the point every scientist eventually hopes for. Not certainty, because certainty belongs only to people who stop asking questions, but confidence. Enough confidence to reach a conclusion and know that it had been earned.

I closed the notebook. I put on my engagement ring.

I was ready to plan a wedding.

Chapter 31

Emilia

The next afternoon, I asked Charlotte, Priya, and Mateo to meet me for lunch.

I had planned to tell them myself. Charlotte noticed the ring before I had a chance.

“This is it, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Yes.” I laughed as smiles spread around the table.

“I need your help planning a wedding.”

Mateo started first. “When? Where? How many people? What is the budget?”

Warmth spread through me. “I just put the ring back on yesterday, Mateo.”

“So we’re starting from nothing,” Charlotte said.

“That is preferable. We can make a list,” Priya said.

“I know where.”

They all looked at me. “The conservatory.”

Three smiles answered me.

“And I know when. Winter.”

“We have plenty of time,” Charlotte said.

“We don’t have enough time,” Priya said at exactly the same moment.

They looked at each other.

Mateo leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. “This is going to go very well.”

* * *

The next few months passed quickly with lists, appointments, decisions, and preparation.

Between Charlotte, Priya, and Mateo, everything was covered. Priya created a master spreadsheet that each of us had access to. It was password protected (AuroraWins) and Track Changes was always on. Priya wanted to approve every single change. No one was entirely certain when Priya had become project manager. No one was brave enough to challenge it.

Alexander had opinions of his own. Over dinner one evening, I asked him what mattered most to him.