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“I just wanted to say thank you,” she says. “To you, Sebastian, of course, but to all of you as well. Thank you for welcoming me into this family. I never pictured this for myself, but I’m grateful I’m here.”
Dad raises his glass. “Cheers.”
As we follow suit, I glance at the sky. It’s early evening, so the stars haven’t come out yet, but I catch a sliver of the moon. Fireflies wink across the lawn.
Tonight, when it’s dark, we’ll take Mia’s old telescope to the beach. I’ll bring a blanket, so we can stay there all night.
And I’ll listen to my angel talk about the universe while I hold her in my arms.
65
MIA
EPILOGUE
January 15th
I fiddlewith my star necklace as I wait at the Starbucks counter. Early in the morning, even John F. Kennedy airport is quiet, hushed.
It doesn’t match my energy at all. I’m practically humming with excitement, even though we have a long flight ahead.
I’ve never been on an airplane before. I’ve never seen the world from the sky in any capacity.
This is a beginning, and I have Sebastian by my side.
The barista slides our coffees over. Iced with oat milk for me, a whole milk latte for him. “Thanks.”
“You’re not going to drink both of those, right?” She leans across the counter, readjusting her apron. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s just a couple years older than me. She knotted her sleek black hair into a bun, and freckles dot her face like splattered paint. They remind me of Penny. I miss her already—but at least she and Cooper are coming to visit over spring break. “Who are you traveling with?”
“My boyfriend.” I take a sip of my coffee. I don’t need the caffeine jolt, with such a long flight ahead, but the taste is comforting. I hope I’ll be able to find a good coffee place near the university. Honestly, it could be mediocre, and I’ll just be glad I’m not the one making it. “He’s getting breakfast tacos for us.”
“That’s nice.”
“What’s your name?”
“Aadhya. What about you?”
“That’s pretty.” I take another sip of coffee. “I’m Mia.”
“Also pretty.” She grabs a rag and wipes down the countertop. “Where are you going?”
“Switzerland. I’m doing a study abroad program. Astrophysics.”
“Is he doing it too?”
“That would be a disaster,” Sebastian drawls as he walks over to us. He gives me a kiss, languid and casual and yet possessive too, and cuffs me lightly under the chin as he steps back. “I stopped paying attention in science class after ninth grade.”
He’s in gray sweatpants and a McKee sweatshirt, his backpack slung over his shoulder, and he’s wearing a new necklace around his throat. My Christmas present to him, which I gave him after our Monopoly win against his siblings on Christmas Eve. A gold compass to match the star he gave me last summer.
“And I’ll repeat, yet again, that cooking is science,” I say.
“Nah,” he says, giving me a grin as he plucks his latte out of my hand. “Cooking is art. Baking is science.”
“You make such a cute couple,” Aadhya says.
“We’re something,” I say dryly at the same time Sebastian says, “Thank you.”
I roll my eyes. The grin doesn’t leave his face. I’d elbow him in the stomach, but I don’t want to risk anything happening to my precious coffee in the ensuing battle.
