Her mind is magical, and her heart is strong.
How could I not follow her into whatever rainbow dimension she hurled us toward?
“Go to bed,” I say, reaching up and curling my fingers around hers. “Tomorrow is a new day.”
She nods and swings her legs off the couch. Then she stands up, lifting her arms high over her head as she stretches. It causes her shirt to ride up a few inches, and on her back I can just make out a hint of the tattoo that’s inked over her scar.
What if I hadn’t found her that day, all those years ago, digging through a dumpster for her breakfast? Would we still be sitting here like this? Would we have traveled separate paths?
Or would fate have brought us together in a different way?
“You look like you’re thinking big thoughts down there,” Juniper says, and I realize with a start that I’ve just been sitting here, staring up at her and zoning out.
“Do you believe in fate?” I say. I don’t know where the words come from.
“I believe in people,” she says, like my question isn’t strange at all. She holds her hand out to me, and I take it, letting her pull me to my feet. “I do believe in a higher power of some kind, but mostly I believe that people create their own luck and chances and fortunes.”
“What about soulmates?” I say, because I’m interested to hear her answer.
She smiles at me. “No,” she says. “I tend to think that almost any two people could be happy together if they were both determined enough. But”—she shrugs—“really, what do I know?” Her smile turns mischievous as she reaches up with both hands and pulls my face down to hers. “Why?” she says, planting a kiss on my lips. “Do you think we’re soulmates?”
I grin, prying her vice-like grip off of me. “That’s way above my pay grade.” I kiss her right palm, then her left. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Mmkay,” she says with a little smile. “I probably won’t be up before you leave.”
“That’s fine. Get some sleep.”
She nods, blows me a kiss, and then heads toward the stairs. I watch her until she’s disappeared from my view, a dopey smile on my face the whole time, like a lovesick fool.
I putter around in the kitchen for a bit after that, staring at our refrigerator, which still has all the notes we’ve made on it. That stresses me out, though, so I pace aimlessly instead. I open the fridge, peek in the pantry. Do a lap, then look again. Surprise, surprise, no new foods have magically appeared.
I look several more times anyway. Then, remembering something Juniper said, I pull out my phone.
“Ma,” I say when she answers.
“Oh, don’t call me that,” she says, and I picture her waving her hand at me. “You sound like one of thoseNew Jersey Shoresboys.”
“Jersey Shore,” I say, amused.
“Whatever it’s called. Those kids needed a parent or two,” she mutters.
I smile. “That’s actually why I called,” I say.
Silence.
“Not because of the show,” I say quickly. “It’s because—ah—I’m dating someone.” I stumble over the words, but I know my mother hears them, because she gasps.
“Is it this woman you’re living with?” she says. “Caroline—Caroline!” she shouts, and I stifle a groan. “Your brother has a girlfriend!”
From the background, barely audible, comes Caroline’s response: “It’s about time. Details!”
“No details right now,” I say firmly. I can’t handle that conversation at the moment. “I just wanted to let you know, because her mom has passed, so I told her she could borrow mine. I told her—” I clear my throat. “I told her my mom is pretty great.”
“Oh,” my mother says, her voice suddenly wobbly. “Oh, dear. Her mother passed away?”
I nod. “Years ago.”
“What about her father?”