It's true. Dad's acting like he just met his new best friend. I've never seen him so open right off the bat. So engaged and enthusiastic. But I suppose that after everything, he's realized how precious time is, and how you can't waste it.
I laugh as Gideon looks up and sees me, lifting his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "That makes two of us," I say.
Mom turns to me, giving me a look that's more happy than surprised. "Daryn. That's so wonderful. I like him a lot. He's a lovely young man."
"He just got here, Mom. You've only known him one day. Most of it, he's been with Dad."
"But I can tell."
Isabel, who's drying dishes beside me, winks. "It's in his bearing."
"Yes," Mom agrees. "I think that's it. And he's hot."
"What? Mom, ew."
She and Isabel laugh, enjoying my discomfort. I look from one to the other, wondering how I never saw it coming that these two would hit it off, too.
Isabel arrived a few days ago to spend some time with us before the party. It seemed important to bring the past year and a half home with me-and Iz was such a huge part of it. I think it's helped Mom and Dad to see that, though I wasn't here with them, I was with great people. It's eased their minds some, even though there's so much I'm not sharing with them. Things that are better left unsaid. We're working on catching up on everything else, though. Everything we can.
Mom's been doing well lately. Her depression has been under control for the better part of a year. She's meditating and running and taking good care of herself, and the meds she's on are working well for her. She's active in the community, working on several charities that raise money for causes benefiting the families of missing children, caring for the homeless, and increasing awareness of mental disorders. She's amazing.
And she looks happy. Happier than when I left. I've heard it said that parents are only as happy as their unhappiest child, but the same is true in reverse. If she or Dad weren't happy, I wouldn't be, either. I wasn't. But, for now at least, they're good and I'm good-and that's a lot to be happy about.
Josie's stressed but it's the reasonable, normalish kind. She's taking summer courses, and it's the stress she puts on herself to make good grades. She's on track to graduate early, working really hard to achieve her goal of getting into a top medical school. I've met some of her friends from Yale and they're awesome. A small, close-knit group. I can tell they balance out her relentless drive a little bit. Just ten minutes ago, I heard them making plans to go for pizza and a movie later. After a day of lounging around the pool, that'll make an entire day of not cracking a book for Josie. It's another thing to be happy about. We all need people to look out for us.
Dad, apparently, was lost until I came home. Both Mom and Josie suffered, but somehow managed to move on with their lives. He didn't. From what I've been told, he was in agony until the second I walked back through the door.
I'd never seen Dad cry like he did that day. Big, racking sobs that shook me. It went on for hours, every time he'd look at me. All day, I found myself holding him, not even capable of comforting him with words. I had worried so much about their disappointment in me. Their anger. But there was none of that.
We were together again. That was everything. To all of us. The sobs and the tears and long, long hugs were just the release of all the worry and pain.
That was six weeks ago, and I still can't think of that day without getting choked up and wanting to hug him. Even though, since then, he's been overjoyed. He's been the guy outside, with his arm hanging around Gideon.
I think I gave him his life back by coming home.
I think I did that for both of us.
The Sight never came back to me after we came out of the Rift. That part of my life is finished, as far as I know. It's time for me to get on with life, not as a Seeker but as Daryn.
In the past six weeks, I've submitted applications to several colleges, trying for late admission. Gideon has, too. Some of the schools are the same. Some just close to each other geographically.
Who knows? We have no idea what's going to happen. Education is important to both of us. It's the right next step. But we're both on the same page about our relationship. We know we'll work it out so we can be together-that's our priority.
We've been lucky enough to find each other. No one makes me happier than he does. I know there are no long-term guarantees, but I also know without a doubt what I want today, and tomorrow, and the next day.
Him.
His blue eyes. His smile. His strength and sense of honor. His belief in me.