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I paused as I considered it. It had been nice hanging out with both Matthew and my mom over Halloween. Right up until my ex-boyfriend attacked my father. Inviting Matthew to our home felt like a big step. But I was surprised to find it felt like a step I was willing to take. I hadn’t spoken to my father since the day after the carnival, and I suspected he was snowed under with work in New York.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” I said. “But Matthew is always so busy. He might not be able to make it.”

“We’ll see,” Mom said. I got the impression she’d already been in touch with Matthew and invited him because she quickly changed the subject.

“How’s school going?” she asked. “Have you seen Noah after what he did last weekend?”

“School’s fine. And let’s not talk about Noah.”

"That bad, huh?”

“Well, he refused to apologize for punching Matthew. He seems to want nothing to do with me. Oh, and he’s dating Veronica.”

“Is that the girl who was so mean to you?”

I loved how that part shocked my mom the most. “Yeah.” I sighed. “But it’s fine. I’m fine.”

“It’s okay if you’re not,” she continued. “Even after everything that’s happened between you and Noah, I know how hard it can be to turn off your feelings. It’s not like there’s some switch you can just flick, and they’re gone.”

“I know.”

“I mean, even after all these years, I still felt something when I saw your dad again.”

“Wait, you felt something for him? Like, romantically?”

“No, no, not like that.” My mom said the words a little too quickly. “I just mean that familiarity was still there. It was good to see him. I didn’t realize I’d feel that way especially when we haven’t seen or heard from each other in seventeen years.”

“Well, I’m glad you guys got along.”

“Me too,” she agreed. “Which is why I think it’ll be nice if we all spend time together at Thanksgiving. We have a lot of missed time to make up for. I know Matthew certainly feels that way.”

“Yeah, that does sound nice.” I had to wonder what Matthew would think of our Thanksgiving meal. It wasn’t exactly conventional. Mom usually closed the café, and all the staff and a few of our favorite customers joined us there for lunch. It was always an eclectic group of people, so it was never boring. Sometimes I invited friends as well, but I guessed that part of the tradition was over now.

“You should ask if your new school friends want to come,” Mom said. It was almost as if she could read my mind.

“Really?”

“Of course. If they don’t already have plans with their families, that is.”

“But where would they stay?” Our apartment was hardly big enough for my mom and I, let alone any others.

“We’ll make it work,” Mom said.

I wasn’t as optimistic as her. “I’m sure they already have plans…”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“Excellent.” I could feel Mom’s smile in her voice. “Now, I better run. Frank hasn’t been in for his usual coffee for a couple of days, so Norma is sulking. She’s been handing out prophecies of doom with every coffee she serves. I can’t trust her with the customers for too long.”

I laughed. “Why hasn’t Frank been in?”

“I think he’s on vacation.”

“Ah.” It was probably the first time in years Frank had gone more than one morning without visiting the café.

“I wish the two of them would just get together already.”