Page 189 of Lovers Like Us

We’re all quiet, but Rose hastily unclasps her Chanel purse, her nails painted a matte black. Tabloids call my aunt an “ice queen” but her heart is fucking giant. I saw it as a kid when five-year-old Ben got poison ivy and she told her son she’d bear his pain for him if she could. She whispered in French, made him a hot bath, and sat with him the wholenight.

And I definitely see her heart now. As she pulls out a pair ofheels.

They look more like pink suede sandals with a chunky glittery heel attached. My aunt mostly wears simple black dresses and classic heels. These areeccentric.

These areJane.

At the sight of them, Jane stops mid-stair. “What arethose?”

Rose delicately holds the heeled sandals. “They’re for you—but I’mnottrying to buy your love,” she snaps. “I saw them and they screamedJane Eleanor Cobalt, my beautiful, brilliant firstborn daughter… If you don’t want them, I’ll return them to the store or I can throw them in a fire. Watch them burn…” She tries to raise her chin, fighting tears. She quickly brushes the corners of her eyes. “Whatever youwant.”

Jane smiles with a watery gaze. “I’d love them.” She reaches the bottom of thestairs.

“Really?” Rose asks. “Because if you don’t like the buckle or the sequins, I can have themaltered.”

“No,” Jane says, holding the heels with her mom for an extra beat. “They’reperfect.”

I smile with practically everyoneelse.

My dad pipes in, “Good, she’s been carrying those things around forfourmonths.”

“Lo!” my mom whisper-hisses and slugs his shoulder. “That’s asecret.”

“Oops,” my dad says dryly, but he smiles at Jane who looksoverwhelmed

“You did?” Jane almost bursts intotears.

Rose rubs her daughter’s cheek. “I thought one day, you’d want to speak to me again. But I didn’t knowwhen.”

Jane wraps her arms around her mom. Aunt Rose is notorious for hating hugs, but she reciprocates tenfold. I can’t hear them whisper to one another, but I’m sure they’re exchangingI miss yous, I’m sorrys, and I loveyous.

I glance at my family. My mom and dad in a loving embrace: his arms around her waist, her body clung to him. And Ryke picks up Daisy and tosses his wife playfully over his shoulder. So she hangs upside-down, her smile as bright as thesun.

Everyone isokay.

For the moment. But it fills me up to the fuckingbrim.

When Rose and Jane break apart, her blue eyes land on her dad. Silently, Connor goes and hugs hisdaughter.

Jane cavesinstantly.

“Mon cœur,” he whispers.My heart.“I emailed you an essay thismorning.”

She slightly pulls back. “I didn’t ask for anotherone.”

“It’s a prelude to the first one,” he says smoothly. “Three-thousand words on why you’re an extraordinary daughter. The best we could everhave.”

She puts her palms to her cheeks, overwhelmed. Tearful.Happy.And she just nods in thanks.Jane looks tome.

I smile more.You did the hardest part, Janie.And everything is better than what itwas.

She smiles into a tearful laugh, wiping hercheeks.

My mom detaches from my dad and wanders towards me…no, not me. She facesFarrow. Those two haven’t talked either. Notonce.

Farrow straightens up off the door. “Lily—”

“No wait,” my mom says and wipes her sweaty palms on her baggy Avengers Assemble shirt. “So I have something for you too…and just to be clear, I can’t take back anything that I said or did at the Camp-Away. Because Maximoff is my son, and I want to be the kind of mother who’s strong enough to stand up for him and protect him.” She nods resolutely. “I didn’t cower, and I’m proud ofthat.”