“How?” I asked, my voice shaky as I tried to hold back my tears. Even though my sister and I hadn’t lived in the same town since high school, this felt like saying goodbye all over again.
“Because we’re Miller-Coopers. We can do anything.”
“Hell yeah we can,” a voice said from behind us, and we both turned to find our mom and mama standing just feet away.
“Why do I always get in trouble when I swear even though I learned it all from you two?” Olivia teased.
My mama lifted both eyebrows at her. “Youget in trouble because you swear when you shouldn’t, like in front of grandma.”
“Grandma is chill. She probably doesn’t even care.”
Our mom laughed as if Olivia had just told a joke, even though it was true. All four of my grandparents had been much more accepting than most older people I knew.
Olivia put her hands on her hips. “Why are you laughing? She is. Much more chill than you two.”
Mom pressed a hand to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. “Please don’t say that. You’re breaking my heart.”
My mama held out her arms. “Since you apparently already think we’re so uncool anyway, I guess it won’t ruin my reputation at all to ask my adult daughters for a group hug.”
Olivia pulled our mama up against her and I did the same with our mom as the two of us scrunched even closer together.
“You two and your brother have grown up way too fast,” my mama said as we stayed wrapped in a family hug.
“Yeah, yeah. It seems like just yesterday you two were kissing on grandma and grandpa’s roof for the first time, right?” Olivia asked sarcastically, but the catch in her voice gave away that she was also getting choked up.
Suddenly, I felt another body tight up against mine, and Jax spoke loudly right into my ear. “Please don’t tell me you all are having a family moment without me.”
“Never.” Olivia stepped away from me and wrapped her arms tightly around Jax. “I don’t know how I’m going to live without you.”
Jax chuckled. “It’s not like we’re never going to talk again.”
“I know that. I meant I don’t know how I’m going toliterallylive without you. We’ve been living together for ten years.”
Jax laughed once again. “I think in some states they’d consider us married by now.”
Olivia pulled away and smirked at her best friend. “You could do worse.”
“I could also do better.”
Oh no.Jax was no longer addressing Olivia; she was now staring directly at me. I cleared my throat and looked toward the ground to avoid her gaze. I knew she only said these thingsbecauseof my reaction to them, but my body somehow hadn’t gotten the message.
“On that note, I think it’s time for us to leave,” Olivia said with a laugh. “I’m clearly not wanted here anymore.”
“Babe, you know I’ll always want you.” Jax held onto Olivia’s hand and squeezed it. “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
I had to work to suppress my eye roll. These two were so dramatic.
“Remember when I moved out of the apartment I shared with Jamie?” My mom asked my mama with a sigh. “That was such a hard day.”
My mama poked her in the side. “Yes. I’m oh-so-sorry for stealing you from him.”
My mom had been friends with my Uncle Jamie way before she met Mama. Apparently, they had met when my mom was pretending to be Uncle Jamie’s girlfriend, so he didn’t have to come out to his family. And as they like to say—the rest is history.
My heart tugged the same way it always did when I thought about their romantic backstory. I had pretty much givenup on having a love story of my own, but it still hurt to know I’d never have what those two do. Theirs is truly one of the greatest love stories of all time in my mind, and that’s saying a lot given all of the romance books I read.
I was pulled from my thoughts by Mama, Mom, and Olivia giving me hugs to say goodbye. Olivia gave me an extra squeeze before letting go. “Take care of Jax for me, okay? Don’t let that hard exterior fool you. She’s a big softie. She needs lots of attention, snuggles, and chocolate.”
Am I inheriting a roommate or a girlfriend?
