Chapter 16
|
The boxes were stacked neatly near the door of Lily's bedroom. It was a different room than the one she had occupied ten years ago. That old room, with its heavy curtains and the lingering ghost of burning hair, had been completely remodeled. This one faced the east gardens, filled with morning light and the scent of blooming jasmine. Lily sat on the edge of her bed, folding a thick wool sweater. Emma stood by the window, watching the careful, deliberate movements of the seventeen-year-old girl who was about to leave home.
"You don't have to pack everything perfectly," Emma said, her voice warm.
"I like the order of it," Lily replied without looking up.
"Your roommate might be messy."
"Then we will negotiate a boundary."
Emma smiled. The word 'negotiate' sounded so clinical, but for Lily, it was a profound victory. Ten years ago, Lily was not allowed to negotiate her own bedtime, let alone her physical boundaries. Now, she was equipped with a vocabulary of rights, limits, and autonomy.
Grant appeared in the doorway, holding a small, reinforced lockbox. He walked in and placed it gently on the desk.
"Your encrypted drives," Grant said. "For your classes, and for the policy center access."
"Thank you," Lily said.
"Are you nervous?" he asked.
"Yes."
"That is a rational response to a major life transition."
"I know. I'm letting myself feel it. Renata used to tell me that being nervous meant I was sick. I know the difference now."
Grant’s jaw tightened slightly at the mention of that name, but he did not look away. He had spent a decade learning not to flinch from the reality of his own failures.
May you like
"You are not sick," Grant said firmly. "You are incredibly strong."
"We leave in an hour," Emma reminded them both, stepping away from the window. "Finish the sweaters, Lily. The car is already waiting downstairs."
