“I grew up in their house and lived with that every day, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that they’re not the kind of people I want the girls around.” I cup my palms around her cheeks. “Butyouare. You mean more to us than my parents ever have.”
Her voice cracks as she says, “You wanted the girls to have grandparents.”
“I do. And I’m pretty sure your parents are obsessed with the idea.”
A small grin seeps through her sadness, and I want to beg her to let it spread. Let it shove all her worries to the side and wash us clean of every bad thing that happened today.
But her grin falters. “Didn’t Clara want them to have a relationship?”
I search her green gaze. I’ve experienced countless dinners and visits with my parents in the last eight months to maintain a relationship with them. I’ve put up with their toxic comments and manipulations to give them time with their granddaughters.
And they’ve practically spit in my face for it every time. But especially tonight.
They completely disrespected the three most important people in my life, and never seeing them again wouldn’t destroy me like never seeing Millie again.
Iknowin my heart that she’s the right choice. It’s a simple decision.
And I know with absolute certainty that Clara would agree.
I gently nudge her off my lap and stand, grabbing her hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
Chapter 44
Millie
Finn tugs me down the stairs and opens the doors to his study in a rush. The room welcomes me with an old-book smell that soothes my shoulders when I inhale it. Warm golden light from a lamp bathes the room as he guides me inside. He shuts the French doors behind us and grabs a blanket from a chest in the corner, then spreads it out in the middle of the room.
“Lie down,” he says, waving a hand over it. The thin fabric is smooth under my skin as I lie back and stare at the ceiling.
Finn clicks the lamp off, cloaking the room in darkness except for the ambient moonlight streaming through the window.
I’ve never been in this room without a lamp on, and I’ve apparently been missing out on the best feature. Because despite the lack of light, the ceiling glows with tiny bright stars.
Goose bumps creep over my skin as I take in the view. “Beautiful,” I breathe. Finn joins me, and we lie below a sea of crisp white stars. My gaze bounces over every detail, and I have the dizzying feeling that I’m floating through space on a magic carpet.
Finn grounds me by looping an arm around my shoulders until my head rests on his chest.
“Did you paint them?” I ask.
“I did.” His voice cracks on the words. He takes a deep breath and sounds steadier as he says, “I spent a long time painting them after Clara died. Every night, pretty much.”
My chest is tight, barely letting me breathe as I picture Finn in here, painting stars across the ceiling while he grieved the loss of his sister.
“It’s amazing. I feel like I’m looking through a telescope.”
He lifts his free arm and points to a group of stars to the left. “Remember what Lyra looks like?”
I nod, tracking the constellation he points to.
Of course my nerdy astronomer would paint real constellations on his ceiling.
He lowers his hand a little to another group of stars. “And there’s Delphinus.” He squeezes his arm around me, pulling me closer to his body.
“And that”—he points to a small grouping of stars— “is the Butterfly Cluster.”
My body goes completely still, the sound of my heartbeat whooshing through my ears.
“That was Clara’s favorite part of the galaxy.”
