“Yeah,” Maurice said, eyes warm. “I know you’re gonna love it there. Charlottesville’s different from here. It’s quieter, greener, and slower in a good way. I can’t wait to show you everything.”
Finn smiled into his lobster. “I can’t wait either.”
Theo raised his glass. “To new adventures, and to lobster.”
David clinked his glass against Theo’s. “And to these two lovebirds finally getting on the same flight.”
Finn laughed. “We’re sitting together. Maurice made sure.”
Maurice shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Of course I did.”
They talked through the entire dinner about the parade, about the wigs, about Mr. Santos’s feather boa, about the trolley ride, and about how Finn still had glitter stuck behind his ear. The boat circled the bay, passing under the bridge, the lights above them glowing like stars.
By the time they returned to the hotel, Finn felt full, not just from the food, but from the whole day. The energy, the colors, the laughter, the feeling of belonging. He and Theoheaded to their rooms to pack, tossing clothes into suitcases and comparing how much glitter they’d tracked onto the carpet.
“Tomorrow,” Theo said, zipping his bag, “we’re gonna be Virginians.”
Finn laughed. “Temporary Virginians.”
“Still counts.”
They went to bed early; alarms set for the morning flight.
The next day, Finn’s stomach fluttered the entire ride to the airport. His excitement and nerves tangled together. Maurice stayed close to him through security, through the terminal, and through boarding. When they finally sat down on the plane, Finn let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
Maurice nudged him. “Are you okay?”
Finn nodded. “Just… happy. And nervous. And happy again.”
Maurice smiled. “Good. That’s the right mix.”
The flight felt both long and fast at the same time. Finn watched clouds drift by, watched the landscape change, watched Maurice doze off with his head tilted slightly toward him.
When the plane touched down in Charlottesville, Finn’s heart thumped hard. He gazed out the window, his eyes taking in the vibrant green hills, the vast expanse of the sky, and the golden sunlight that bathed everything in its glow.
“This is it,” Maurice said, squeezing his hand.
Finn swallowed, smiling. “Yeah. We’re here.”
And for the first time, “here” felt like the start of something real. Finn stepped off the plane with Maurice at his side, the cool Virginia air drifting through the jet bridge. It smelled different from San Francisco—cleaner, greener, like thebreeze had passed through a thousand trees before reaching him. David and Theo walked with them toward baggage claim, all four still a little sleepy from the early flight.
Theo hugged Finn tight. “Text me the second you’re settled.”
“I will,” Finn said, squeezing back.
David clapped Maurice on the shoulder. “Take good care of him.”
Maurice smirked. “That’s the plan.”
They said their goodbyes, and then it was just Finn and Maurice walking toward the parking garage. Finn’s stomach fluttered—nerves, excitement, the whole mix he’d been carrying since the plane touched down.
Maurice unlocked his SUV, tossed their bags in the back, and opened the passenger door for Finn. “Ready?”
Finn slid in. “More than ready.”
The drive out of the airport felt like entering a different world. The highway cut through rolling hills, thick woods, and long stretches of open sky. Sunlight filtered through the trees in soft patches, and every few miles Finn spotted old barns, white fences, and fields that looked like they went on forever.
“This is beautiful,” Finn said, forehead resting lightly against the window.
