Chapter Thirty-two
Sean
Flora’s parents are the least parent-like figures I’ve ever met.
Some of it’s because they’re so young, with practically nonexistent lines around their eyes, but mostly it’s because of the way they carry themselves.
It’s easier to regard them as Taylor and Alice, two polished, charming executives who make you believe their lives must be spectacular.
Her dad has a perfectly calibrated handshake, paired with just enough eye contact to seem engaged, but I get the sense he meets too many people to remember them all.
Her mom speaks with practiced ease, like someone who has refined these lines to perfection.
Still genuine, but detached enough to stay in control.
Her brother, Jeremy, seems self-assured and laid-back.
There’s a cool glint in his eyes that says I’m exceptional, but I won’t hold it against you. He has Flora’s eyes.
“You’re the first boyfriend I’ve gotten to meet.” Jeremy rises from his seat, offering a handshake with an easy grin. The grin disappears and his tone turns ominous. “My dad handled all the previous ones. One of the bodies is still unaccounted for, but we don’t talk about that.”
“Shut up.” Flora shoots him a glare. “I really like Sean. Don’t scare him off.”
Run, Jeremy mouths.
“Sweetheart, we’re happy you got back together.” Her mom brings up our breakup as casually as if she’s recommending a new coffee shop in Capitol Hill. She smiles at me. “Flora’s told us so much about you. All good things. We’re thrilled to finally meet you!”
There’s a round of hugs before we sit down again under the giant ceiling light, an extravagant fixture made up of countless gold spoons.
Everything sparkles, from the silver utensils to the wineglasses that are as thin as eggshells.
We’re served a bread assortment, accompanied by three different types of butter, shaped like a pyramid, a cookie, and a tangled mass of yarn respectively.
The menu arrives, and they all barely glance at it before ordering, as if they’ve memorized it already. Flora’s mom asks about a special venison dish that isn’t even listed. I’ve always thought my vocabulary was broad enough, but it falls short in the culinary world.
“Have you been here before?” Taylor asks. “This is our favorite restaurant in the city.”
I peel my eyes away from the prices on the menu. “No, thanks for inviting me. This place is incredible. I feel like I should have dressed nicer.”
Alice smiles. “Don’t mention it. At the end of the day, it’s just a restaurant with better tableware.”
“And servers who deserve Academy Awards,” Jeremy adds. “They act like they’re genuinely excited about our dinner choices. I always have the urge to ask what would be a not-so-excellent choice.”
Apparently, there’s no such thing. Every bite is exquisite, from the lobster and langoustine ravioli to the turbot bathed in a soup of flowers and herbs and the mini glass of raspberry parfait meant to cleanse the palate.
I never knew people ate like this—a collection of heavenly ingredients boiled down to a single drop of sauce.
When Taylor asks me about school, Flora launches into full grandma-brag mode, gushing about my grades as if she’s showing off baby pictures. “If MIT was smart, they’d beg him to enroll.”
Taylor nods. “Impressive. What field do you want to specialize in?”
“Either electrical engineering and computer science or mechanical engineering with a focus on robotics,” I say, and they nod in approval, like I answered a test question correctly.
“That’s a lot to juggle—varsity sports, AP classes, and extra projects,” Jeremy says. “I’ve been there, still trying to repress the memory.”
“It’s wonderful to hear how well you’re doing. You’re goal oriented,” Alice says to me, then she flicks her gaze over to Jeremy. “Jer was valedictorian of his high-school class. We’re all so proud.”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m barely keeping up,” I say as Flora fidgets beside me. “Any insights on how you got into Harvard?”
“Let’s see, perfect GPA, elite-level hockey, debate nationals.
Yeah, it was basically a done deal. Not gonna lie, having some family advantages didn’t hurt.
” Jeremy leans in, mock sympathy all over his face.
“But I had one less thing on my plate—I wasn’t in a relationship.
Dating my prima donna of a sister has got to be . . . character building, right?”
Flora kicks him under the table.
“Oh, for sure. Trying my best to cope,” I joke. “But in all seriousness, Flora is the best thing to happen to me in high school.”
Jeremy smirks, clearly unconvinced, and gives me a you don’t have to lie grin. “I’ve got to warn you—there’re no hot girls at MIT. But they do build some impressive robotic cheetahs, if you’re into that.”
“Keep it up and I’m feeding you to the robotic cheetahs,” Flora says.
“But don’t fret, there are plenty of choices at BU and Wellesley. I’ll email you the details later. Just in case.” He winks at me to irritate Flora.
“Sounds like you’ve done extensive research,” I say.
Jeremy shrugs. “Gotta be thorough. That’s part of what I did when I was applying for college. It’s all about planning ahead, right?”
Taylor chuckles, finally chiming in. “College applications are daunting. Easily one of the top two most stressful times of my life.”
“What was the other one?” Flora asks.
He gestures to Alice, who simply swirls her wine with an amused smile. “Marriage.”
“Hey!” Alice says. “Want to try again?”
“That extended business trip to Shanghai.” Taylor pauses to take a measured sip of his white wine.
“Incredibly impactful, lots of key takeaways and growth opportunities, but it was a challenge being away from you all. I was fortunate to have such a strong support system.” He places a hand over Alice’s.
“My dad had to stay there by himself for a year,” Flora explains. “My mom had just started a new role, so she stayed behind to take care of us.”
“Stepping into that role meant transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership position.” Alice shakes her head, and her straight dark hair shines. “It was a learning curve for all of us. There’s no such thing as work-life balance. You learn to prioritize and make trade-offs.”
Jeremy shrugs good-naturedly. “We have more than enough. No complaints.”
“And look, we turned out all right,” Flora adds.
Alice leaves the table to take a call, and when she sits back down again, she apologizes profusely.
“I’m so sorry. That was one of the investigators from our phase three trial, but it’s all taken care of now.
” She sets her phone on Silent and tucks it into her bag.
“I did clear my schedule this evening, because I really want to get to know you, Sean. Flora told us you designed an app?”
Taylor leans in. “Tell us all about it!”
“It’s nothing groundbreaking, but we use it for some of our physics projects. It organizes thermophysical properties of fluid systems. It has built-in formulas, unit conversions, calculations for specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Flora can’t believe how nerdy it is.”
Taylor doesn’t let me off the hook, and Alice jumps in with more questions—how I came up with it, why I chose the interface, what the biggest challenge was, and how I’d refine it with unlimited time and resources. I do my best to answer.
When I finish, Taylor raises his glass to me. “Sounds like you’ve got your dream school in the bag. Make sure you highlight this in your application. Schools don’t just want to see what you built; they want to understand how it’s being used and who benefits from it.”
I nod, taking mental notes. He’s right. I’ve been so focused on the technical side that I hadn’t thought much about how to frame the app’s impact. Their questions make me rethink my approach to my essays.
Before I can say more, Flora turns to her parents. “Hey, you didn’t ask about my SAT scores and where I want to apply.”
“It’s not going to ruin my appetite, is it?” Taylor chuckles, setting down his fork. “I’m looking forward to dessert.”
“You don’t need a good score,” says Jeremy. “Just send the admissions office your best feature, your photos.”
“Maybe I should pick my twelve greatest shots and make a calendar.” Flora doesn’t even sound sarcastic.
Jeremy nods. “Solid strategy. No surprises beyond the surface, anyway.”
Everyone laughs, including Flora. Maybe it’s an inside joke, and I should go along with it.
But it doesn’t sit right. At the risk of sounding overly serious, I say, “I don’t know, I feel like I keep discovering new layers.
It’s like dating an onion. But, like, in a good way.
I find something new and amazing about Flora all the time. ”
Dating an onion? Not my best moment.
Alice smiles. “That’s a lovely way to put it. She’s full of surprises.”
“For example, this new Bulgari bracelet I’m wearing.
So pretty, right?” Flora lifts her wrist, tilting the serpent’s head.
“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about college.
My grades aren’t that bad, and if I retake the SAT, I might have a shot at fashion school?
” She swallows, and her voice becomes quieter.
“I’m not sure yet, but I want to be in the industry.
I was looking into fashion buying—curating collections, selecting pieces that consumers will want to purchase—”
Jeremy nudges her elbow and grins. “So, more excuses to shop?”
“That sounds fun,” Alice says, cracking open the dessert menu. “Whatever you choose, we’ll support you. You have great taste, I’m sure it’ll serve you well.”
“Cool.” Flora nods, folding the corner of her napkin between her fingers. By the time desserts are served, the conversation has shifted seamlessly to how delicious the blood-orange sorbet is.
* * *