Chapter 20
The Return of Mara
Mara returned to Boston on October twenty-third with two suitcases, a wool coat, and the emotional restraint of a marching band.
She came directly to the library.
Lucy saw her through the front window and considered hiding.
Too late.
Mara pushed through the doors.
"Where is he?"
"Hello to you too."
Mara hugged her hard.
Then stepped back and studied her face.
"You look happy."
Lucy hated how quickly that softened her.
"I am."
"Oh no. This is serious."
"Please lower your voice."
"Library. Right. Sorry."
She lowered her voice by approximately three percent.
Ben arrived twenty minutes later carrying boxes of donated raffle items.
Mara watched him cross the room toward Lucy.
Lucy watched Mara watching him.
Ben kissed Lucy lightly on the cheek.
Mara made a strangled sound.
"Don't," Ben said.
"I didn't do anything."
"Your entire body did something."
They ended up at the cafe after closing.
Mara sat across from them with the expression of someone observing a rare astronomical event.
"This is weird," she said.
"You caused it," Lucy replied.
"I did not cause it. I facilitated proximity."
Ben groaned.
Mara's expression softened.
"Are you two okay?"
The question surprised Lucy.
"Yes."
"Because the fellowship thing -"
Ben looked at Lucy. "You told her?"
"She's my best friend."
"And I have no boundaries," Mara added.
Lucy kicked her under the table.
Mara ignored it.
"I just mean, this is new. New can be fragile."
Ben's hand found Lucy's beneath the table.
"We're not pretending New York doesn't exist," he said.
Lucy looked at him.
That mattered.
Mara nodded.
"Good."
Then she smiled.
"Also, if either of you hurts the other, holidays become impossible, so please behave responsibly."
"Thank you for the romance advice," Ben said.
"You're welcome."
On the walk home, Lucy slipped her hand into Ben's coat pocket with his.
"She took that better than expected."
"Give her time. She'll make matching T-shirts."
Lucy laughed.
"Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for not pretending New York isn't real."
He looked at her.
"I told you. I want you. Not a smaller version of you."
The words settled deep.
Lucy leaned into his shoulder as they walked.
For the first time, the future did not feel like a choice between two doors.
Maybe it could be a hallway.
Maybe there could be more than one way through.