Chapter 35 Austin
austin
“Nova?”
Nova was standing right there, in the flesh. Between her leg tattoos and curly hair, older, there was no denying it was her even if she looked older.
“Nova?” Ledger repeated, and the three of us stared like we’d somehow seen a ghost.
The little girl, who looked so much like Evie, ran over to Nova and squeezed her leg.
“Mum. I was the conductor,” she squealed.
Nova blinked a few times and looked down at the girl. “I’m so proud of you, baby. You did so well.”
I couldn’t stop staring at them, but I heard my mom whisper behind me, “She’s almost the same age as Evie. Do the math, Ledger.”
“Weird seeing you here, Hart.” Luna grabbed the little girl’s hand and then pointed at the door. “Merry Christmas.”
With her free hand, she grabbed Nova’s hand, and the three of them went back up the auditorium as I stood there in shock.
“You have to go after her, Austin,” my mother said.
I turned around, my mouth still hung agape.
“I-I—” I couldn’t form a sentence. I didn’t know what to say. That was my daughter.
Holy shit. That was my daughter.
I turned, and Charlie was right behind me, still happily and obliviously chatting with the parents. Ledger must have caught where my gaze had landed because he leaned down.
“I’ll tell her you had to leave and that you’ll meet her at home.”
I nodded, unable to speak, and quickly slipped out of the auditorium, my heart racing as I ran in the direction Nova had gone.
Even though I was sprinting, the crowd outside made it hard to navigate.
The parking lot was jam-packed, cars double-parked and parents spilling onto the streets.
Frantically, I scanned the area until a flash of Luna’s blonde hair caught my eye.
They were ahead of me, the three of them walking briskly toward the parking lot.
“Wait,” I shouted.
My pulse pounded in my ears, and I couldn’t tell if they’d heard me or if they’d started walking faster on purpose.
I finally caught up to them, adrenaline rushing through me as I reached out and grabbed Nova’s arm, forcing her to stop. She turned sharply, her face a mix of defiance and something deeper—something I couldn’t quite place.
“No,” she said, while taking a step in front of Luna and the little girl, essentially shielding them. “You don’t get to do this right now.”
I stared at her, my chest heaving from the sprint and the weight of her pointed words. But I couldn’t back down. Not now.
“I need answers, Nova,” I said, my voice low but firm as I gestured toward the little girl standing nearby. “I deserve them.”
Her eyes flicked briefly to the girl, then back to me. There was a flash of something—hesitation, guilt, maybe both—but it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. She let out a sharp breath, her shoulders dropping slightly.
“Fine,” she said, her tone clipped. “I’ll meet you tomorrow morning at nine. Downtown Winnetka. That little coffee shop on Oak Street—The Village Grind. Without her.”
I nodded. “Okay,” I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. “Okay. Thank you.”
Nova started to turn away, but I couldn’t stop myself. “Tell me one thing, Nova,” I said as low as I could.
She froze, her eyes went wide, and for a moment I thought she’d turn around and walk away, but she nodded. “Yours.”