Celeste parted from the kiss, slowly, reluctantly. Her breath trembled as she looked up into Dominic's eyes, still reeling from the shock of seeing him here. The night air curled around them, but her skin felt impossibly warm.
"You came," she whispered.
Dominic smiled softly. "Of course I did."
She turned to Nana, her eyes already glassy. Celeste stepped forward and threw her arms around her, gently but firmly, holding on as if the moment might vanish if she let go too soon.
"You shouldn't have left the house, Nana. You should be resting," Celeste said against the woman's shoulder, her voice thick.
"Nonsense," Nana said, pulling back and cupping Celeste's cheek with one wrinkled but warm hand. "You only turn twenty-two and graduate once, sweetheart. I couldn't miss this for the world."
Celeste blinked back tears, laughing through her emotion. "You didn't just show up. You walked in here like you're so healthy. Also, I'm almost twenty three,"
