Up in the Stars

Reconstruction

Fiona always had a way of squeezing all her thoughts out of her.

"Social issues?" Fiona asked, confused.

Cursing inwardly, she scrambled to think of something to say.

"Um, because he's a senior and I'm a freshman." She stuttered.

"Ah, I see. Well, little flower, I don't think age should be a problem. If two people truly care for each other, then it doesn't matter. As long as they're both adults, of course. And since you are an adult, my dear, it is completely up to you who you choose to love. As long as he treats you well, I don't care how old he is." Fiona's reassurance meant more to her than she could ever say.

Even though she only thought it was around a four-year age difference, she had still said all the things that Enid had been needing to hear.

"But what if everyone else looks down upon it?" She murmured.

"No one else matters but the individuals in the relationship. As long as you are being loved and cherished, anyone who protests is just jealous and bitter." Her motherly advice wrapped around Enid like a hug.

"I really miss you, Fi." She said, trying to swallow down the tears flooding into her eyes.

"I miss you more than you'll ever know, little dove. You are my sunshine and my bundle of joy." Enid's hold on her tears gave out as a few trickled down her cheek.

Fiona heard the soft sniffles on the other side of the phone and sighed.

"Look out the window." She instructed and Enid sat up to do so.

Her small frame settled on the windowsill beside her bed, taking in the lit campus.

Stars speckled across the sky, a cold Autumn breeze dancing through the trees in the distance.

She thought back to the nights she would spend with Fiona in the observatory, looking at the moon through her father's telescope.

"Can you see the moon, Enid?" Her question startled Enid from the reverie.

"Yes, it's so bright tonight." Her response hushed.

"I'm looking at the exact same moon, my dear. No matter the distance between us, we'll always see the same one." Enid smiled as more tears trailed down her face.

"I love you, Fiona." Her fingers coming up to rest on the freezing windowpane.

"I love you, child. Promise to call me more often." Fiona said gently.

With a promise and a bid goodnight, she hung up the phone.

Turning back to the boxes in her room, she was filled with a renewed strength.

This was what she wanted.

She hadn't noticed it while it was happening, but she had begun to fall in love with these men.

Her heart sliced into three equal areas, one for each of them.

Moving in with them felt right, like it was the next step in their journey together.

They already felt like home to her.

Padding over to her record player, she put on some music to pack to.

She began loading her books into another box when a knock sounded on her door.

Opening the door, she found the three men who had been the center of her thoughts.

Dante leaned against the doorframe; his smirk wide as he took in her polar bear pajamas.

Theodore stood with boxes of pizza in his hands, his face stony but softening as she smiled at him.