We moved into the living room after dinner. The atmosphere felt lighter.
Mia sat beside me and rested her head on my shoulder, just like she used to.
“You ever wonder what would’ve happened if Mom told you back then?” she asked.
“I used to,” I said.
“And now?”
“Now I think… we ended up exactly where we were meant to be.”
She smiled. “I like that answer.”
Later, Lacy brought out dessert.
“You didn’t think we’d show up empty-handed, did you?” she teased.
“Wouldn’t put it past you,” I joked.
We laughed, talked over each other, passed plates around—just like old times.
At one point, someone asked, “So what do we do now?”
I looked at all nine of them—grown women now. Strong. Independent. Still mine.
“We keep going,” I said.
That was all.
