Page 4 of When You Smile

“Amazing,” Taryn said, aiming for rapport, hoping her parents would follow in her very validating footsteps.

“My major is undecided, but I am aware that the clock is ticking.” Caz nodded.

“Just keeping your options open. What do you, uh…create?” her father asked. He’d had to search for the word create. Taryn knew that look, loving but also very practical.

“Currently working with pebbles.”

“I love it,” Taryn said, not fully getting it at all.

“What do you do with them?” her mom asked. “So many options, really.”

“I don’t know just yet, but I’m getting to know them. Soon, I’m hoping to have the direction of my pebble art figured out. It’s still early.”

Her mom nodded like it was the most obvious ever. Bless her. “Caz, I wish you all the luck on your journey. Find all the good pebbles.”

“I’m gonna try,” Caz said very seriously. She turned to Taryn. “I could totally chill with these two. You lucked out.” She was quirky and earnest. Taryn could definitely work with those qualities. “Do you all want to sit down, order some food?”

“No. No. That’s okay. They said they’re gonna stop somewhere on the way home. Gives them a break from driving.” She turned to her parents expectantly, dread gathering in her stomach. It was now or never.

Her mother ignored her. “Should we unpack?”

“No, I got it.” Taryn added a smile. Delaying the good-bye would drag this whole thing out. A second flutter hit as she realized that this was the moment she’d looked forward to and avoided in tandem.

Her parents stared back, not fully understanding that this was the part where they probably needed to say good-bye or risk making her look like a coddled child. She wasn’t. Plus, her goal was to project swagger, independence, and the ultrachill attitude she didn’t quite have on the inside. Yet. The new university her depended on these impressions. Plus, they’d all agreed that her folks would load Taryn in and head home, which would put them back in Dyer before dark, a time neither of them enjoyed driving.

“Oh,” her father said. He tapped her mom’s arm. “We better let these two handle all this.”

“Already?” her mom asked in a semipout. “Okay, okay. I’m stalling because I’m feeling misty. I’m gonna wake up tomorrow, and your bed won’t have been slept in.” A kiss to Taryn’s forehead. “I won’t leave half my bagel in case you want it because you won’t be there.” Another kiss. “You’re not going to join a cult, are you?” A concerned stare with Mom-eyes was cast her way.

“Nope. No plans to. I’ll see you in a few weeks for fall break, remember?” Taryn said. “And I’ll expect that bagel half.”

Her dad placed his good hand on her head and gave it a slow, affectionate shake. She couldn’t crumple here. Not now. She fought the emotion it kindled because it didn’t fit the persona she was shooting for in Caz’s presence. Fuck it. This was her dad. She fell gently into his chest and offered a long squeeze before finally releasing him, tears filling her eyes. He was going to be okay without her. She hoped she would be, too. A deep breath. Her father, specifically, was a quiet, kind support in her life. He was a friend to all, even the insects he escorted politely out of the house, which was why he was so effortlessly good at sales. People trusted the guy, and he did right by them.

“Oh no. I’m not ready for this,” her more dramatic mother proclaimed, opening her arms like they were about to be separated by war. She was the say-whatever-thing-popped-into-her-head kind of parent, which made for some very heartfelt—but tricky—public exchanges. Taryn moved slowly into the hug and allowed her mother to hold on as long as she needed, which, it turned out, was an extraordinarily long amount of time. With a final, final wave, her parents slipped out of the room, leaving her with Caz and an uncomfortable lump in her throat.

“They are so into you,” Caz said, after a long beat of silence. “Like, really. Your mom and the waterworks were battling hard, and she didn’t win.”

“I know,” Taryn replied seriously. “Her emotions brim right beneath the surface until they leap forth. Just her thing.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” A pause. “You’re really lucky. I don’t think I’ve ever misted up over my parents. Or them over me, for that matter.”

“Yeah.” Taryn exhaled, settling in, relieved that Caz saw the value in her family dynamic. “I know I am.”

“Want to go eat? Food always helps me feel better. Baked goods especially. Your bagel thing got me in the mood to carb load.”

She blinked, the non-sequitur rescuing her from her thoughts in a stroke of good timing. “Hell yeah.” She dabbed her cheeks, clearing them of tears, well aware of the wide grin that spread across her face. “I’m actually starving. Carbs would be great.”

“Follow me down four floors.” Caz, a Hillspoint veteran, supplied helpful information as they walked the exteriors. The day was nice and so was the picturesque route to the dining hall. “Fire ants lurk over there in small mounds. Don’t sit in that grass no matter how beautiful it may look. Across the street is better.”

“Noted. Awful ants.”

“Best coffee spot is next to the volleyball gym. Avoid the kiosk in the student center. The baristas suck and own it like bitches. They won’t even try and will laugh about it later.”

“Lazy bitch baristas. Got it.”

“Our RA is named Gray, and he’s more fun than he is helpful. But definitely hit him up to move heavy shit because why not? Free labor and he loves the attention from anything female.”

“Gray the guy who moves heavy shit.”

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