Page 67 of Phoenix Rising

Lucinda shook her head, still smiling. “I think we’ll have to work on that. But seriously, Becks, we’ll figure it out. It won’t always be easy, but we’ll get there.”

Becky nodded, feeling more at peace than she had in a long time. “Yeah, we will.”

They spent the rest of the evening sitting on the porch, talking about how they might navigate the challenges ahead. They discussed practical things—like how they would juggle their demanding schedules, whose house they’d spendmore time at, and how they would make time for each other amid the chaos of their lives. But they also talked about the bigger things, the things that really mattered.

How they would support each other on the hard days, how they would communicate better than they had before, and how they would build a future together, one that wasn’t defined by fear or hesitation.

By the time the sky had darkened and the stars began to twinkle overhead, Becky felt a sense of calm settle over her. For the first time in a long time, the future didn’t seem so daunting. They didn’t have all the answers yet, but they had each other. And that was enough.

Becky glanced nervously at Lucinda, who sat beside her in the car, scrolling casually through her phone. They had parked outside the diner where Ember, Josephine and Natalie were already waiting. Becky’s stomach twisted with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Today wasn’t just any breakfast. It was the day she introduced Lucinda toher family as her girlfriend. And even though Ember and Josephine had met Lucinda plenty before, this time felt different—heavier with meaning.

Becky’s fingers tapped a rhythm on the steering wheel as she stared out at the sunny morning, trying to steady her nerves. Ember had grown up fast, and in many ways, their relationship had shifted from mother-daughter to something resembling friendship. Still, Becky felt the weight of her daughter’s opinion like a stone in her chest.

“You okay?” Lucinda asked, breaking the silence as she set her phone down. Her voice was soft but laced with understanding, always so in tune with Becky’s moods.

Becky exhaled, giving Lucinda a tight smile. “Yeah, just…nervous.”

Lucinda’s lips quirked into a half-smile. “We’ve met before, remember? Ember likes me. This is just making it official. I also saved her life, so she has to like me." Lucinda chuckled.

“Yeah, I know,” Becky muttered, fiddling with the keys in the ignition. “But this is different. This time, you’re not just some acquaintance. You’re my girlfriend.”

The word still felt new on Becky’s tongue,foreign though thrilling. Girlfriend. It hadn’t been easy getting to this point after everything they’d been through, but now that they were here, there was no going back. Still, Becky couldn’t help but feel anxious about how Ember would react. Despite their openness, Ember had never really seen Becky with someone in a serious relationship since her mom left years ago.

Lucinda squeezed Becky’s hand, pulling her from her thoughts. “Becky, it’ll be fine. Ember loves you, and she just wants you to be happy. We’ve got this.”

Becky took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s do this.”.

They got out of the car and headed toward the diner. The bell above the door jingled as they stepped inside, the familiar smell of bacon and coffee hitting them immediately. Josephine, Ember and Natalie were already seated at their usual booth near the back, Josephine laughing at something Ember said, her head thrown back. Ember was sipping on a large iced coffee, her bright red hair had grown longer over the past few months. Natalie was waving frantically, her messy red hair in bunches. Josephine’s gaze followed Natalie’s wave and she grinned across at Becky, beckoningthem over. Ember followed her gaze, and when she saw Becky and Lucinda together, something softened in her expression. She smiled, setting her drink down.

“Mom! Over here,” Ember called, waving them over.

Becky’s heart fluttered nervously as she led Lucinda to the booth. Josephine stood up to give them both quick hugs, her eyes sparkling with the usual mischievous energy. Natalie stood on the seat hugging Becky, delighted to see her. Then Ember stood, embracing her mom tightly before turning to Lucinda. There was a beat of hesitation, but then Ember stepped forward and hugged Lucinda too.

“So,” Ember said, her eyes flicking between her mother and Lucinda, “you’re really doing this, huh?”

Becky chuckled nervously, sliding into the booth. “Yeah, kid. We’re doing this.”

Lucinda smiled, her calm demeanor helping to put Becky at ease. “Hope you’re okay with me officially being in the picture.”

Ember tilted her head, smiling warmly. “Of course. I knew you would be after that city hall meeting."

"Ember," Becky hissed.

But Lucinda laughed loudly. "It was that obvious, huh?"

"A traditional enemies-to-lovers trope, I would say." Ember sipped her coffee.

"You need to stop reading those romance novels," Becky said, waving the waitress down for some coffee.

Ember smiled sweetly. "Absolutely not. It helps me know real love when I see it."

Becky’s chest loosened at Ember’s words, the tight knot of worry unraveling just a bit. Natalie sucked loudly on her milkshake with a straw. Josephine cleared her throat, clearly picking up on the seriousness of the moment and deciding to inject some humor.

“Alright, alright. Now that we’ve got the mushy stuff out of the way, how about we order some pancakes? I’m starving.” Josephine grinned, grabbing the menu. “Natalie has already decided what she’s having. Why don’t you show Gran Becky what you are having, baby?”

Natalie enthusiastically brought the menu to show Becky what she was having and Becky held her tight and sniffed that sweet familiar smell of her hair as she played along with her.

Becky shot Josephine a grateful look. She had a knack for knowing when to change the subject. The rest of the breakfast flowed smoothly. Josephine asked Lucinda about work at the hospital, while Ember kept everyone laughing with her ridiculous stories from the firehouse and her latest car racing exploits. It was easy, comfortable even, and Becky felt herself relax more as the conversation moved on.

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