“It’s so…” Brian’s mother squints ahead at the scene, lashes fluttery. “…bright.”

Appearing quite similarly blinded, I echo the sentiment. “I’d heard someone where I used to work mention that an angel who could control light transferred in from the Sweet & Salty location near where Brian works in Iferous…but I haven’t been here for a while.” Not since Brian first paved the way for a Sweet & Salty to spring up in Bandera. While they were still hiring, I visited, applied, and had to bite back my disappointment when I didn’t get the job.

“I think his name is…Sol?” Brian’s mother says, eyes narrowed presumably on Sol’s nametag. Shocking she can see well enough to read, honestly.

Taking a page from Ceres’s book, I say, “It’s a hazard to have so many sunshine character types in such close proximity…” They are going to start a fire.

“Scott, honey.” Brian’s mother approaches the nuclearexplosion, and the sheer light rays of her own blond hair and kind smile entering the picture might very well blast me back into the glass front windows of the establishment. “Can’t I have a turn?”

“Sorry, sorry. I’m hogging him.” Scott moves back, sniffing, then Brian gleams at his mother before they embrace.

I lose several layers of my skin to the super nova, but it’s fine, because it’s beautiful, and I…

I can’t remember the last time I hugged my parents.

That…doesn’t matter right now. Not while I’m going blind watching a sun eclipsing a sun.

Brian’s mother frames his face in her hands once she pulls back, and green eyes glitter against green. It’s such a beautiful shade, such an incredible reflection, and the brightness isn’t the only similarity these people have with the sun. They’re also putting off so. much.warmth.

There’s love here. Endearing, long-suffering, endless love.

I bury my nails in my arm just to ground myself in the presence of such a thing, to keep myself from begging to be a part of it.

“Lucia…” Scott murmurs.

Brian winces, hesitating. “Mom? What’s wrong?”

Lucia’s nails prick into his flesh, then she frees his face only to snatch his hand. The heels of her Oxfords click as she drags him into the corner farthest from us.

Scott looks at me. I straighten myself under his scrutiny. His curious glance melts into an olderBriansmile, and I see Brian’s future—full head of hair, handsome—in the way Scott tucks his fingers in his pockets and says, “So, Amelia was it? Brian mentioned you when he said he’d be bringing a guest.”

I have not yet introduced myself. “Y-yes, sir. Sorry.” I remove my nails from my arm and offer him my hand. “Amelia Christmas. Nice to meet you.”

“Amelia Christmas,” Scott murmurs, taking my hand in his. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard that name.” He snaps his fingers the second our hands part. “Wax seals.”

My heart launches into my throat.

“You made an incredible impression on Brian quite near a decade ago.”

“I…did?” I whisper.

“Once, I found him staring at a letter you’d dropped off at the post office muttering that it wouldn’t be right to keep the seal for himself.”

Brian….theBrian, angelic and perfect Brian…wanted to steal one of my seals from when we had that pen pal assignment in school?

“Even I remember it.” He releases a breath. “You’d painted a feather so it looked like a tiny peacock’s, then you’d paired it with a glittering green and adorned the surplus wax with flecks of fake gold. Heavens, it was beautiful. Nothing short of a work of art.”

“Dad,” Brian states, suddenly behind me, suddenlyveryclose.

I leap out of my skin and whirl to find Lucia’s eyes crinkled, a new sort of joy shimmering across her face as she stands a foot behind Brian, who is frowning…and blushing?

Red undoubtedly highlights his flawless bone structure.

Scott lifts both hands in defense. “I’m not doing anything. Can you blame me for wanting Miss Amelia to coax you back home?”

“Amelia can’t coax me back to Bandera. She lives with me in Iferous.”

Scott’s smile vanishes as his eyes slice between us. A wicked gleam renews as he perches his hand at his chin and leans in. “Ohh?You don’t say?Withyou? As in, in the same big, huge, massive, no-one-knows-anyone else city…or…”