Lily’s lips twisted. “You?”

Diana almost laughed. Yes, it was the first time she’d admitted it aloud. But it was almost as if her daughter had never considered her mother’s happiness before. As if she was just supposed to be content with her life, no matter what. “Yes, me.”

“Is this because of Dad? I know what he did was terrible, but—”

“It has nothing to do with your father. It’s about me. For once. Looking out for myself for the first time, instead of everyone else.”

At first, Diana thought her daughter understood. That she’d be on board. Instead, she let out a cry of frustration.

“Oh, my god,” Lily whispered, grabbing her own phone and stabbing something in. “Oh. My. God. I just can’t believe I’m hearing this right. And here I thought you were the sane parent in the family! Did you and Dad actually time your mid-life crises to coordinate like this?”

“What are you doing?” Diana asked, shifting in her seat.

She continued to poke at her phone display in a rather angry way. “Calling Bea. Maybe she can talk you down from the ledge you’re about to dive from—face-first.”

Diana nodded. That was just fine. Bea was the free spirit. The traveler. The wanderlust. She was the one who took time off during school to see the world, finally landing herself in Japan and finishing her Masters overseas. If anyone would be on board with these plans, it was her kooky, lovable youngest daughter.

Lily set the phone down on the kitchen table on speaker as it rang. A second later, someone picked up, and the sound of chattering crowds and a throbbing bass filled the room. “Can’t talk, Lil. I’m out with Hai.”

Hai was Bea’s boyfriend of the past eight months, and another English teacher at the school she taught at in Japan. He was a native Japanese who’d spent most of his childhood in California and had shown her around when she first arrived. Supposedly, it was serious. Diana checked her watch. It was probably near midnight there.

“No, you have to talk! This is important!” Lily shouted over the roar, banging her fists on the table. The phone slipped, and Lily propped it up again. “We’re having a crisis here! Listen, I’ve got Mom here, and you’re never going to believe—”

“I know. I know already, Lil. I saw he’s marrying Vidal. Crazy old coot. That’s why I’m out here on a school night. Hai’s getting me loaded up on nihonshu.”

“What?” Lily asked, confused.

“Sake.”

“Oh.” Lily glared at Diana. “Well, have one for me too. But that’s not all. You might want to do another shot when you hear what Mom’s got to tell us.”

Diana shushed her. The last thing she wanted was her youngest getting loaded in some strange country, even with the boyfriend she supposedly trusted.

A pause. Then Bea said, “Oh, god. What, Mom? Are you pregnant, too?”

Diana let out the breath she’d been holding in shock. “Very funny. Nothing like that. It’s not even that big a deal. It really has very little bearing on either of you.”