After the ceremony, we made our way to the gate, and danced through the famed Van Winkle gates with the band and Bruno, the Brown mascot. Beth and I laughed and skipped all the way down the street, meeting my family at the end.

I was surrounded with hugs and kisses from my in-laws, and even from my mother. Eden reached for me, and Jared handed her to me, trading her for a kiss. Eden wrapped her chubby arms around my neck, tangling her fingers in my hair, and opening her mouth to give me a big, wet baby kiss on the cheek.

“Oh, thank you!” I said with a smile.

“I thought we could meet for dinner,” Lillian chirped.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Do we need to bring anything?”

“Nope,” she winked. “I’ve been at it all morning.” She kissed me again, and then nuzzled Eden’s cheek before kissing her children goodbye. “See you at six!”

Jared stuffed his hands in his pockets. “We might be a little late, Mom. We’ve got to make a stop.”

“Oh?” I said.

“It’s your graduation present.”

“What is it?” I said, lighting up.

Jared laughed. “You know I won’t tell you!”

I feigned disappointment. “I loathe surprises!”

“No, you don’t,” he said, hugging me to his side.

Claire winked at Jared. “We’ll see you guys at dinner. Congratulations! Bye, Edie!” She kissed Eden’s fat fingers, and then she and Ryan walked to her Exige, wrapped in each other’s arms. Bex rolled his eyes and reluctantly followed.

“I need to change,” I said.

“Okay. We can do that, too.”

Jared drove to the outskirts of town. We were on the same road as the warehouse, so I squirmed in my seat with excitement, believing Jared was taking me to see Eli. But we stopped several hundred yards from the warehouse. I could barely see it.

Jared pulled into the driveway of a two-story house.

“Where are we?”

“Home,” he smiled.

“Huh?” I said, taken aback. I looked at the house again. It was white with green shutters and porch with a swing. Very Norman Rockwell.

“Let’s go,” Jared said. As soon as his door shut, mine opened, and then he opened the back door to unfasten Eden from her car seat. “Come on!” he said, barely able to contain his enthusiasm.

I held his hand, and we walked to the front door. Jared used the key, and then pushed the door open. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The inside was identical to the loft. The same pictures on the walls, the same decorations, even the same layout. The only difference was that the upstairs wasn’t visible.

“It’s ours?” I said, overwhelmed.

“It is. Our bedroom is upstairs, down the hall from Eden’s, and there’s a guest bedroom, too.”

I hugged him tight, burying my face in his chest. “Jared! I love it! I can’t believe you did this.”