The rest of the evening passed much less eventfully with good food and cold drinks and even a light breeze once the sun went down. It turned out that Mary actually knew most of the people from when she’d met them at the block party.

When it was just the four of them, John, Mary, Estrella and Cormac, Estrella’s eyes filled with tears again. Mary perched on John’s lap even though there was plenty of available seating.

“I won’t pressure you,” Estrella started, and John groaned.

“Ma...”

Estrella waved a hand through the air, striking John’s disapproval from the record. “I won’t pressure you, but I just want you to know, Mary, that I love you. And that you are welcome in my house and in my heart, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Mary burst into tears herself.

On their way home, the train rocking them back and forth and into one another in a way that was soothing only to New Yorkers, Mary tipped her head up from John’s shoulder and squinted at him. “You’re really lucky to have a mom like the one you have.”

John nodded. “I’ve learned that over the years.” He cleared his throat and looked momentarily nervous. “Ah, I’m more than happy to share the wealth, Mary. Anytime you need a mom, you should hit up Estrella. Nothing would make her happier.” He kissed Mary’s palm. “Or me happier, for that matter.”

Mary settled her head back on his shoulder and sighed. It had been so long since she’d felt like this. Like she was part of a unit. She’d never once felt this way with her parents. She’d felt like this with Tiff and with Cora. And now with John and Estrella. And Ruth, of course.

She knew that the time was coming when John would have to meet her parents. The thought sat heavily in her gut. Her mother hadn’t reached out since the Carver Reinhardt debacle. It wasn’t altogether unusual to go a month without a check-in from her folks, but the silence felt particularly loud right now. Mary had made it clear that she wouldn’t be reaching out to them.

Whenever her mother called, whenever it was time for Mary to visit again, she’d have John. And it was important to remember that.

This time, she had John.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE