I asked her a week ago if I could recreate the mural I painted at Elias’s place on her gravestone. It took me six days to finish it. Now Tom, Lorelai, Avocado, Dog One and Two are there next to Olivia, Elias, me, and Mushroom.

“Thank you,” I say, taking her in my arms. Tom takes this as an invitation and wraps his arms around us, followed by Elias. We do this often.

We told Lorelai and Tom six weeks ago, after things settled a little, that we weren’t together to start with. We said how sorry we were and that things between us are more real now than ever. We laid it all out, the whole story. When we finished telling them, Lorelai stretched her hand out to Tom, and Elias and I exchanged confused looks. His father sighed and handed her twenty bucks. She shouted a proud I told you!

Turns out she had her suspicions from the beginning. When she saw the two of us on TV at one of my mom’s parties, that confirmed it. Tom said there might be an innocent explanation, so they made a bet for twenty bucks.

Our horrific lie was worth twenty whole bucks. I have to admit, we weren’t that great at lying. We told them I was from another city and that my parents were dead. So seeing my name on TV, alongside my mother’s, made them question our story.

“What do you think she’s doing?” Lorelai asks as we break apart.

Elias looks at the sky, smiling. “She’s with us.”

“Yeah,” Tom agrees and bends to kiss her picture.

Elias and I do the same, and we all leave the cemetery in silence.

“Dinner tonight?” Lorelai asks, turning to face us as we reach the parking lot.

“Sure.” Elias nods and kisses my head.

I melt under his touch, my head resting on his shoulder as he presses his lips to me one more time.

“See you in a bit,” Tom says and places his hand on Lorelai’s back, leading her to their car.

“I think she’s happy,” Elias says as we stop in front of his Mercedes.

“Who? Olivia?” I ask, taking him by the waist.

He looks down at me and gives my nose a peck, then looks back up at the sky, a peaceful smile playing on his lips.

“What makes you think that?” His way of seeing things has always made me curious. I love hearing how the world looks through his eyes.

“Just a feeling.” He shrugs, and I playfully bat him on the arm. Elias smirks and looks back to me.

“Tell me.”

“I’ve seen a lot of butterflies lately.”

“Me too.”

I caught one in my hair the other day, then the next day one flew right in front of my face. We’ve seen a few on her grave when we’ve visited as well.