She’d given gifts in her life. Some of them expensive. Some of them thoughtful. But this was the one she knew she’d remember forever. It delivered joy and freedom. It provided options and opportunity.

“Who’s hungry?” Silas called to their guests as Cody drove carefully down the drive, a mile-wide smile plastered on his face.

They grilled burgers—beef, turkey, and veggie—and hot dogs and sat on the terrace, telling stories about high school and college. Cody had a stack of cards and gifts to open and said a sincere thank you to every single person.

Maggie spotted the new arrivals before anyone else and headed them off in the yard.

“Well, well, well,” she said as the trouble triplets, with their ripped denim and facial piercings, paused. “You’re not gonna break any windows while you’re here, are you?”

The boy, who’d grown at least another two inches since they’d met in the dark a few months ago, kicked at the grass with a knock-off Doc Marten. “We’ll try to control ourselves,” Tommy promised with an impish wiggle of eyebrow.

“Good enough for me,” she said. “There’s a ton of food over there. Sodas and water are in the red cooler.”

“What’s a soda?” Lipstick smirked.

Maggie sighed and thanked her lucky stars that her smirky teen didn’t get mouthy. “Pop,” she corrected. “If I see any of you trying to sneak beer out of the keg, I will go zombie apocalypse on you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused.

“Now, go say hi to the graduate.”

They sauntered into the crowd with feigned teenage confidence.

Maggie took a time out to give Mr. and Mrs. Meng, Jun’s parents, a tour of the property.

“You’ve certainly accomplished a lot in a very short time,” Mrs. Meng said.

“It’s the only way I know how,” she confessed.

Mrs. Meng excused herself to force Cody and Jun to pose for pictures in their T-shirts.

Mr. Meng let out a weighty sigh as he watched Cody slide an arm around his daughter. “A kid who can rally this kind of loyalty must be pretty special,” he said finally.

“He really is,” Maggie told him. “Listen, I’m not a parent. But I can tell you that there are qualities more important than fancy degrees and family money. I’m guessing when it comes down to it, you want your daughter with someone with a heart of gold who treats her with respect. Who pushes her to follow her dreams, not just his own. He’s a good kid turning out to be a good man.”

“I guess I can give him a chance,” Mr. Meng grumbled. “But one misstep, and I’ll make him regret the day he ever met me.”

She watched him cross the terrace and strike up a conversation with Cody.