Mom has been cleaning my room. She’s gone through and refolded all the clothes in my chest of drawers, and tidied the mess of papers on my desk, and made my bed so perfectly Harriet would be proud. I love her, and I’m happy to see her, but I am just about ready for her to meet Rose and go home so I can have my space back.

I’m pretty sure I’m bright red right now. “Not that brave.”

“Yeah that brave. How many times did you flunk an oral presentation in Boulder because you couldn’t speak in front of the class? Now look at you!” She looks me up and down, shaking her head. “I’ve had so many friends from home message these past few days. They’re proud of you, too. Oh, and the people online! They all love you. I saw one of those—what do you call it?” She snaps her fingers. “Articles on my newsfeed about you, and all the comments, oh. So many girls look up to you.”

“Really?” I ask. “It kind of feels like people hate me.”

“Yes, well, you’ve always been someone to listen much more closely to criticism than a compliment. You’re my reward-motivated, inspiring, very brave girl. And I— Oh, Danni, I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me the princess is your girlfriend.” If she’s told me she’s proud of me ten times, she’s said that about twenty thousand times. “I’m your mom. I wouldn’t have told anyone.”

“It’s not ‘the princess,’ Mom. It’s just Rose.”

“Yeah, but…” She gives me a wounded look. “Danni, this is important. You should’ve told me.”

“It wasn’t my secret to tell! Besides, my being bi was probably enough for you to process in one hit.”

“Well, that’s true,” she allows. “Finding out I’m the future mother-in-law to the future queen is kind of a bomb-drop of its own.”

“Please don’t call yourself her future mother-in-law when she gets here,” I say in despair.

“Of course I won’t, Danni. Why don’t you trust me not to embarrass you?”

“Because you’re always embarrassing me.”

“Name one time!”

I am about to do just that, when there’s a knock on my door. Finally, finally. I lunge for it, and let Rose in, throwing my arms around her as I do.

“Hey,” I babble. “Are you okay? What did they say? Did they say what happens now? Are you okay?”

She extracts herself from my arms, laughing. “Hold on, one second, one second.” Straightening, she turns to Mom and holds out a hand. “Hi, I’m Rose.”

Mom pulls Rose into a tight hug, and Rose lets out an oof as she does. “Hi, Rose,” she says. “It’s just wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”