“If that’s the worst either of you do,” Mom said, “I’d say we’ve done our job well.” Dad held out his hand for another high-five, but Mom ignored him in favor of passing out napkins to go with the cake. She herself had eaten so neatly there wasn’t a crumb left.

This is how it’s supposed to be, Zoe thought. The four of us, together. Her laugh faded as she thought about what would happen at the end of the summer. I wish it could last.

“Hey, no sad face!” Alex said. “I think it’s illegal to be sad while having second cake.”

“What if you aren’t here for my next birthday party?” Zoe stared at the kitchen floor as she asked. Her eyes felt hot, and she thought that if she looked at Alex, she might start crying, which she did not want to do on a day that had been so nice. Thanks to the distraction of the kitten, she had almost managed to forget that Alex, the best brother in the world, was leaving for Europe in September.

“Aw, Zoomaroo, I’ll always come back for your birthday! Exams are in May. I’ll be home every June. And of course I’ll visit before then too.”

He was supposed to go to college at one of the hundreds of schools within driving distance, close enough to visit whenever he wanted. Somewhere in Boston. Or New Hampshire. Maine would have been fine. Even New Jersey. But no, he had to win a scholarship to study in France. He wouldn’t be back for months, and even though Zoe was proud of him, it was difficult to pretend to be happy about having to say goodbye. His choice affected her life too, and no one seemed to care about that. She wasn’t asking for a pity parade, but it would be nice if someone acknowledged that this was a big deal for her. “It won’t be the same.”

Dad’s voice was quiet. “Zoe, things never stay the same. That’s just the way life is. It doesn’t mean it’s all bad. Change can be good. Even exciting!”

Not for me, she thought. Everything’s fine the way it is!

But Zoe plastered a smile on her face and squished her feelings down. She was not going to be upset on her birthday, especially on a day she’d saved a kitten. And especially during second cake. “You’re right, Dad. Everything will be fine.”

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