“I should have talked to you about this at home,” I say, wiping my eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know how emotional it would be.”

“It’s okay.” She sniffles and tries to pull herself together. “Anyway, I’m glad Sam encouraged you, and I’m so sorry about what happened with her. She’s such a dear thing — my heart just breaks for her.”

I smile bitterly. “I don’t know that she’ll ever want to see me again.”

“I hope she’ll come around. In the meantime, I’m here for you. Whatever happens with the DNA test, whatever you decide . . . I’ll be right here, Zo.”

“Thank you.” There is a brief stab of pain at the reminder that Sam might not be a part of it, but at least I won’t be alone. For the ten thousandth time, I thank my lucky stars for my parents. I am so unfathomably fortunate.

“Now.” She picks up the menu. “How many desserts do you think we can get away with ordering?”

I smile. “This is a birthday gift, so I guess as many as I want?”

She grins. “So be it.” She starts perusing the menu.

“Mom?”

“Hmm?” She glances up at me.

“I wouldn’t trade you for anyone.”

Emotion washes over her face and she says, “I wouldn’t trade you for anyone, either, Zoe. Not anyone else in all the world.”

And I know she means it. She wouldn’t trade me for anyone. The truth of it burns clean in my chest, shooting holes in the Theory of Original Defectiveness until it resembles nothing more than the pile of dust it always was.

The winter holidays are warm and bright, and I’m glad to have Jonah home for them — the whole week from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. We set up our small synthetic tree with wooden ornaments, whose occasional toppling does no great harm. My mom and I mull cider and pop popcorn and make Grandma Betty’s Christmas cookies — six kinds. We give Jonah new bird videos and soft sweaters and some plastic model birds, and he is so happy, my heart feels like it might swell right out of my chest. There is a moment when my parents are taking him back to LLV when he becomes uncooperative, but to our amazement, it is over before it even starts. He’s doing better than any of us had imagined possible.