The drive-through signal beeped in their ears.

“I got it,” he said, hitting his mic switch.

The morning became a flurry of pastries, warmed breakfast sandwiches, and coffee with too much syrup and not enough milk for Nicole’s liking. Staff were allowed one drink and one food item for free per shift—thank the corporate coffee gods—so she scarfed down what would probably be her only meal for the day on her lunch break. After work, she drove to the library and found a window-facing table in a quiet back corner of the reference section to work on the essay for her economics class.

Midday coming off a night with little to no sleep liked to kill her. She popped a caffeine pill and rolled her neck to work out some of the kinks, while pulling her supplies out of her bag. Her hand brushed something soft—a sandwich from Salty Sea.

Charlie.

He’d given her his free sandwich and snuck it into her bag before his shift ended. Smiling, she sent him a quick thank-you text and then stared at her phone.

Six missed calls from a number she didn’t recognize that had called once every fourteen minutes. The only people who had the audacity to assume she’d answer the phone were bill collectors, but she wasn’t behind on anything. Yet.

Charlie: I have no idea what you’re talking about but you’re welcome anyway

Nicole yawned as she opened her laptop. She’d set the wallpaper to the last picture she’d taken with her parents before they died—a quick and easy serotonin boost she relied on every day. It never hurt to look at pictures of them. Instead of the cold ache of grief, warm light filled her heart. They were with her, always, in everything that she did and would do. Dead but never gone, their legacy would live through her.

Her phone vibrated again, and she exhaled in an annoyed huff. Not even telemarketers were that insistent. Hesitantly, she answered, bringing the phone to her ear and listening before saying, “Hello?”

“Hello, Jade.”

Her eyebrows hit her hairline. She recognized the voice, the same greeting and tone and cadence from the video invitation, but her brain made her ask anyway, “Who is this?”

“Jewel Van Hanen, but I’m sure you’re smart enough to already have figured that out.”

“How did you get my number?”

“But also not smart enough to not ask that question.” Jewel sighed. “Really, Jade, I promise the surprised act isn’t necessary. Let’s just skip to the good part, okay?”

“My name isn’t Jade,” she said with a laugh.

“I’m aware,” Jewel said. “Such an interesting choice for a username. Jewel. Jade. A purely coincidental perfectly matching pair.”