This is by far the longest chapter I've ever posted, so I'm sorry for that, but it felt like one part to me. I hope you enjoy. xo

Epilogue 3

Phoebe

May 2032

"Fifi! Where you at?"

I roll my eyes as I hear the front door slam. "I told you not to call me that, Teddy bear."

He rounds the corner and finds me on the couch, smiling like the asshat he is. "My nickname is the most universally loved toy of all time. Yours makes you sound like some old, grumpy cat." He throws his bag on the couch and opens his arms. "But you're still my favorite sister. Come here, whiskers, I missed you."

I can't help but smile actually seeing him in the flesh, even though he's annoying as fuck. I tackle him with a hug. "Hey, Ted. I missed you, too. Remind me why you had to go two states away?"

"Because business and botany aren't easy programs to find just anywhere," he laughs. "You would know that if you could decide on anything."

Ted just finished his second year at UC Berkeley, which happens to have the top program in botany in the country, as well as the third in business. He's looking to follow in Dad's footsteps at GEH, and preserving their status as environmental leaders in the corporate world is important to him, so double majoring ended up being the move. Me… I'm graduating in a few weeks, and it looks like I'm going to college undeclared. And for as much shit as I give Ted about moving far away, I picked one across the country. Yale.

Part of me is excited for the adventure… part of me is homesick already. I hate change…

"You know, you can always quit if you don't like it," Ted continues. "Dad did and he turned out okay. Uncle Ez did, too."

"But you like college. And Mom went to college. And Aunt Kate, and Uncle Elliot, and…"

"I'm just saying you have options!" He flops down onto the couch and kicks his sneakers off. "Where is Mom, anyway?"

"She's down in her studio. She said the artist she's with right now always does like, twelve takes too many and she was gonna be pissed if they made her miss your homecoming."

"Guess she's pissed. Jamie still at school?"

"Yeah. Track practice."

"Better than detention."

"Jamie doesn't get detention. He does really well. All his teachers love him." What's not to love? He's surprisingly not obnoxious for a thirteen-year-old boy.

"Yeah, I guess." He fidgets in his seat. "So… how is Mom doing, anyway?" he asks in a low voice.

Oh, yeah, that. "She seems fine. But you know how she is. We probably wouldn't know if she wasn't. Dad just said not to worry, she'll never get near any of us, and he's got it handled."

He laughs once. "Yeah, that sounds like Dad. But… Mom doesn't deserve this shit."

We can easily agree on that. "No, she doesn't."

Last week, our long-lost, supremely evil maternal grandmother was released from prison. Mom and Dad sat us down years ago and explained to us why we only had Grandpa Ray on Mom's side, so we knew this day would come one day… but it sure fucking sucks now that it's here.

Out of morbid curiosity, I ended up Googling her. She looks like Mom… and me. But there's just something off about her. She's dead behind the eyes. She looks… mean. It's a mindfuck to imagine that someone as kind and selfless as my mom came from her.

"I bet tonight will cheer her up." He grins widely.

I sit down next to him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Shut up. I'm nervous."

"What's to be nervous about? Look at Mom. It's in the genes."

"Exactly! Everyone will probably be comparing me to her."

He looks at me seriously, assessing. "Not anyone who matters, Pheebs. It's just a school talent show. And you can't act like you don't have talent. I heard the song you sent me."

"Do you really think it's good, or are you just saying that?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? I'd tell you if your shit stank."

There's Teddy, always saying something that's profound and vulgar at the same time. I crack a smile. "Okay."

"You're not seriously worried? She'll like it no matter what."

"I know. I just want to do her justice. Especially now."

"You're way too hard on yourself, Pheebs."

We both turn our heads at the sound of a door slamming and the unmistakable sound of our mother's frustrated groan. "Jesus, I thought they'd never leave. Teddy! I see your car outside, I know you're here!"

He smiles his stupid ass mama's boy smile. The one only for her. It's kinda cute, though. We love our mom around here. "In here, Mom."

He stands up in preparation as her footsteps approach, then she enters the room, already with a huge smile on her face. She's in her early forties now, but people still think she's our older sister. It always pisses Dad off when Teddy's friends are around and they stare at her. And it grosses me out when my friends are around and call him a DILF.

"Get over here!" She throws open her arms and he walks right over. "I missed you so much, Teddy bear. California is too far!"

"Hey, Mom. I feel that way too, sometimes. But you're stuck with me for the whole summer now," he mumbles into the top of her head as they hug.

"Stuck with you," she scoffs, pulling back to look up at him, rubbing his cheek affectionately. "Gail is making your favorite tonight."

"Mac and cheese?" he says excitedly, like a kid again.

"What else?" she laughs. "You should probably unpack before Dad gets home, he'll definitely want to talk shop. He'll be here soon, he's swinging by to get Jamie."

"Yes, ma'am." He salutes her dramatically. I roll my eyes again. Happens a lot when he's home.

"Oh, and let Gail know what kind of cake you want."

"Aw, hell, yeah! Gail! Where are you, you cake-baking woman of my dreams?" I hear Gail's laugh clear from the kitchen as he runs in that direction. Fucking moron. I missed him.

And soon you're going to miss everyone all alone in Connecticut, having no idea what to do with your life…

The same old doubts creep back in, and I lean back against the couch, flopping my head backwards. "Hey… that's not a Friday face," Mom says gently.

I don't bother hiding my inner turmoil. It won't be a surprise to her. She's well aware of my college crises. "I'm the only one of my friends who doesn't know what they're doing."

"Pheebs…" She sits down next to me and rubs my arm. "Just because they think they know what they're doing doesn't mean they do. No one really does at seventeen."

I slump over and lay my head against her shoulder. She wraps an arm around me. "Shouldn't I have some idea? Ted knew what he wanted. You knew your major right when you started."

"Yeah… and then I abruptly changed careers when I was twenty-seven… ten years older than you," she reminds me humorously.

"Okay, but Dad started a business when he was twenty-one and stuck with it."

"Well, that's Dad. This is you. You don't have to be like him, or like me. What does Phoebe want?"

I sigh. "Phoebe wants more time."

"Sweetheart, you really have all the time in the world. No one has the exact same timetable as anyone else. How boring would that be? Just take it one day at a time. As long as you're happy and you're not hurting anyone, which I know you never would, what you do with your life isn't that important. It's totally fine and normal to take some time to figure it out."

"That's easy for you to say," I mutter. "You and Dad are two of the most successful and accomplished people in the world."

She shrugs. "Work is work and that's fulfilling in one way, but we're happiest when we're with each other and with you. That's what I'm saying. All I want is to see you happy, and I don't see that right now with how hard you're being on yourself. Where is this coming from, anyway? Do you feel like Dad and I are putting all this pressure on you?" she asks, concerned.

"No… not at all. That's the weird part. I mean, like, everyone at school thinks we must shit in gold toilets and have butlers to chew our food for us, but to me, we just feel like a normal family. I don't feel any expectation coming from either of you… but I don't know. It's weird to think that you both did these crazy things when you were really young."

"Crazy things?"

"Dad made billions. You won Grammys."

She laughs. "Honestly, the Wildest Dreams era was one of the most stressful times of my life. And you can talk to Dad about his early days with the business, but he wasn't really happy, either."

"Really?" This is news. Mom and Dad never really talk about work at home unless we specifically ask. They just focus on us. It's like there's two separate worlds, their real selves when we're at home and then the people that everyone else thinks they know.

"Yes. On the outside, sure, I was breaking records and ended up winning awards, but my personal life was a mess."

Mom with a messy personal life? Is that even possible? My parents have what everyone dreams of having. "What do you mean? You and Dad?"

"Yeah. You know how Dad and I renewed our vows six years or so after getting married?" I nod. I don't really remember it, but I've seen the pictures. "I don't feel like we really hit our stride until then. We used to have a lot of problems. I don't know if you remember this, but we were actually separated for a few months, and you and Ted used to go back and forth between here and Escala."

WHAT?! "Uh, no. I don't remember that at all. But… you seem so in love." This does not add up.

She smiles. "We are. We always were. But love isn't really enough to make a relationship work in the long run, and we had to find that out the hard way. It was a really hard time. I wasn't sure if we would last, and on top of that, I felt like a goldfish, I was stalked by paparazzi every breath I took, I was worried about how on Earth I was going to give you and Ted a normal childhood, and… it was just a lot. So, what most people might see as the beginning of my quote, unquote success didn't feel like it at all to me."

"Is that… I mean…" Do I actually dare broach this subject? It would give you some idea of how she's feeling... I take a deep breath and continue. "Wasn't that around the same time that… Carla happened?" I don't think I've ever said that name out loud.

She blinks a few times and nods. "Yes. That certainly didn't help. So, you see, just because the world might think someone's life is full of success because of money or accolades or extravagance, it doesn't mean that it means anything. I was so much happier once I had a lower profile. And Dad and I have a great relationship now, but it took a long time and a lot of working on ourselves before we had that. Anyway, all this to say, you have to figure out what success means to you, Pheebs. No one else can decide that for you, and there's no deadline to figure it out. Your time for making life decisions doesn't expire when the new semester at Yale starts."

I take a deep breath, feeling like a weight's been lifted off my chest. This is good. I feel like… what she's saying is making sense. "Ted says I'm being too hard on myself," I admit.

"Well, I'm sorry, sweetie, because you definitely get that from me," she says, smiling ruefully.

"Ted said that, too!"

"Listen to your brother. He's a goofball, but he's smart." She brushes my hair back out of my face. "So, are you excited for tonight? I am. We'll all be front row."

I laugh nervously. "Yeah, I'm excited." Kind of. "It's going to be weird, though."

"The first time performing in front of people always is. But I have every confidence that you'll be fantastic, and I'm so proud of you for trying something new. Senior year, Pheebs. Look at you." She flicks my chin with her finger lovingly.

I smile, feeling my cheeks burn. "Thanks, Mommy." I hug her and close my eyes. One thing I think I've learned in my seventeen years on Earth: a hug from your mom never really gets old, even when you're in high school and you think it will. At least for me, it sure doesn't.

She sighs. "I have to do a couple of things before Dad and Jamie get here. How are you feeling now? Okay?"

"A lot better." I'm surprised by how true that is when I say it. "You work, I'll go annoy Ted."

"Perfect," she giggles. She gets up, turning to look at me again just before she leaves. "And remember, we have the whole summer to keep having talks like this. So, even if it's okay now… you can always find me when it's not."

"I know, Mom." I really do.

She blows me a kiss and goes off down the hall towards her office. I wasn't lying when I said I felt better… about my weird life/college situation, I do. The pressure feels somewhat lifted. But there's something else picking at my brain now.

I go up the stairs two at a time and find Ted's door halfway ajar. I peek in and he's throwing clothes into his closet. "Knock, knock."

He glances at me. "Miss me already, Fifi?"

I ignore his natural smartass energy and close the door behind me, sitting on his bed, getting right to the point. "Did you know that Mom and Dad used to be separated?"

"What? Oh, yeah. When we were little kids," he says casually, as if this is not a major bombshell.

"What?! How did you know?" Did they tell him and not me?

"I remember?"

"Well, why didn't I know?"

"I don't know. I thought you also remembered. You were there."

"No. Doesn't it… isn't it bizarre to you?"

"Um, not really."

"Why not?"

"Because they're not separated now."

"But they never talk about it."

He looks at me like I have six heads. "Pheebs, do you hear yourself? Why would they talk about it?"

"I mean, why did they talk to you about it and not me?"

"They haven't really talked to me about it since then. I just remember 'cause I was older than you, I guess. There's nothing to talk about. They're not, like, hiding it, they're just fine now."

"Well… what do you remember?"

He sighs, opening up his drawers to shove socks in. "Dad was basically never home for a while… Mom was… different, like she never smiled… then Dad was around some more, but I always saw him and Mom separately. Then we slowly started doing more stuff together, and things were getting better, and then it turns out it's 'cause they were in therapy together. We met their couples therapist once."

"Oh. That's when they started therapy?" Mom and Dad are super open about the fact that they go to a couples therapy session every so often for a "tune-up," but I guess I thought they'd always done that.

"Seems like it. You could just ask them."

"It isn't weird for you to think about them not being together?"

"No, that's super weird, but that's because of what I remember. It was like… you could see them slowly get comfortable with each other again and become the embarrassing saps we know today. I guess that's why it doesn't bother me. I saw the transition, so I know they're fine now." He pauses, turning to look at me. "You know it doesn't change anything? They're still Mom and Dad."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It was just a weird thing to hear, because they're Mom and Dad. They seem so great together."

"They are. I think that's why they renewed their vows. It was like the new version of them. Dad said something like that to me once." He closes the final drawer and hurls his suitcase into his closet. "How did this even come up?"

"Mom just mentioned it when we were talking about college."

"What about it?"

"Like, I was saying that it's hard because they're so successful, like when Mom won her first Grammys, and she said she wasn't really that happy then because she and Dad were separated."

He laughs. "Have you ever listened to that album? It's not the happiest material ever."

"That's true. I just never thought about it that much. Do you know why they separated?"

"Not exactly. I guess just… marriage is hard. I don't know. Again, you could just ask them." I look down. I feel strange digging into their past, but this was kind of a revelation. "I don't think it was for very long. Watch Mom's Grammy speech from the first year she won, she and Dad were back at it by then."

"How often do you watch that speech, freak?"

"I don't, but Uncle Ez tells that story like, every fucking Thanksgiving. Speaking of, can we get a snack? I'm starved."

"Why, because you haven't eaten for five minutes?"

He shrugs. "More like ten. Don't sweat this, Pheebs. They're fine now. You know, you grow through what you go through or whatever bullshit."

"Wow. How insightful. Add psychology, make it a triple major."

"You just want the family rate. Come on, seriously, I'm hungry."

We head downstairs and Mom is back in the kitchen now, pouring Jamie a glass of water while he unpacks his gym bag from track. "Ted! I was just going to go find you," he exclaims.

"Jamie, my man! What are you, like, six-three now?" They do one of those stupid half hugs, half slamming each other around that guys do.

"Five-ten," he corrects, but with an air of pride. He is pretty tall. But lanky. And he runs a lot, which doesn't help. And he's a dork. But I love him.

"Hey, still taller than Mom and Pheebs."

"Jamie bug, drink, you'll dehydrate," Mom says, sliding the glass over to him. "Snack, too."

"That's just what I came down here for. Mom?" Teddy whines. Oh, Jesus.

"Yeah, Mom, snacks are better when you make them," Jamie adds, abruptly giving her a hug to sweeten the deal. Damn, they're good.

She laughs and rolls her eyes. "Okay, just this once. I think we have pizza rolls." She crumbles like feta cheese when they team up.

"Yes!" they both exclaim, high-fiving, then low-fiving. The call of greasy food is universally bonding, whether you're thirteen or twenty.

I lean against the island. I can't shake this weird feeling. My talk with Ted brought a little clarity, but… I still want some answers. Just ask them, Ted's voice reminds me in my head. Ugh. I hate when he's right. Mom is busy… "Hey, Mom, is Dad home?"

"Yeah, he just ran to his study to finish up a couple of things." She gives me a reassuring smile. I'm sure she's figured out that I have more things to discuss from the talk we had earlier.

"Okay." I go off down the hall to find him. His door is mostly pushed closed, but not latched, so I knock.

"Ana, baby, that you?" he calls.

I push the door open and peek my head in. "Nope. Me."

He smiles when he sees me and sets down the iPad he was scrolling through. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Hi, Dad. Can I… talk to you?" It strikes me looking at him now just how much Ted is his twin. Sometimes I forget. Dad is a fraction taller and has a little streak of grey right in the front of his hair, but he's still got the full head of it. He really is Christian Grey now. I would say that joke out loud, but he's heard it from Ted every single time he's home. But let's be honest, both of my parents have aged like fine wine. Mom looks like a slightly older version of me, and Dad looks like a slightly older than that version of Ted.

"Yes, of course. What's up?" He walks around the side of the desk to give me a hug, which I gladly accept, then perches on the edge of his desk while I take the couch.

"I had a talk with Mom earlier, and I was wondering if I could talk to you about it."

If my words make him nervous, he gives nothing away. "You can talk to me about anything. What is it?"

"Did you… when you first founded GEH… did you feel successful? Like… were you happy?"

He cocks his head slightly to the side at my questions. I don't think he was expecting that. "I felt successful on some level. At the time, I thought it was happiness. But now I realize, no, I wasn't happy."

"But don't you love your job?"

"I enjoy my job. I'm proud of the difference it makes. It's a good fit for my set of skills. But I don't love it." He smiles softly. "I love you, I love your mother, I love Ted and Jamie. It's a whole different universe of feeling. What's got you curious about GEH?"

"I'm…" I sigh heavily, dropping my head into my hands. "I'm still undecided about my major. I don't know exactly what I want. And it just seems like you and Mom had it all figured out so early."

"I founded a business early, Pheebs. I didn't figure out life until much later."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said, I thought it was happiness then. I had more money than I could conceive what to do with, but I came home to a sprawling, empty apartment. Work was all I thought about. Uncle Elliot and Aunt Mia would try to get me to hang with them and I'd blow them off, Grandma and Grandpa would try to have dinner with me and I'd make excuses, I had employees, but no one that I considered a friend." I think he grimaces for a second, but he composes himself quickly. "I didn't realize how miserable I was until I met your mom."

I stare down at my hands. Guilt creeps in for being so weird about them separating. Relationships are hard, is it so hard to believe that my parents aren't immune to that?

"Phoebe? Your thinking is deafening. Care to share?"

"Mom just mentioned earlier that you guys, a long time ago, were separated. I didn't know and it… kind of threw me for a loop."

His brow creases. "You don't remember?" I shake my head, and he nods thoughtfully. "Do you have questions?" he asks calmly.

"No, not really… I mean, Mom just mentioned it to say that when everyone thought she was the most successful, she was actually the most unhappy because you two were separated. She said I have to find my own definition of success and not worry about the world's."

He smiles. "Mom is smart."

"It's just hard to wrap my head around, Dad. You and Mom are so… perfect."

"We're far from perfect. We just managed to work through our toughest times and still choose each other at the end of it."

"You… I mean… no one cheated, right?" I blurt out. I don't know why I asked that. Do I really want to know?

But he laughs. "No, no one cheated. Now that's ridiculous."

Okay, the world still makes sense. "I'm sorry, Daddy. It's really none of my business."

He shakes his head. "Honey, if it's bothering you, it's better to ask us. I'm glad you did. Long story short, Mom and I both had some things we needed to deal with on our own before we could really give our all to each other. Thankfully, we were able to do that. If you want to know, someday… we'll tell you the whole story. But it should come from both of us."

Someday. I can live with that. Finally, I feel better. "Okay. Maybe someday, I will take you up on that." Maybe when I'm old enough to drink.

"Are you excited for tonight?" he asks, changing the subject.

I groan and flop back against the couch. I'm doing that a lot today. "Everyone keeps asking me that."

He smiles in amusement. "Sorry, I didn't know it was a loaded question. We're excited."

"I'm scared. I don't want to let everyone down."

"Who's everyone? Everyone I know will be proud of you no matter what."

He says this so sincerely, it kind of makes my chest hurt. "Really?"

"Really. You don't have to do anything for us to be proud of you. You give us plenty to work with without even trying. Your kindness, your wit, your tenacity, you're a force of nature, Pheebs. You must know that."

Instead of answering, I get up and hug him. "This is why Connecticut feels a million miles away," I mumble into his shoulder.

He rubs my back and kisses the top of my head. "Phoebe, I'm a phone call away … or a private plane ride. And if it ends up not being right for you…"

"I know, I know. You'll send a rescue squad."

"Something like that," he chuckles.

The aroma wafting from the kitchen brings me back to the present moment. "Oh, Mom is making pizza rolls. If you want any, we should get out there."

"Sure. I haven't seen Ted yet."

"Well, I'll save you the suspense, he's as irritating as he was the last time." This gets a laugh out of him.

We walk into the kitchen to find Mom standing back against the counter looking at something on her phone while Ted and Jamie attack their snack like something on Animal Planet. "Hey, Dad. Mom made us save you guys some pizza rolls. Hurry up, though, we can only restrain him for so long," Ted says with his mouth full.

"You ate three more than I did, liar!" Jamie yells, throwing a crumpled-up napkin at him.

"Well, it all happened so fast, who's to say who ate what?"

"Hey, Ted. Welcome home, we missed you. Jamie, how was track?"

"Made everyone eat dust, Dad."

"That's my boy." Dad snags one and pops it into his mouth, then walks over to Mom and tilts her chin so he can kiss her. "You're an artist with a pizza roll."

She smiles, setting her phone aside. "I can work an air fryer like no other."

Ted walks over to my side of the kitchen grab more napkins. "Hey, you were right," I mutter.

"I know. But about what?"

"It's not a big deal. They're fine."

"Oh. Yeah. Cool. Look at them, we live inside a rom-com." He nods his head towards them, and it's true, they're in quiet conversation, looking happy and completely at ease with each other.

"Ted, when you have a minute, I want to get your take on the environmental audit of one of our supply chains," Dad interjects.

His face lights up. "Can we do it now?"

"Sure, the numbers are in my office." Dad kisses Mom one more time and then they head off in that direction, Ted already peppering him with questions, giving each other a little side hug on the way.

I glance at the clock on the stove and realize that I really have to start getting ready for tonight. "You good, Pheebs?" Jamie asks.

"Yeah," I mutter.

He comes up next to me, glancing at Mom, who's cleaning up their mess. "You want me to listen one more time?" he whispers discreetly.

I smile. "Yeah." See? Not obnoxious.

I've always loved music. Growing up, I'd watch my mom play guitar on the couch, taking notes in her notepad. I'd watch my dad play piano for us at the end of a long day when we were all hanging out together. Uncle Ez still plays me sneak peeks of the hits before all my friends hear them on the radio. It didn't take long for me to want to follow in the family's footsteps and get involved musically. I play piano and guitar now, just like my mom.

I love music. I really do.

But suddenly, I'm backstage at my school's talent show, holding a guitar, waiting to go out for my first time ever performing in front of an audience, and I think I'm about to hurl.

This was a huge mistake. I'm the girl who plays guitar in her room. I'm the girl who watches her mom do this, but I don't do this. What was I thinking? Oh, shit, I'm spinning out.

But I can't back out now. My name is printed in a program. Three acts have already gone and I'm coming up. It's too late. It's either flee town and change my name or go on and try not to totally embarrass myself. I'm hyperventilating. How can I sing when I can't breathe?

Get it together! Okay, I need some reinforcements. Who's good for hype? I step behind a set of risers backstage and pull out my phone, scrolling through my texts… and the perfect person jumps out at me.

I text her. Please look at your phone, please look at your phone, please look at your phone. I peek between a gap in the curtains. My family really is front row. My whole family. Mom and Dad, holding hands on top of the armrest. Ted and Jamie. Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa Ray. Aunt Kate, Uncle Elliot, Ava, Henry. Uncle Ez. The little cousins are even here, Owen and Finn. Can an eight and a ten-year-old be out this late? And last but not least, their mom, the person that I desperately need to check her phone, Aunt Mia.

She opens her bag just a fraction and looks up, and I swear she makes eye contact with me through the curtain. And she gets up. Sorry, Aunt Kate, I officially have a favorite.

I run through the stage door and meet her in the hallway. "How did you know?"

"That you'd be freaking out? I know you, Pheebs. My phone was on vibrate. Come here, girlfriend." She opens her arms and I walk right into them.

"This was a huge mistake."

"No, it wasn't."

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you."

"I'm shaking, this can't be right."

"What am I going to tell you? What have I told you since the first time you told me you wanted to do this?"

I sigh and look up at the ceiling, reciting her words of reassurance. "'Your mom was freaking out and almost bolted the first time she performed and look how she turned out.' But Mom is in the audience! Mom is—"

"Mom is going to love it no matter what. Because it's you, and because you're talented. Who has heard the song besides me and Ez?"

"Ted and Jamie."

She cocks an eyebrow. "Okay, so your brothers who would die for a chance to make fun of you, a Grammy-award winning producer, and your favorite aunt who would never let you embarrass yourself have all heard it and told you that it's good. What exactly are you worried about?"

"I just can't believe this is about to happen."

"Believe it, baby. Come on." She takes my hand and leads me back through the doors towards the backstage area, stopping right at the edge of the stage. Someone else is performing right now and my mouth dries seeing how close my moment is. She keeps my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. "Look. In a few minutes, you're going to stand there, you're going to show the world exactly what Phoebe Grey has in her, and they're not even going to remember who your parents are. They'll just think how special what they just witnessed was. You're going to do that."

I let her words sink in, then slowly nod. "Will you stay with me?"

"I'll be right here. Just a few feet away!"

There's the sound of applause in the auditorium. I let go of her hand and clap, then it sinks in what exactly this means. I'm up.

Aunt Mia gives me a hug around my shoulders from behind. "You got this. I'm right here. Show them what you got."

The emcee walks up to the mic. "Well, folks, that was Hannah Burke delighting us with her flute. Incredible, wasn't it? Next up, please welcome to the stage, Phoebe Grey, who will be gracing us with her vocal stylings tonight!"

Aunt Mia gives me the lightest push, and suddenly I'm blinded by spotlights, walking towards the mic on autopilot. I hear obnoxiously loud cheers right from the front as I walk, which I recognize as my brothers. I stand there and blink a few times, letting my eyes adjust. I probably look like a deer in the headlights, but I can't think about that right now. "Uh… hi. I'm Phoebe Grey… you know, like the guy said." There's a little ripple of laughter, and it relaxes me just a little. "Um, I wrote this song… it's for someone very special who I don't think gets enough credit for everything she does. Someone who really means the whole world to me… and I think she should know. So… this is called The Best Day."

I look off to the side and Aunt Mia is still there, smiling widely. I finally look down at the audience and the first thing I see is my parents. They're both smiling, waiting for me to start, looking proud as ever. Then I see Ted and Jamie. They look at each other, then look at back at me, give me two thumbs up, and clearly mouth 'you got this.'

With that, I have a smile on my face as I start to play the guitar. I resolve to stare at the back of the auditorium, and I begin.

I'm five years old
It's getting cold, I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you
I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now, the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
But I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today

I feel like I've hit my stride now. My fingers are no longer trembling, my voice sounds steady, the lights aren't oppressively hot, and I'm… having fun.

I'm thirteen now
And don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight
And grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop
'Til I've forgotten all their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today

I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles down on my brothers
Inside and out, they're better than I am
I grew up in a pretty house
And I had space to run and I
Had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen
And you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarves
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Finally, I work up the courage to look down at Mom. Because no matter whether anyone else thinks this song is any good, I know it really doesn't matter. I know she'll love it either way. Basking in that knowledge, I feel myself smile.

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
For staying back and watching me shine and
I didn't know if you knew
So I'm taking this chance to say
That I had the best day with you today

As soon as the last strum of my guitar fades, somehow over my pounding heart and all of the applause, I hear yelling. "WOOOOOOO! THAT'S MY SISTER!" I look down and Ted and Jamie are on their feet clapping wildly.

Dad stands up next. "Yes, Phoebe!" he shouts.

And then my whole family, taking up the whole front row, is standing. And then I really see Mom. She's smiling, almost brighter than I've ever seen her smile, and tears are streaming down her face. She stands up and starts jumping up and down while she claps. "Yessss! Yes, Phoebe, yes!" she screams like a fangirl.

It's probably been a few seconds that I've been just standing here in a daze, and I suddenly return to Earth after my trip to another galaxy just now. "Thank you! Thank you," I say hastily into the mic, then hustle offstage to be tackled by Aunt Mia.

Tears are running down her face, too. "You absolutely killed it, Pheebs!" she squeals, hugging me fiercely.

"Esteemed guests, let's hear it again for Phoebe Grey!" the emcee says.

I'm barely out into the hallway before a blur of copper hair attacks me. Ted is hugging me and spinning me around, then Jamie jumps on my back so he's basically holding both of us. "Mom was crying, like, as soon as you opened your mouth, Fifi," he says when he sets me down. "You blew the whole room away. I'm really proud of you."

"It was even better than this afternoon!" Jamie adds. "You were great!"

I've felt tears in my eyes since I saw Mom, but now I finally lose it. I hug them both around their necks. "I love you guys," I croak. "No matter what I say when you call me 'Fifi' or when you eat everything in the fridge, I love you guys so much."

"Don't cry, Pheebs. We love you, too," Jamie says.

"We fucking love you. The Grey siblings are about to be together for the whole summer. Seattle better get ready," Ted adds, making us all laugh.

"There's my girl." I hear Dad's voice next to me, and he pulls me into a hug. "Phoebe, I meant it when I said that you don't have to do anything to make me proud, but tonight… you're testing the limits of my pride meter."

I laugh. So corny. "Thanks, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Excuse me, my turn." Dad lets go and Mom steps right in. As soon as she hugs me, I start to cry all over again. She pulls back to look at me, her eyes and nose as red as mine, cupping my cheeks. "Phoebe, you amaze me every single day, but tonight… I have no idea what I did to deserve it, but this was the honor of my life. I don't even know how to tell you what it means to me. Thank you. I love you so much, sweetheart."

I hug her again, and the most amazing feeling of relief, excitement, and pride washes over me. You did it, Pheebs. You really did it.

"Someone get this girl in the studio with me!" I hear Uncle Ez scream. The hug parade continues, and I don't mind one bit.

"You really liked it?" I pass the carton of Ben and Jerry's back over to Mom.

"Phoebe… you're my daughter, and I would have liked anything you did. But this song… it was emotional, it painted a picture, technically, it was extremely well done, and I would have liked the song itself no matter who wrote it. The fact that one of the reasons that my heart beats is the writer is just a bonus. You have talent, there's no denying it."

Mom started a tradition with us a few years back that whenever I have some kind of occasion, we celebrate with a movie and splitting a carton of ice cream while lounging in my bed. Tonight, it's Chocolate Therapy and To All The Boys I've Loved Before.

I sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "I was terrified before I went out, but… it felt amazing, Mom."

"I know exactly the feeling."

"The rush was…"

"Like nothing else you've felt before?" I nod. "And writing? What does it feel like for you?"

"It's… liberating. It's like it gave my favorite memories a home forever."

"And now you can relive them whenever you want."

"Exactly."

She smiles wistfully and takes another spoonful. "That's how I felt. Liberated. At first, it was to help me process emotion. Now… it helps me preserve emotion. I get to live in my favorite moments over and over. You started out with that right away. That's not something everyone gets to experience, ever. But you… this is your gift."

"I learned from the best, Mommy." She shrugs and hands the ice cream back over. I give the melty chocolate a little stir before I glance back up at her. "Do you miss it?" She still performs occasionally, but rarely, and usually only when she's being honored for something or for a charity event.

"It has its place, but it comes with trade-offs. I'm happier being able to have a life and leave the house than I am with all the… attention."

This reminds me of something. "Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"What you said earlier… you know, about happiness and success… do you feel… successful now?"

She looks at me curiously. "You mean am I happy?" I nod. "Of course I am. How could I not be?"

"Mom…" I set the ice cream down and look her squarely in the eye. It's time I just told her this. "It's okay if the fact that your… egg donor is out of prison is messing with you. I mean, I don't know what it's like because obviously, I have the best mom in the world, but you don't have to pretend to be okay if you're not for our sake."

She raises her eyebrows. "Sweetie, is that what you think?"

"Well… kind of."

"Honey, I admit that I have a tendency to… try not to project what I'm feeling onto you and your brothers. But the truth is, I just don't think very much about Carla."

"You don't? But… doesn't it hurt? I can't imagine life without you, so… I just thought you'd be hurting and I wanted to check on you."

She smiles and tucks my hair behind my ear. "And I love you for that. I was for a while, right when it happened. But I was hurting a lot more with her in my life. Nothing I did was ever enough, and the older I got, the more transparent her efforts to take advantage of me became, to the point that she was willing to put me and my babies at risk. Once she was out of my life, I felt mostly relieved."

"So… you really are okay now?"

"I'm more than okay. Mothers… they're supposed to love you unconditionally. When I look at you and Ted and Jamie, I can't imagine a world where I don't love you more than anything. I didn't have that from her. But I have that in my life now, from so many directions. I love and I'm loved, and sure, the way my family is isn't exactly traditional, but it's more than enough. Her getting out of prison is at most, an inconvenience. Honestly, your dad is a lot more worried about it than I am, but I think we all tend to worry more about the people we love than ourselves. I expect that she'll try to trick some man into marrying her and go right back to trying to live off of others. Me… I've moved on."

"I Googled her," I admit. "She looks like you… but she's nothing like you. And she looks… I don't know, like a bitch."

"I don't love calling other women names, but… yeah, she's a bitch." We both burst into giggles at this, almost knocking over the sticky ice cream carton. "So, you definitely don't have to worry about me in regards to her, but your compassion and sensitivity makes me so proud. You're really making my heart overflow tonight, Pheebs, sheesh."

I laugh. "Sorry." There's a knock at the door, and I pause the movie. "Who goes there?" I shout theatrically.

"Someone wondering if you need more ice cream." It's Dad. "And trying to escape Ted and Jamie shouting at their video games."

Oh, poor guy. "Okay, in that case, you can come in."

He walks in with a smirk on his face. "How are my two favorite ladies?"

"Out of ice cream." I hand him the empty carton.

"A travesty. What flavor?" He heads back towards the door, but as I watch him go, something feels unsaid. Something that feels so obvious now, I can't see why I didn't see it before.

"Wait… Dad. Can you sit down for a second?"

He gives Mom a questioning glance, but sits on the edge of the bed next to us. "Yes?"

"I… I want to tell you guys something." They both look at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish. "Tonight… I've been thinking, and I think I reached some conclusions about college. I think… I might want to study music."

They glance at each other again, identical, slow smiles spreading across their faces. "Well… the school of music at Yale is one of the best in the country," Mom says.

"And after tonight, I can't think of anything more fitting for you," Dad adds.

"If that's where you feel like you would be the happiest… I'm all for it," Mom concludes. "And not to be that mom, but… I do know some people if you want to check out the scene."

"Really? Your shelf of Grammys would have never clued me in." She shrugs, and we all share a laugh. I look between them, and it settles within me just how fleeting this moment is. I feel tears start welling up again. "I'm gonna miss you so much. Just because I'm going far away doesn't mean that I don't really, really love it here. You know that, right?"

They both instinctively take one of my hands, gazing at me with the same look of love and concern. "Of course we know that, sweetheart," Mom says, rubbing my arm with her other hand. "You're about to be a young woman and you need some adventure."

"With a CPO. And at least weekly phone calls," Dad says, feigning sternness, but I can tell that he's choking up a little.

Mom smiles at him indulgently, then turns back to me. "And if it isn't a fit, we'll always be here. You can always come home."

I sniffle. "I know… but you always say California is so far, and Ted's still on the west coast. I'll be even farther."

"Pheebs… it would feel like you're far away if you were across town. We'll miss you when you're not here, no matter where you are, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go."

Dad squeezes my hand. "As long as you're happy… and safe… we're happy."

Dad grabs a tissue off the bedside table, hands it to Mom, and she starts dabbing at my eyes. It strikes me as kind of funny that my parents are tag-teaming to emotionally support their seventeen-year-old daughter, and despite myself, I start to laugh. "I love you," I sigh, wrapping an arm around each of them.

What started out as just a random Friday has turned into one of the most memorable days of my life. The day of my first performance, the day I chose my major, and the day that I realized my parents may not be perfect, but they love each other, they love me, and they love my brothers fiercely, endlessly, and unconditionally. And how lucky I am to be born into a family where that's without question.

A/N: I thought I would feel relieved at the end of this, since it was a very long journey, and I do... but I also cried a few times while writing this. I'll definitely miss it!

I know this epilogue was a bit different, but I think Teddy got more attention in the story because he was older, and I thought Phoebe deserved her moment. Phoebe's song is The Best Day by Taylor Swift from Fearless (Taylor's Version). If you listen to any song from this story, listen to this one. Taylor wrote it about her mother and I thought of this epilogue forever ago while listening to it (I changed the lyrics slightly because Taylor only has one brother).

We changed the ending, and now we've reached the ending. I hope it was what you wanted it to be. This is all I've dreamed up for this world. Thank you for all the support you gave me and this story. Now, I will take a break, but writing has been a great creative outlet, so I don't think you've seen the last of me (on something new... no plans to continue this one, it feels complete to me).

Thank you, thank you, thank you. And whenever you find time to read this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.