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"Mom. Dalia," Major began. "I came here because I wanted to apologize, to both of you, for the way I was when I was a kid. I—"

His mom turned away from him, her face crumpling as she fought tears. Dalia frowned. "It still hurts her."

"I know. And that's why I came. Not to reopen old wounds, but to ask if maybe we could start fresh. Try to be a family." He reached for his mom's hand. "I've learned a few things in the last few years about life, and what's important, and I was hoping you would give me another chance to be the son I always should have been."

Dalia and his mom looked at each other, and Dalia reached out to dab away his mom's tears with a tissue. "I'll leave the two of you alone," she said gently. On her way out of the kitchen she looked at Major. What she said was "Thank you," but what she meant was "It's about time." And he couldn't argue with the sentiment.

"Let's … let's go in the living room," his mom said. Leading the way, she sat down on an ottoman, motioning Major to a chair across from her.

He took her hands. "I am so sorry for the way I treated you. When you and Dad split up, I just … I got so lost, I didn't know what to say or how to respond. I mean, no one I knew had a mom who left their dad for another woman, and I—I handled it badly."

"Why didn't you ever come to me, Major? Why didn't you ever let me tell you anything, let me explain?"

"I should have talked to you about it," he told her. "But … I was in high school. I was confused. And Dad was a wreck. I felt like I had to pick a side, and it was so much easier to choose the parent who didn't have a new girlfriend."

His mom was silent for a moment, accepting that. Then she squeezed his hands. "So … now you have to tell me everything." She laughed. "I mean, the last I heard, you were engaged to some woman, and then she just broke it off."

"Liv." He smiled, just thinking of her, thinking of going home to her and telling her that the cure worked, watching her take it, and then … their life, starting again. "Yeah, she, uh, she did do that."

"I'm so sorry. What about now? Is there someone new in your life?"

"Actually, I'm thinking there might still be a chance for Liv and I to have a future together. The timing might finally be right."

"Why did she break it off?"

"She was … going through some stuff. She had to work through it. She had been studying to be a heart surgeon, and had to leave the program, and that was—devastating for her. But now she has a new job, as a forensic scientist, which she likes. Actually, her boss, Ravi, is my roommate, and—and my best friend. Best friend I ever had," he added, thinking of how Ravi would look when he, too, knew that the cure had worked. Suddenly, he couldn't wait another minute. "Actually, Mom, would you mind if I gave them a call? Since I was—sick when I left, they're probably worrying about me."

"Of course." They both stood up, looking at one another, and then his mom reached up to give him another hug. "It's so good to see you."

"You, too, Mom. You, too."

His phone was … gone, somewhere, so his mom let him use the phone in the kitchen. He dialed Liv's number from memory, so glad to have that at his fingertips again, waiting for her voice, hoping she would pick up even though it was an unknown number. He was so happy to hear her voice. "Liv!"

"Major!" There was a world of relief in her tone. "I was so scared, Major. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Really, I promise."

"What's this number? Are you hurt? Is this a hospital?" The questions came all in a rush.

"No, I lost my phone. This is my mom's."

"You're in Walla Walla? How did you get there? Major, are you sure you're okay?"

"No, I told you, I'm fine. Better than fine. Liv! It works." He turned further toward the wall, lowering his voice. "The cure works. My memory's back."

"All your memories?"

"Yeah."

"Good!"

"Everything all right there?"

"It's a long story," she told him. "I'll tell you all about it when you get back. You are coming back, right?"

"Of course. I'll see if my mom will drive me back."

He could practically hear the smile in her voice as she said, "I can't wait."

"I can't wait, either."

"Bye."

"Bye." He put the phone back on the cradle, unable to stop smiling.

His mom came to the doorway of the kitchen. "I don't have to ask who that was—or why you're willing to give it another shot after she broke things off. Not the way you look right now."

"She's … special. There's really no one like her."

"I hope to meet her someday."

"I want that. I do." Hopefully after Liv stopped being a zombie. "Mom, would you mind, maybe, driving me back to Seattle?"

She frowned, looking at her watch. "Yes, I think I can do that. And on the way, you can tell me everything about your job, your roommate, Liv. Everything."

"Everything," he promised, already working on the heavily edited version he was going to have to tell her. He wished he could tell her the full story—but why? After today, it wasn't going to matter anymore.