Flat-Out Love

 “Come on. Let’s take him for a test run. Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“Just follow me.” Julie led the way up to the second floor, with Celeste and Flat Fi

As usual, he was seated in front of his laptop. “Hey.” Matt looked tired, but his eyes widened as Celeste toted Flat Fi

“Flat Fi

Matt eyed the figure on his bed. “Yes, this will be significantly less socially uncomfortable. Celeste, you’re fine with this? This, um, alteration?”

“I am. What do you think Dad will say?”

Julie sat at the foot of the bed. “It should be the first thing he hears when he gets back from his trip tonight. He’ll be proud of Flat Fi

“If she notices,” Matt added in a soft singsong tone.

“So perhaps,” Julie started hesitantly, “you’d be willing to hang out with Flat Fi

Celeste stiffened. “Wait, you never said—”

“Just assessing the options now available,” Julie said. “You could do that, right, Matt? Should the need arise.”

“I guess I could do that,” Matt agreed, doing a less than spectacular job of hiding his reluctance. “What’s the pay rate?”

Julie smirked. “There is a sliding scale dependent on your enthusiasm. So far, you are at the rate of a pe

Celeste crossed her arms. “Are you two done entertaining yourselves?”

“I didn’t realize we had started.” Matt got up from his seat. “You ready for lunch, Celeste?”

“Sure. Will you make egg and cheese sandwiches?”

Matt nodded and walked by Julie. “Whatever you want.”

“Matt!” Julie hissed.

He turned back, confused. “What?”

Julie tossed her hands up. “Nothing.”

She hung back in Matt’s room while they went downstairs. God, she had just made a step in the right direction with this hinge thing, and here was Matt acting like his sister was six years old. Seriously, Celeste could make herself lunch. Way to inspire confidence, Matt.

Would someone let this kid grow up, already?

Chapter 19

“Hi, Seth.” Julie tucked the phone in the crook of her neck, while she folded another T-shirt and added it to the pile of clean laundry on the bed.

“Hey, you. I feel like I haven’t talked to you in weeks.” Seth sounded sweet, but she could detect a frustrated edge.

“I know. With finals coming up, I’ve been mobbed. Sorry I didn’t call you back yesterday.”

“It’s just that it’s the middle of December, and you’re leaving for three weeks soon. I was hoping we could hang out some more before then. You know, a little alone time?” Julie could tell he was smiling now.

“You mean you’ve had enough time with me and Celeste in the coffeehouse?” she teased. “You don’t find that romantic, and sexy, and hot?”

“While I very much enjoy watching you sweat over your calculus assignments, and I’m equally fond of Celeste’s detailed and ruthless assessments of my beverage-making skills, I’d kill for a night alone with you.”

Julie opened the bottom drawer of the dresser and then picked up a stack of folded clothes. “You got it. How about tonight?”

Seth groaned. “I can’t. I’m leading a study group for one of my polisci classes. Tomorrow? Besides, Friday is a better date night anyhow.”

“Works for me. “

“Come over around seven and I’ll make you di

“OK, see you then.” She tossed the phone down and went to set her clothes in the drawer. Fi

“What are you doing?”

Julie whipped around. This was the first time that she had heard Matt laugh uncontrollably. She felt herself blush, but threw the shirt at him. “I found some of Fi

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.” He tossed the shirt back to her.

“Shut up!” Julie rolled her eyes.

“If you want to smell Fi

Julie’s phone rang again. “Middle child syndrome,” she mumbled as she reached over to answer it. “Hello?”

“I can’t wait to see you,” Seth said. “I just had to tell you that. Gotta run. Bye!”

She smiled and hung up, just as Celeste brushed past Matthew and held her fingers out to Julie. “My polish is chipping. Can I redo my fingernails?”

“Sure thing. Help yourself to whatever color you want. You know where the stuff is.”

Celeste turned on the radio, picked up the bag of nail polish, and took a seat on the end of the bed.

“Hey, Celeste,” Matt said. “This came for you earlier.” Julie hadn’t even noticed that he had been holding a bulging Fed Ex envelope in his hand. “It’s from Fi

Celeste dropped the bag and slowly lifted her head. “Fi

“Yeah, sweetie. He did. Here you go.” Matt walked the package to his sister and then left the room.

Julie scrambled over the two laundry baskets to reach Celeste, who sat silently beaming at the item in her hands. “Open it! Open it!”

“Oh. Of course. How did he…? I can’t… I can’t believe that he sent me something. But I knew Look at how far this had to travel.” She pointed at the postage marks and strange writing on the front. “I don’t know how he…”

“For God’s sake, open it!”

Celeste’s hands shook as she tore off the perforated tab and upended the mailing envelope. “Oooooh, Julie, look.” She held up a silver barrette with beautiful turquoise and amber stones. “It’s lovely, isn’t it?” she asked breathlessly.

“It really is. It will look amazing in your hair.” She peeked inside the envelope. “No card?”

“I guess not. That’s OK, though. Will you put it in for me?”

“Of course.” Julie gathered Celeste’s thick hair at the nape of her neck. As she undid the clasp, she noticed something. “Honey, look. It’s engraved on the back.”

“It is?” Celeste turned around, her eye sparkling brightly.

“Yes.” Julie squinted at small etching. “It says, Love is a portion of the soul itself, and it is of the same nature as the celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise.”

Celeste beamed. “Fi

“I do know those stories. My mom used to read them to me.”

Celeste seemed energized and illuminated by Fi

Julie sighed softly as she tousled Celeste’s curls. Five more months. Julie had told the guidance counselor at Barnaby that Celeste would make significant progress by May. But five months until what exactly? Until she turned into a typical teenager? Julie couldn’t see that happening, nor did she want it to happen. Celeste’s uniqueness shouldn’t be obliterated. What was the marker of acceptable progress? When she ditched Flat Fi