Nova's Universe

Chapter 15 (2014)

Nova

I pushed open the door, my eyes glued to the letter in my hand.

"Is that Aoede's letter you're reading?" Charlie asked from the living room.

"Uh-huh," I mumbled, heading for the kitchen without looking up.

"So, how's she liking college?" he inquired eagerly. Silence met his question – this was Aoede's longest letter yet.

"Nova? Earth to Nova?" Charlie's voice cut through my concentration. His hand materialized between me and the letter. "Care to share?" he raised an eyebrow playfully.

"Oh, sorry!" I apologized, finally meeting his gaze. "I got lost in it."

"Why the letter, anyway? She knows she can use her phone at that Muggle college, right?"

"Well, besides describing everything in detail..." I held up the first page, offering it to Charlie. "She also mentioned meeting a boy!" I squealed. "I think it's easier to write about boys in a letter than talk about them on the phone."

Charlie stopped reading and looked up, startled. "A boy? What do you mean?"

"Oh, Charlie, come on," I teased, shaking my head. "You already went through the 'protective dad' stage with her. Why so surprised?"

"Because we don't approve of this kind of thing," he said sternly, his gaze filled with disapproval.

"This kind of thing? Meeting someone new?" I tilted my head in confusion. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"We raised her better than this," he continued, his voice laced with disappointment. "You're supporting cheating now?"

"Cheating?" I blinked, utterly bewildered.

"Have you both forgotten about Noah, or what's going on right now?"

A sudden realization dawned on me. "Wait!" I gasped. "You... you don't know that Aoede and Noah broke up?"

Charlie stared at me with his mouth agape. A fit of giggles escaped me. It had been nearly five months since their split, but apparently, no one had mentioned it to him while Aoede was home for the summer.

"They broke up after the Ball," I explained. "Aoede said she just wasn't feeling the way she thought she should in a relationship."

"This whole summer, I thought they were still together?" Charlie groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Love, you have to keep me in the loop! I seriously thought you were okay with Aoede having two boyfriends at once."

"I'm so sorry! So much happened this summer, I guess it slipped my mind." I set the letter down and walked over to wrap him in a hug. "Sometimes, us girls can be a little silly, right?"

"Does Luna Dora know?"

"Of course. She talked to Aoede the day after they broke up. Like the best sister ever, she cheered her right up." I beamed with pride for Luna.

"Maybe we need a whiteboard in the hallway," Charlie suggested, shaking his head. "A daily update, like the Prophet. That way, I can stay on top of things."

"I promise to keep you in the loop," I giggled.

Charlie dove back into the letter. "Sounds like she's having a blast. Likes her dorm, feels like she fits in, top of her class – no surprise there." He grinned, unsurprised by our daughter's academic success. "Enjoys her professors, getting more into Muggle culture... sounds like she and my dad will have plenty to chat about." He chuckled. "Is generally as excited as the day she got her acceptance letter – nearly deafened the whole family."

I let out a laugh, recalling Aoede's reaction. Terrified to open it, she sat cross-legged on the sofa, staring at the letter on the coffee table like it might explode. Luna, ever curious, finally snatched it and ripped it open. The second she read the acceptance sentence, Aoede erupted into a frenzy of screams, jumps, and victory dances. Charlie, who was talking to a neighbour outside, rushed in, fearing an emergency. Roggie, overwhelmed by the commotion, hid in his room, while Luna instantly regretted her decision to open the letter.

Of course, the letter meant a trip to Muggle London the next day. We bought all her supplies and everything. Aoede wanted us to go alone, so Charlie took Roggie and Luna to Diagon Alley. Roggie got a new dragon book, and Luna, well, Charlie decided she was finally ready for a professional broom. Captain in the making, he says.

Rushing through stores with Aoede was a joy. It wasn't the art supplies that thrilled me, but seeing her so genuinely excited about this next chapter. After the heartbreak with Noah, it warmed my heart to see art school lift her spirits so much.

"So, tell me about this boy!" Charlie leaned in, his curiosity piqued.

"His name's Lucas," I began, "with brown hair and blue eyes, apparently very cute. They share some classes and enjoy studying together in the library." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

Charlie chuckled, the sound warming my heart. He wasn't fazed by Aoede mentioning a boy anymore – in fact, he seemed just as interested as I was. "Wow, she's giving you all the details, isn't she?"

"Not really," I admitted. "It actually reminds me of how I described you to my mum back in the day."

"What?" A surprised laugh escaped his throat. Even after all these years together, I could still make him blush.

"Of course, I didn't understand my feelings then," I continued, a smile playing on my lips. "But just like this letter makes me feel like I already know Lucas, I used to describe you to my mum in excruciating detail. Remember the letter where I called you my best friend?"

Charlie simply nodded, a faint blush still dusting his cheeks.

"Well, let's just say I wrote a whole paragraph about your freckles." I couldn't help but giggle.

"You were always obsessed with them, weren't you, love?" Charlie chuckled, setting his piece of the letter down and taking mine to place beside it. "So, you think she fancies this Lucas?" He wrapped his arms around me.

"She doesn't say it outright, but she doesn't need to," I said confidently. "No girl describes a boy this much to her mum unless she has a crush. Noah never got this kind of detailed treatment."

"True, this does feel different," Charlie mused.

"Maybe this is the 'something different' she's been searching for," I added, a wide smile spreading across my face. Yes, I had a feeling this Lucas might just be the boy Aoede had been waiting for.