The Story of Tonight

Chapter Twenty One

Emilia made her way back to Brooklyn. She couldn't imagine what she'd look like on the subway home, with sunglasses on at eight pm. She had been trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible and, aside from the glares of the passengers, she thought she managed to slip enough under the radar.

Throughout the ride, she kept checking to make sure the manila envelope was in her pocket, no doubt looking like she was in the middle of a drug sale. She could even imagine the headlines, "Say No To This? Lin-Manuel Miranda's Daughter Drug Dealer by Night!" Even she had to shake her head at her own absurdity. She had debated texting Hunter for her opinion, considering she was the only other teenager she talked to who didn't go to her school. But she didn't want to make her newfound family view her as a cheater, or worst have it get back to Lin. What would he think of getting a daughter who not only sucked at history, but had bought a test to cheat to get by?

She slipped her key into the keyfob of her apartment. Once she got in, she breathed out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, as she leaned against the closed door.

"Hey Lia,"

Lia's hand immediately went to her chest as she realized she wasn't alone, "God, mom," She said breathless, "You scared me."

"I scared you sitting on our couch inside our apartment?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"I thought you'd be asleep,"

"It's eight o' clock," She replied bluntly, setting aside her laptop that she had been working on.

"Oh," Lia hadn't even taken the time into account. She checked her phone and saw that it was still early. She had just assumed it would be later. Didn't all illegal acts happen late at night? "Well, I'm gonna go take a shower,"

"Wait," Vanessa interrupted, "Between work and school, I feel like I've hardly seen you lately, let alone had a conversation with you. Think I can steal my daughter away for a few minutes?"

Lia gave a timid smile. It did seem like she hadn't spent a lot of time with her mom lately, a contrast to a few months ago when all she did was spend time with her. She missed it, too. She just wished her mom hadn't chosen the moment she desperately wanted to go to her room to choose to get sentimental.

"Sure," She replied, slipping her boots off and taking her coat off slowly and folding it onto a chair to ensure the envelope wouldn't make its appearance.

"How was the study group?" Vanessa asked, with a smile, as her daughter sat next to her on the couch.

"Fine," Lia responded, getting under the throw blanket.

"It sounds like you're getting a nice group of friends. Any chance I'll get to meet any of them soon?"

"Maybe," Lia shrugged, "I'm in high school though. People don't just introduce their friends to their parents,"

"Unless one of your parents happens to be a famous Broadway star?" Vanessa quipped with a knowing smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"You said that your friends wanted to meet Lin after your get together a few weeks ago,"

Lia had completely forgotten that she had told her mom that cover story, "Oh. Well, that was different. Lin isn't like a 'parent-parent'. He's..."

"Fun?" Vanessa added.

"Mom," Lia drew out the word, giving Vanessa a sheepish look, "I don't mean it like that,"

Vanessa shook her head, "No, no. It's fine!" She patted her leg in reassurance, "I love that Lin's in your life and you're getting along so well." She meant that. Sure, a part of her may have a twinge of jealousy that she was viewed in Lia's eyes as only the 'parent-parent', but she knew how much happiness Lin had added to both of their lives.