The Next Day
I'm reading on the couch when I hear Naomi's phone buzz from where she's on the floor with Lily.
She's been dangling a ribbon for the past twenty minutes while Lily attacks it with the kind of fierce determination that would be intimidating if she wasn't the size of my hand.
Naomi picks up her phone and her entire face lights up.
"Oh! Mom just texted about next week—"
She stops mid-sentence, completely focused on typing a response.
Lily, apparently offended by this sudden lack of attention, immediately tries to climb Naomi's arm.
"Lily, hold on—"
Lily meows loudly, pawing at the phone.
"Baby, I'm just texting—"
Another meow, more insistent this time.
Naomi tries to continue typing one-handed while Lily does her best to insert herself between Naomi and the phone.
"Lily, I love you, but you need to wait just one—"
Lily successfully bats the phone out of Naomi's hand.
It lands on the carpet with a soft thud.
"Lily!"
The kitten looks extremely pleased with herself, settling into Naomi's lap and purring loudly as if to say my attention now.
I can't help but laugh.
"She's very possessive of your attention," I observe.
"She's a tiny tyrant." But Naomi is smiling as she pets Lily, who has already forgiven her for the phone transgression. "I just need to text Mom back—"
"Who texted you?" I ask, curious despite myself.
"Mom. About our trip next week." Naomi looks up at me, and I can practically see the idea forming in her eyes. "Actually... Cecil, do you want to come with us?"
I blink. "What?"
"Come with us! It'll be fun. We're going to this really beautiful area in the celestial realm—there's gardens and temples and it's so peaceful. You'd love it."
"I don't want to intrude on your mother-daughter time—"
"You won't be intruding!" Naomi's expression is earnest. "I want you to come. And I know Mom would love to spend more time with you. She keeps asking about how you're doing."
"Naomi—"
"Please?" She gives me those puppy dog eyes that I'm becoming increasingly weak to. "It would mean a lot to me. And honestly, I think you'd really enjoy it. When was the last time you did something just for fun?"
I open my mouth to answer and realize I don't have one.
When was the last time I did something just for fun? Just for myself?
"I'd have to ask Keith and Dylan—"
"Ask us what?" Keith appears from the hallway, Dylan right behind him.
"If Cecil can come on a trip with me and Mom next week," Naomi explains. "Just for a day. To the celestial gardens."
Keith and Dylan exchange a look.
"You want to go?" Dylan asks me carefully.
"I don't know. I don't want to impose—"
"You're not imposing if we're inviting you," Naomi interrupts. "Right, Mom?"
She holds up her phone, which apparently has been on a video call this entire time.
Nalani's face fills the screen, smiling warmly. "Cecil! Of course you should come. I'd love to spend time with you. And Naomi's right—the gardens are beautiful this time of year."
"See?" Naomi says triumphantly.
I look at Keith and Dylan, trying to gauge their reaction.
"If you want to go, you should go," Keith says.
"We don't mind," Dylan adds. "It would be good for you. Spending time with friends, seeing new places."
"But—"
"No buts," Keith says firmly. "You're allowed to do things for yourself, beautiful. You don't need our permission."
"I know, I just—" I stop, not sure how to explain the instinct to check in, to make sure they're okay with me being gone.
"We'll be fine," Dylan says, like he can read my thoughts. "We'll survive one day without you."
"Plus, we'll have Lily," Keith adds. "She'll keep us company."
Lily, hearing her name, mews from Naomi's lap.
"See? Even Lily approves," Naomi says.
I look at all of them—Naomi's hopeful expression, Nalani's warm smile on the phone screen, Keith and Dylan's encouraging nods.
They want me to go.
They want me to have fun, to do something for myself.
The realization is both strange and wonderful.
"Okay," I say finally. "Okay, I'll come."
Naomi squeals and Lily startles, jumping off her lap in protest.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Naomi bounces slightly. "We can show you all the best spots, and there's this amazing tea house, and—"
"Naomi, breathe," Nalani says through the phone, laughing. "You're going to overwhelm him."
"Sorry, I'm just excited!"
"I can tell," I say, smiling despite myself.
We finalize the details—we'll leave early next week, spend the full day in the celestial realm, and be back by evening.
After Naomi hangs up with her mom, she immediately starts planning everything we'll do.
Keith and Dylan watch with amusement as she pulls up photos on her phone, showing me all the places she wants to visit.
"You're going to have your hands full," Dylan observes.
"I like her enthusiasm," I say.
"You say that now," Keith warns. "Wait until she's dragging you to the fifteenth garden of the day."
"I heard that!" Naomi calls out.
---
Four Days Later
I'm standing in front of the mirror, second-guessing my outfit choice for the third time.
It's just a casual day trip. To the celestial realm. To meet Nalani properly. No pressure.
"You look fine," Keith says from where he's lounging on my bed.
"You've been staring at that mirror for ten minutes," Dylan adds. "You look good, baby."
"What if I'm underdressed? Or overdressed? What do people even wear to celestial gardens?"
"Whatever they want," Keith says. "It's not formal. You're overthinking this."
"I'm not overthinking—"
"You absolutely are," Dylan interrupts gently. "Come here."
I turn away from the mirror and Dylan pulls me down to sit between him and Keith on the bed.
"You're nervous," Dylan observes.
"I'm not—"
"You are," Keith corrects. "And that's okay. But you don't need to be. Naomi invited you because she wants you there. Nalani invited you because she wants to spend time with you. This isn't a test or an evaluation."
"It's just a day trip with friends," Dylan adds.
Friends.
Right. That's what this is.
Just friends spending time together.
"Okay," I take a breath. "Okay, you're right."
"We're always right," Keith says, grinning.
Dylan throws a pillow at him.
There's a knock on the door and Naomi pokes her head in. "Ready?"
"Yeah." I stand, smoothing down my shirt one more time. "Ready."
Keith pulls me into a quick hug. "Have fun, beautiful."
"Text us if you need anything," Dylan adds, hugging me from the other side.
"I'll be fine. It's just one day."
"We know. We're still going to miss you."
The words make my chest warm.
"I'll miss you too."
Naomi makes a sound that might be "aww" and I shoot her a look.
"What? You're all being cute. I'm allowed to appreciate it."
"Come on," I say, heading for the door before I get too emotional. "Let's go before I change my mind."
---
The transition to the celestial realm is becoming familiar now—that pulling sensation, the warmth, the brief moment of disorientation before everything settles.
We materialize in the middle of a garden so beautiful it takes my breath away.
Flowers in every color imaginable. Trees with leaves that shimmer like they're made of light. A sky that's somehow both day and twilight at once, painted in shades of gold and purple.
"Wow," I breathe.
"Right?" Naomi grins. "This is just the entrance garden. Wait until you see the rest."
Nalani is waiting for us near a fountain—dressed casually in flowing clothes that somehow look both comfortable and divine.
"Naomi! Cecil!" She pulls Naomi into a hug first, then turns to me with that same warm smile. "I'm so glad you could come."
"Thank you for inviting me."
"Of course. I've been wanting to spend more time with you since we first met." She links her arm through Naomi's, then gestures for me to walk on Naomi's other side. "Come on, I'll show you around."
We spend the morning wandering through different gardens—each one more beautiful than the last.
There's a rose garden where every flower glows with its own internal light.
A pond filled with fish that shimmer like precious gems.
A grove of trees that start to shine slightly when the wind blows through their branches.
Nalani and Naomi point out their favorite spots, telling stories about the gods who tend each garden, the history behind certain plants.
I listen, taking it all in, feeling more relaxed with each passing hour.
This is nice.
Really nice.
Just existing in this beautiful place with people who want me here.
"Hungry?" Nalani asks around noon.
"Starving," Naomi admits.
"There's a tea house nearby. Best pastries in the entire celestial realm."
The tea house is small and cozy, tucked between two flowering trees. The owner—another goddess, apparently—greets Nalani warmly and shows us to a table by the window.
We order an absurd amount of food—pastries and sandwiches and about six different types of tea.
"So, Cecil," Nalani says once we're settled. "How have you been? Really?"
The question is gentle but genuine.
"Better," I say honestly. "A lot better than I was when we first met."
"That's good. I'm glad." She takes a sip of her tea. "And Keith and Dylan? They're treating you well?"
"Very well."
"Good. Because if they weren't, I'd have words with Aethera."
The protective tone in her voice surprises me.
"You barely know me," I point out.
"I know enough." Nalani's expression is warm. "You're important to my daughter. That makes you important to me. And from what I've seen, you're a good person who's been through a lot. You deserve to be treated well."
Something in my chest tightens.
"Thank you," I manage.
Naomi reaches over and squeezes my hand. "See? I told you Mom would love you."
"You're very easy to love, Cecil," Nalani says simply.
We spend lunch talking—about everything and nothing. Nalani asks about my classes, my interests, what I like to do for fun.
I realize, with some surprise, that I'm comfortable.
Actually, genuinely comfortable.
These aren't just Naomi's family that I'm being polite to. These are people who care about me. Who want to know me.
The afternoon passes in a blur of more gardens, more beautiful sights, more easy conversation.
Nalani shows us her favorite temple—a small structure covered in pink roses, dedicated to beauty and love and all the soft things that make life worth living.
"This is where I come when I need to remember why I do what I do," she explains. "When divine duties get overwhelming and I forget the simple joy of existing."
"It's beautiful," I say.
"It is." She smiles. "But the beauty isn't just in the building or the flowers. It's in the moments we create here. The connections we make. The love we choose to cultivate."
She looks at Naomi, then at me, and her expression is impossibly tender.
"Like this moment. Right now. The three of us here together. That's beauty too."
Naomi's eyes are bright with unshed tears. "Mom—"
"I mean it, sweetie." Nalani pulls her into a hug. "Thank you for inviting me to this. For making time. For—" Her voice catches. "For reminding me what matters most."
They hold each other for a long moment, and I look away to give them privacy.
But Nalani reaches out and pulls me into the hug too.
"You too, Cecil. Thank you for being here. For being part of this."
I'm surrounded by warmth and the scent of roses and genuine affection, and something in my chest that's been tight for so long finally, carefully, begins to loosen.
This is what family feels like, I realize.
Not just Keith and Dylan, though they're family too.
But this—being included, being wanted, being held without having to earn it.
"Thank you," I whisper. "For inviting me."
"Always," Nalani says. "You're welcome here anytime."
We pull apart eventually, all of us a little misty-eyed, and continue our exploration.
The rest of the afternoon passes too quickly.
We visit more gardens, take far too many photos, eat more pastries than is probably advisable.
Naomi and Nalani teach me the names of flowers I've never seen before.
Nalani tells stories about the other gods—some funny, some touching, all of them making the celestial realm feel more real, more accessible.
By the time the light starts to fade—that perfect golden hour that seems to last forever here—I'm exhausted in the best way.
"We should head back," Nalani says reluctantly. "Before it gets too late."
"Already?" Naomi protests.
"We can do this again. Anytime you want."
The promise hangs in the air, warm and certain.
We make our way back to the entrance garden, where Nalani pulls both of us into one more hug.
"Thank you for today," she says. "Both of you. This was exactly what I needed."
"Me too," Naomi says.
"Me three," I add, and they both laugh.
Nalani cups my face gently. "Take care of yourself, Cecil. And take care of my daughter too. She needs good friends like you."
"I will."
"And tell Keith and Dylan I said hello. And that they better continue treating you right, or they'll answer to me."
Despite everything, I laugh. "I'll tell them."
One more hug, one more wave, and then Naomi and I are transitioning back to the mortal realm.
We materialize in the apartment just as the sun is setting.
Keith and Dylan are both on the couch, and they look up immediately when we appear.
"How was it?" Keith asks.
"Amazing," I say, and I mean it. "Really amazing."
"Good." Dylan stands, moving toward me. "We missed you."
"I was only gone for a day."
"Still missed you."
Keith joins us, wrapping his arms around me from behind while Dylan hugs me from the front.
"Welcome home, beautiful."
Home.
Yeah.
That's exactly what this is.