We headed to Newcrest and got a table at Belomesia Steakhouse—a place so familiar you would swear you’d been there a dozen times, even if you hadn’t. For me, it was once. Night Out on the Town with Dad. He ordered a fancy glass of nectar, and I got a steak the size of the Strangerville crater. That was also the night he chose to talk to me about “boundaries between me and my female friends.” To borrow one of Desi’s favorite words, it was so cringe. He wasn’t clear, and I thought he was accusing me of something until he finally explained. By then, I wanted to crawl under the table and disappear. Now, sitting across from my wife and daughter years later, that memory made me laugh. Life had come full circle—different generation, same awkward conversations on the horizon.
Sophia’s phone buzzed, immediately putting me on alert. Knowing now she didn’t really talk to anyone outside our family, there was only one person it could be: Alessia.
“Everything alright?” I asked.
She smiled, amused. “Yeah. It’s just a picture.”
She turned the screen toward me: Logan and the triplets making silly faces, all squished together in the frame.
I couldn’t help but grin. “They look like a little secret society of chaos.”
“Your secret society,” she teased.
Fair point. I still couldn’t believe how gracefully everyone had handled Logan and the entire … situation. The Watcher had really given us the right Sims for our village.
The server came over with a warm smile. “Good to see you again! Been a while.”
I blinked. There’s no way he remembered me from that far back. Maybe he’d seen us at the rehearsal dinner out on the patio years ago.
“Wow, you’ve got the best memory,” I said.
He laughed, took our orders, and left us to it.
The restaurant buzzed with lively conversations, the faint clatter of dishes, and soft tunes from El Selvadorada. The air smelled like roasted garlic and grilled meat—comforting in the best way. I took a moment to just watch Desi. She looked so grown up, gazing around the dining room like she was lost in thought. It didn’t take a scientist to figure out what was on her mind.
“So, Des,” I said, “your principal mentioned university and careers. You thinking about either of those?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to go to university before, but Josh and a bunch of other kids are going.”
Not exactly the answer I’d hoped for. Desi was brilliant, strong, capable, and limitless. I didn’t want her to become one of those girls who shaped her dreams around whatever some boy—or anyone else—was doing. But I had to be careful; if I pushed too hard, she’d dig in her heels.
“I think you should focus on what you want, not what everyone else is doing,” I said gently.
Sophia chimed in right on cue. “Your father’s right. I know it sounds fun to go where your friends go, but university’s serious. Maybe take a prep course to see if it’s for you. Try before you buy, you know?”
I smiled. Sophia always had a gentle way of driving home points I danced around.
“What would you study if you went?” I asked.
“I dunno.”
“Well, you’ve got some time,” I said. “You should think about what you really want.”
Desi leaned back, sighing. “I know one thing I want to do: take a break. I need a minute to just … breathe.”
“You’ve definitely earned that,” I said. “Take as long as you need.”
“Just don’t let it turn into a vacation that never ends,” Sophia added with a smirk, “like your daddy.”
Desi blinked. “Wait, what?”
“Excuse me,” I said, straightening up, “I’ll have you know that was a strategic recalibration.”
Sophia snorted. “That’s what Sims call it when they nap through their young adult days.”
“Hey! Those were good naps.”
Desi giggled so hard she had to grab her napkin. “You two are the weirdest parents ever.”
“Thank you!” I said, proudly. “We work hard at it.”
The laughter faded into a cozy silence. I looked at my daughter—my almost-grown daughter—and thought about how scared I’d been before my own birthday, and how Mama had calmed me by promising she had my back no matter what. That’s what I needed to give Desi now.
“We don’t want to pressure you, okay?” I said. “You don’t have to have it all figured out tomorrow. And as your mom so eloquently pointed out, I am a prime example of how long it can take to sort things out. It’s a lot, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Whatever you choose—school, career, building a mansion in Del Sol Valley—we’ve got you.”
Sophia reached over, touching Desi’s hand. “And you can stay home as long as you want.”
“Yes,” I added, “bonus points if you choose that one.”
Desi rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”
“Correct.”
The food came, and for a while, we just ate, quiet but content. The clatter of dishes and the smoky scent of grilled meat were enough distraction for the moment. I watched my girls laugh over something I didn’t catch. Some things you have to let go of—control, direction, even the need to be included. Sometimes, you just sit back, breathe, and watch the people you love find their own rhythm.
