The LED bathroom light cast a harsh glow as I studied the slightly red eyes in the reflection. I splashed more cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. Talking with Jess about Dean had stirred up the guilt, the pain, the longing. It stung, but there was something healing in it too. Jess’s warmth beside me, looking at Dean’s picture, had made me feel closer to them both. For so long I’d kept Dean sacred, untouchable. Sharing him, reliving those moments, felt right. Someone else would know Dean now, remember him. Dean deserved to be remembered.

I dried my face and stepped back into the hallway. Tonight wasn’t about me; it was Ace’s last night before heading back to Haverford. The smell of dinner pulled me forward; mushroom, sage, something rich and warm.

Bastien and Ace sat side-by-side, Jess across from them, waving me toward the empty seat next to her. Bastien had Ace’s hand in his, thumb brushing the back of it absently. It struck me how easy they were together.

“Guess I didn’t need to come off standby? Smells amazing,” I said as Bastien poured me a glass of iced water. “Thanks.”

Bastien replied with a playful wink.

Jess rested her hand lightly on my back. “You ready to eat?”

“For sure. Thanks for waiting.”

Ace set a piece of saltimbocca on each plate while Bastien spooned risotto onto the side, the two displaying a quiet, well-practiced rhythm between them. I reached for the vegetables, scooping a share for everyone.

“Alright, let me know what you think. I haven’t made this in a while,” Ace said.

“You were always the best cook out of us, but Bastien’s catching up,” Jess responded, slicing her chicken so each bite had a bit of sage and ham.

I cut a piece for myself. The flavor was as good as the smell. “Jess is right, this is awesome.”

“I’ll show you how to make it next time,” Ace said. “I tried with Jess, but she’s hopeless. You look like you can learn.”

Jess grinned. “I’m fine with all you men cooking for me, makes me feel like a princess.”

“You’re our princess,” Bastien said through a mouthful, earning a small laugh from all of us.

The conversation flowed easily, looping between shared jokes and small stories. Every so often, Jess’s eyes flicked towards me, the same way she had earlier when I was quiet, checking to make sure I was still present in the moment.

After we finished, I offered to clean so the others could have their last moments together, but Ace shook his head. “A chef doesn’t let someone else clean up his mess.”

Once the table was cleared and the trash taken out, Bastien went to shower before the airport run. Jess retreated to her room, leaving me and Ace in the kitchen.

“I wash, you dry?” Ace asked as I stacked the plates in the sink.

“Sure, but then I’m barely helping.”

“Of course you are. You’re keeping me company. I start, you finish. It’s a process.”

“That makes sense.” I searched for something else to say. I wasn’t used to just… keeping someone company. “So… how’s Haverford?”

Ace gave a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “It’s school. I like the campus, the professors, the classes. But I miss Bastien and Jess. I’ll miss you now that I know you.” He handed over a fork.

I hadn’t expected that. “I’ll miss you too. When will you be back?”

“Next month, for the holidays. You won’t forget me by then, right?” Ace passed me two plates.

“That won’t be a problem,” I said, drying them carefully. “If anything, my problem’s not being able to forget.”

Ace handed me another plate, still warm from the rinse. “Some things shouldn’t be forgotten. Where you came from. It's part of why you’re you. And I like who you are.”

The warmth of the plate seeped into my hands, but the words sank deeper. No one had ever said it quite like that. Jess’s glances at dinner, Bastien’s easy wink, Ace’s honesty, it all landed here.

“Same,” I said quietly, meaning it more than I expected.

The clink of a fork against porcelain broke the moment. Ace handed it over. “Take care of them while I’m gone. You matter to them. I can see why Bastien cares about you so much.”

“I will. They take care of me too.” I took a deep breath. “Can I get your number? We could keep in touch until you’re back.”

Ace blinked, then smiled. “Of course. Give me your phone.”

I unlocked it and handed it over. Ace added his info, opened the messages app, and said, “Text me.”

Not sure what to write, I typed Hi and sent it. Ace’s phone beeped on the table. “Good.”

Bastien appeared from the hallway, jeans on, towel drying his hair. “Be ready in five?”

“Yes, we’ll be done,” Ace said, smiling at Bastien before he headed to finish changing.

He shut off the faucet and handed me the last pot. “Here you go.”

I dried it slowly, looking over the living room: my corner, the makeshift studio, the couch where we all gathered. I felt the hackysack in my pocket. Some things shouldn’t be forgotten.

Another goodbye was coming. This one, at least, was temporary.