Then she waves and she’s gone.

I fall back against the couch, trying to put it all together in my head.

“Shit,” Paul says. “She paid for Matt’s treatment.”

“What?” I’m still dumbfounded.

“She went back home for you,” he explains. He still has Matt on the phone and he’s talking to both of us at the same time.

She did it all for me. “She did it for me,” I say out loud.

“You lucky f**ker,” Paul says, punching me in the arm.

“She’ll be back for the spring session at Julliard.” Warm happiness settles around me like a blanket fresh out of the dryer.

Paul nods. “Matt will be home by then.”

We all hope Matt would be home by then. Matt has a chance to come home and it’s all because of Emily. I jump up and Paul pulls me into a hug.

“She’ll be back?” I ask. I can’t wrap my head around it all. “She’s not gone for good.”

“She just told the whole f**king world how much she loves you, you jackass.” Paul punches me in the shoulder again.

She’s coming back. To Julliard. To me.

***THE END***