Mr. and Mrs. Foster's room looked more like an apartment than a hotel room. It was on Homewood's third story and included a fully-furnished living room, kitchen, and one bedroom with a queen-sized bed.
The brown curtains had been pulled back, and Milo saw the impending storm through the window. He felt like he was lost in a hurricane on the Atlantic Ocean, where Davy Jones himself would drown him. Maybe he would see Luna there. His little Luna. Could he see her at least once to ensure whoever adopted her wasn't Davy Jones undercover? Knowing she was in a good home would lift some of the strain from Milo's heart. That or Feya never told Maisie what happened that horrid last Friday.
Everyone piled into the living room. Maisie and Feya rested on the leather couch across from the two chairs each couple claimed. The women sat while the men hovered behind them.
Maisie let the truth slide. "I'm sorry, Mom and Dad! I tried, but Luna was already gone when we arrived this morning."
Another round of bullets struck Milo's heart. How had he not keeled over yet?
"We know." Mrs. Foster's tone remained sweet, as usual. "Feya texted her parents, and they told us. We're sorry, girls."
"She was perfect, and I failed." Maisie hid her face in her palms.
"At least you tried. That's all that matters," Mrs. Foster added, patting Mr. Foster's hand. "We're proud of you, Maisie. You may have failed, but finding the courage to leave your comfort zone to look for a cat was an accomplishment on its own. This whole Disney College Program has been a huge step for you and Feya."
Maisie sniffed.
Mrs. Fedora jumped in. "And because of that, we each have a gift for y'all."
"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Feya said, snuggling close to Maisie, "but Maisie and I finding each is the only gift we need."
"Just... hear us out," Mrs. Fedora almost begged, nodding at Mr. Fedora.
He pulled something up on his phone.
Mrs. Fedora gripped her thighs and smiled at Maisie and Feya. "See, there's a convention coming to Coronado Springs next month. Out and Equal: Summit 2023. It honors the LGBTQ Community. Mr. Fedora made reservations for you girls on the day of your pool party, Feya. We thought it would help you understand you're not alone."
Milo felt Maisie's anxiety lifting and tried his best to mimic her.
Mrs. Foster stood and put her hands together. "We talked to your Managers when the hospital discharged Feya, and they agreed to give you the convention days off. It's a Kappa gift for you, Maisie, and a gift for helping our little girl find love again for you, Feya."
"Mom, Dad," the girls said simultaneously, rubbing their eyes. "Why? You didn't have to do this."
Milo saw tears brimming in Mrs. Fedora's eyes. "No, we did. You two have been through so much in the past few years."
"I'm sending the reservations to your guys' phones right now." Mr. Fedora tapped his phone twice. A whoosh sound was heard, followed by a ding from Maisie and Feya's phones.
Mr. Foster slipped away from the crowd and headed for the closed bedroom door. He opened it slightly and squeezed inside, shutting it.
Maisie and Feya checked their phones. Milo saw sadness and happiness in their faces.
"You didn't have to," Maisie repeated.
"Oh, just accept our gift," Mrs. Foster giggled. "You girls will have a wonderful time. Coronado is beautiful. There's a wedding pavilion, and it's around a lake like Magic Kingdom."
"Thank you." Maisie started to stand. "Thank you so much."
Mrs. Foster wiggled a finger. "Na-hah. No hugs yet. We still have one more gift. This one is for all four of you: Maisie, Feya, Daisy, and Milo."
Hearing his name, Milo perked up a little. What did he do to deserve a gift? He was merely Maisie's Emotional Support Animal. If anyone, Daisy deserved a gift. Or Isla since she called EMS after Feya's accident.
Maisie and Feya set Milo and Daisy on their laps. A slither of last-minute sunshine before the storm wafted through the window and scanned the carpeted floor.
Mrs. Foster called to Mr. Foster in the bedroom. "All right, dear, they're ready."
The tension lasted for thirty more seconds until, eventually, the door opened, and Mr. Foster's back appeared. "Sorry—she was hiding under the bed."
"She"? Milo's heart pounded. Wait a minute! No!
Mr. Foster turned around.
The tiny, black and white blob moved in his arms.
Luna's bright, blue eyes landed on Milo. "Mrow!" she squeaked, escaping from Mr. Foster's grasp. She landed on all fours and chased her little tail.
"Luna!" Maisie and Feya shouted, bursting into tears. They cried like children on Christmas Day, who finally got the gift they always wanted after asking for three years, and slid off the couch.
"But how?" Maisie choked out.
"We got her first thing this morning," Mrs. Foster explained. "Beat you guys by thirty minutes."
"We didn't mean to hurt you, Milo and Maisie." A subtle, guilty look flashed across Mr. Foster's face. "We just wanted it to be a surprise. I hope you can forgive us." He glanced at Milo. "Here's your little sibling, Milo."
Mrs. Fedora embraced Mr. Fedora. "Thank you for saving our little girl, boy."
Maisie put a still-stunned Milo on the floor. She, her parents, Feya's, and Daisy observed the greeting.
Milo's feet became tangled, and he nearly rolled into Luna.
"Mrow," she mewed. The kitten plopped down in between Milo's front paws.
Milo licked Luna's fluffy fur and purred into her chest. How did the worst day turn into the best one?
It appeared like Daisy was curious, too. Milo saw her approaching and let her slide in beside him.
"Ca-Can we hug you now?" Maisie asked her parents.
They playfully rolled their eyes. "I guess so."
Within seconds, Maisie was on her feet and threw herself into Mr. and Mrs. Foster's clutches.
Since Feya couldn't stand, her parents came within her reach and shared a hug, too.
"I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad." Maisie almost suffocated them.
Mrs. Foster pecked her head. "We love you, too. It looks like it will rain, so you can stay here for a while and play with Luna."
"May I invite Isla?" Maisie said. "She doesn't go in until 3:30."
"Of course." Mrs. Foster grasped Maisie's shoulders and turned her toward Milo, Luna, and Daisy. "This is your guys' day. Your dad and I need to finish packing."
Milo continued to coddle Luna.
While it was true he had made some awful mistakes in the past few weeks, his, Feya's, and Maisie's wishes remained strong. Now, there they were. Milo finally had his sibling, and Maisie and Feya were on the road to the convention, where they would heal together.
Milo had heard it too many times but never realized how true Feya's words were until then. It was now his turn to say them.
"Sometimes moving on just takes a little bit of courage."
167Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjXtJLTtAz
End of Act Three: The Silver Age!
Current Word Count: 34,600
ns 15.158.61.51da2
