Lea went home alone this time. Clemence had other plans for the break, and Lea understood.
At Rosélac, the Vance house was noisier than ever. Julien was graduating, and he was leaving soon after—flying off to begin his master’s abroad. This break wasn’t just any holiday. It was a farewell.
Not that anyone seemed sad. If anything, the house rang with more laughter than usual. Julien was the loudest, dragging everyone into his whirlwind. He had lists—things to buy, things to pack, things to do before he left. Their parents kept shaking their heads, half exasperated, half amused, but followed him anyway.
There were shopping trips every other day, family dinners every night, relatives dropping by to wish him luck. Lea slipped easily into the rhythm of it, proud of her brother, even if she c
