Four hours later, the silver minivan pulled up to the departures curb at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The midday sun reflected off the concrete, making the terminal windows look like sheets of white ice.
My brother Evan, who was twenty-six and still lived in our parents’ basement, hopped out of the front passenger seat. He ran his hand through his shaggy brown hair, looking everywhere except at me.
My father opened the tailgate and lifted my black suitcase onto the sidewalk with an unusually bright smile.
“All set, Claire-bear,” he said.
My mother, Linda, stepped out of the back seat, her gold charm bracelet clinking as she reached out to pull me into a tight, scented hug. She whispered into my neck, her breath warm.
“I’m so glad we’re doing this,” she said.
She pulled back, her fingers constantly adjusting the small gold heart that hung from her wrist. Her eyes were wide and watery, but she kept her lips pressed into a small, fragile smile.
My sister Chloe stood near the back door of the van, biting her lower lip and looking down at her sneakers. She was twenty-two, but in her oversized sweatshirt she looked like a teenager who had been dragged out of bed.
“Claire, did you look at the tuition portal yet?” Chloe asked, her voice rising into a thin whine. “The registrar said my account is still pending.”
“I’ll look at the tuition portal when we get to the hotel in Carmel, Chloe,” I said. “We have until Friday at five.”
“I just don’t want to get locked out of my clinical clinicals,” she said, looking back at her phone.
Evan leaned against the side of the van, his eyes scanning the terminal entrance.
“We should get moving,” Evan said. “The parking garage is going to be packed.”
My father nodded, his hand resting on the handle of my suitcase.
