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Astrid lets me watch her choose the answer. “We can do the legal part soon.”

“Soon like this week?”

“Yes.”

Tova absorbs that.

“You were going to get married without me?”

Astrid doesn’t answer immediately.

“We were going to let you choose.”

“That’s different.”

“Yes.”

Tova looks down at the green thumbnail, and the bag strap is still over her shoulder, and nobody in this room has anything to put after that.

“What happens there?” she says.

“Government building. Paperwork. Somebody legally qualified makes sure we mean it.”

“Romantic.”

“Very.”

She leans back. “If I come, do I have to wear a dress?”

“No,” Astrid says.

“Can I wear sneakers?”

“Yes.”

“Can I miss school?”

Astrid gives her the full mother look. “That cannot be the deciding factor.”

“It’s not.”

“What is?”

Tova shrugs. “I want to see if you actually do it.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. Astrid gives her another look.

Tova holds up both hands. “What? You haven’t even been on a date.”

I lose the fight with my face.

Astrid looks at me. “This is your fault.”

“I wasn’t here for the first twelve years.”

Tova points at me. “You’re here now.”

I nod. “Yeah.”