After the ceremony, I navigated through the crowd toward them, my pulse racing with a confused mixture of hope and dread. My mother reached me first, pulling me into a perfume-scented embrace.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered fiercely. “So, so proud.”

Tyler gave me an awkward but sincere hug. “Nice job, sis. Berkeley looks good on you.”

James offered a stiff handshake. “Congratulations on your achievement.”

My father remained slightly apart, evaluating me as though I were a balance sheet with concerning numbers. “Natalie,” he said finally, extending his hand formally. “Congratulations.”

I shook it, feeling the familiar distance despite our physical proximity. “Thank you for coming. I thought you had an important meeting.”

“Plans change,” he replied cryptically.

Before the conversation could become more strained, Stephanie bounded over with her family, followed by Rachel, Marcus, and his parents. Introductions were made, with my friends’ families filling the awkward gaps with cheerful chatter about the ceremony and plans for celebration.

“We’ve made lunch reservations for everyone at Bayside Restaurant,” Marcus’s father announced. “Our treat. We’re celebrating all these amazing graduates.”

My father’s jaw tightened at being included in someone else’s plans, but my mother jumped in quickly. “How thoughtful. We’d be delighted.”

The restaurant gathering was an exercise in contrasting worlds.

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