Chapter 2 The Departure

Liliana woke up before the sun.

Truthfully, she hadn't slept. Not really. Her mind had danced between excitement and anxiety all night long, twisting through fears, hopes, and the promise of the stars.

Her body felt tired, but her soul was buzzing. This was the day. The day everything will change.

She rushed into the bathroom, washed up quickly, and dressed in her travel outfit, simple but neat, her heart racing beneath every layer. When she stepped into the hallway, heading for breakfast, she didn't expect to see her father standing right in front of the dinning room door

He looked like a man holding a thousand unsaid words in his chest.

"Dad?" she said, startled. He didn't usually wake this early looking worried.

He looked at her, his eyes soft, sad, and a little wet. "Lian… do you really have to go, is this truly what you wanted?"

She swallowed hard.

He hadn't called her Lian since she was a little girl, back when she still drew rockets on the backs of her school books.

She had once drawn one, colored it carefully, and excitedly given it to him as a birthday gift.

Instead of smiling, he was furious.

"Lian," he said sternly, "astrology is for boys, not girls. You shouldn't be an astronaut. You should be a nurse, a teacher like your mother… or a lawyer like me. I won't let you study astrology, it's dangerous."

Those words cut deeper than missing out on ice cream.

But instead of letting the dream die…

She clung to it harder.

"Not again, Dad, she said, gently but firmly. "This is what I've wanted since I was a child. And I finally got the chance."

He nodded slowly, gaze dropping to the floor, then back up to her.

"Promise me you'll come back at the given time," he said. "I've always wanted you to go for anything that makes you happy, but.. I didn't know you loved the stars more than Earth." His voice broke into a soft, tearful smile. "Be a good girl out there. Make me proud. As always."

Liliana's eyes filled with tears. "Dad… you're going to make me cry."

She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, warm, strong, and full of emotions neither of them had spoken out loud until now.

"Hehehe… look what emotional movie I'm watching right now," Daniel said dramatically as he walked in, grinning.

"Unserious human," Jasper muttered, trying to kick him in the leg.

Jeremy followed behind them, shaking his head, and it turned out the whole family had been watching.

Liliana turned to her mother. Her eyes were already glassy, brimming with tears.

"Mom…" she whispered, moving into her arms.

Her mother hugged her tightly, trembling. "Always know that I love and support you," she said in between soft sobs, patting her daughter's back. Even when I'm scared."

Jayden joined the hug. Then Jasper. Then Jeremy. And finally their father, wrapping all of them in one big, heartfelt embrace.

No one said a word as they sat down for breakfast. Just glances. Smiles. Small nods of understanding.

Love doesn't always need sound.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and Mike stepped in, dressed sharp and grinning.

"Morning," he said, too casually. "I'm here to pick up Lian. I'll drop her off since we're going to the same place."

Liliana stood. But before she could speak, Jayden shot up like a spring. "No way.

We're dropping her off."

Mike raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, "Relax, Jayden. It was just a sweet offer to my wife to be."

"Wife to who? Who gave you permission? Jayden shot back at him.

Mike shot him a glare.

"I'll go with my brothers," Liliana said calmly. "They will drop me off."

"You heard her," Jayden added smugly.

"Alright, guys. That's enough," Jeremy said, stepping between them. It's almost time . Let's get going."

They helped Liliana carry her luggage out to the car. Her mother and father stood at the doorway, holding each other, eyes watery, waving as the car reversed out.

Liliana waved back until the house shrank in the rearview mirror.

"That's enough," Jayden teased from the driver's seat. "You'll break your neck if you keep twisting around like that."

Liliana smiled through the sting in her chest.

Back at the house, Liliana's mother broke into quiet sobs the moment the car was out of sight, and her husband gently pulled her into his arms.

Meanwhile, the security guy working there broke down, his favorite person in the house has left.

The trip to the space station was lighter.

The car was filled with laughter, teasing, and music, a little pocket of love in motion. Liliana was with her three heroes, and that made everything feel okay…. for a while.

Mike, meanwhile, followed behind them in his black car, brooding the entire drive.

About an hour later, they arrived at the space station, sleek, buzzing with energy, lined with sleek transports and cameras, and humming with the voices of technicians and passengers alike.

As Liliana stepped out of the car, her eyes searched the crowd, and then she saw him.

Andrea.

He spotted her the same moment. He smiled, that quiet, knowing smile that always made her knees weak, and she didn't hesitate. She ran straight into his arms, leaving her brothers stunned. She hugged him tight, her heart pounding not from nerves but from joy.

"What just happened, who's that grey-haired guy?" Jason asked.

"That's not grey". Jasper responded.

"Whatever" classic Jayden said and walked straight to them.

"Wait, he doesn't look Nigerian.

"Andrea meet my triplets brothers"

Brothers in Christ meet my ummm boyfriend, he's from Spain and also, he will be going on the mission too. she said, smiling like a teenager.

"Oh, so he speaks Spanish. Holla, como estas? Jayden was the first to talk and extended his hand for a handshake.

" I like your brother already, he's funny and relatable" Andrea smiled.

The other two, Jasper and Jeremy greeted and exchanged pleasantries.

"We will be heading home now, take care of yourself Lian, Look after her Andrea she's in your care now". Jeremy said. They kissed each other goodbye and left

Mike slammed his car door harder than necessary and walked over, fuming.

"Hey. Who's this?" He demanded.

Liliana pulled away slightly, still holding Andrea's hand. "Mike, this is Andrea, my boyfriend".

"Andrea, this is Mike, my childhood friend".

Mike blinked. Boyfriend? Since when?"

Just then, the loudspeaker crackled to life:

"Final boarding call. Spaceship Polaris 91 will depart in thirty minutes. All passengers are required to take their seats in the next twenty minutes".

Andrea gave Liliana's hand a gentle squeeze. She nodded.

"Let's go," she said, picking up her bags.

They walked toward the spaceship together. Leaving Mike behind, standing still, watching furious.