Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Five: The Scientist
Stella won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
The call came on a Tuesday morning in October. Lina was in the kitchen, making breakfast, when her phone buzzed with Stella's name on the screen.
"Grandma," Stella said, her voice shaking. "I won."
Lina sat down at the table.
"Won what, sweetheart?"
"The Nobel Prize. In Physics. For my work on quantum entanglement."
Lina's eyes filled with tears.
"Congratulations," she said. "I'm so proud of you."
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The family celebrated.
The penthouse was filled with people—Victoria and Victor and Katherine, David and his half-siblings, Lily and Jake and Grace and Samuel, Leo and Maya and Daniel and Eleanor, Clara and Michael and Melody, Emily and Hope, friends and neighbors and the particular chaos of a family that had something to celebrate.
Stella showed everyone the medal. It was gold and heavy and engraved with her name.
"It's beautiful," Lina said.
Stella hugged her. "Thank you, Grandma."
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The ceremony was held in Stockholm.
Lina sat in the front row, Ethan beside her. Victoria and Victor and Katherine sat behind them. The family filled the hall.
Stella walked across the stage, received her medal, and gave her speech.
She talked about curiosity. About discovery. About the beauty of the universe.
She talked about her grandmother.
"My grandmother taught me to look at the stars," she said. "She taught me to ask questions. She taught me to never give up."
Lina cried.
Ethan held her hand.
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The family celebrated after the ceremony.
The restaurant was filled with people—scientists and dignitaries and the particular chaos of a family that had something to celebrate.
Stella sat at the head of the table, her medal around her neck, her smile bright.
"I did it," she said.
Lina hugged her.
"You did it," she said.
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That night, Lina sat on the couch with Ethan.
The penthouse was quiet. The twins were grown. The grandchildren were grown. The great-grandchildren were growing. The great-great-grandchildren were growing. The great-great-great-grandchildren were dreaming.
"How do you feel?" Ethan asked.
"Full," Lina said. "Not from the food. From... everything. From watching her. From seeing her shine."
Ethan put his arm around her. "She gets it from you."
"Get what?"
"The shining. The curiosity. The ability to ask questions."
Lina leaned into him. "She gets it from you too."
"Maybe. Or maybe she gets it from herself. Maybe she's just who she's supposed to be."
Lina thought about that.
She thought about Grace, the astronaut. Stella, the scientist. Clara, the dancer. Samuel, the doctor. Eleanor, the dreamer. Aurora, the stargazer. Melody, the musician. All of them perfect, just as they were.
"I can't wait to see who they become," Lina said.
Ethan kissed her forehead.
"Neither can I," he said.
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End of Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Five