Later that night, Michael sat in the small comfortable cafe he'd been going to for as long as he could remember. It'd been a rough day, but he was even more nervous about this dinner. He took a gulp of water and looked across the table at Mimsy, who sipped her soup from a spoon. Her turquoise jewelry stood out against her white knitted sweater.
"Michael, it seems like these dinners have been getting further and further apart. It's because of that, Bissett girl. She's got good bones, but her head's hollow." Mimsy nodded in agreement with her own statement.
"It's not because of her, things have just been busy lately, I'm working directly for Mr. Bissett now."
"You can call him Victor. You're a grown adult." Mimsy snickered, "I know training with Victor probably sounds neat, but he learned in school. Your parents learned in school, and they were smarter than him. If they were here, they'd want you in school."
"They didn't really leave us any opportunities. Ender saw one, and he left without thinking twice. This is my opportunity." Michael's tone was a bit more biting than he meant.
"You don't know whether his opportunity played out for the better or not, do you?" Mimsy raised her eyebrows.
Michael hadn't spoken to his brother since he had left for the east coast four years earlier.
"Your greatest opportunity is going back to school. You were a smart kid. You're still smart. I think you need some time away from the Bissett's to find out what you want." Mimsy took another sip of her soup.
Michael looked away. Mimsy was always right. Even when his parents were alive, Mimsy was the one the boys would go to if they needed advice.
"Mimsy—" Michael took a deep breath, as Mimsy's eyebrows furrowed, knowing by his tone he was about to upset her, "—Me and Kat are engaged."
Mimsy spit out her soup, grabbed a napkin, and quickly dabbed at the mess. "Michael, look at me." Michael looked at the table. "Look at me." Michael's eyes slowly raised to meet Mimsy's. "If you love this girl, I will support you. This is not an opportunity, this is a commitment." Michael nodded. "Even if she is the type of girl that attends maternity yoga because regular yoga classes make her sweat too much...I will support you." Mimsy cracked a smile, causing Michael to smile himself.
"Thank you." He replied.
"My last bit of advice is this; take some time away from that family. Get to know yourself. Some time to think this through. If you still love her after your time away, I'll support this."
"I'll do my best." He let out a chuckle.
"I noticed Kat didn't come with you to share the news." Mimsy joked, "I'm glad I still intimidate her."
Michael was grateful for Mimsy. She was the last thing tying him to his old life, the life where his parents were alive, and his brother still around. The dinners weren't spread out because he was busy, or because of his engagement, or even because of the Bissetts, Michael spread out the dinners because seeing Mimsy made him miss the past too much.
The Bissetts were a nice family, but deep down, Michael knew there was something peculiar with them. Victor was too nice, too supportive and too ambitious. He always had an agenda, but Michael felt he was different because he simply didn’t have anything that could benefit the man.