When Gaby Rourke got back to Kentucky, she thought she was returning to the usual grind—early morning practices, late-night workouts, and quick phone calls home to check in with her family back in Florida. But nothing could’ve prepared her for the text she got the day after landing.

“Come outside. Like… right now.”

She blinked at the message from her younger brother and thought it was a joke. But then came the second one:

“I’m serious. You’re not gonna believe this.”

Still in her oversized hoodie and slides, Gaby stepped out of her dorm and froze. Right there, parked across the street from the university entrance, was her family’s car. Her dad was waving like he was on vacation, and her mom was already opening the trunk.

“NO. NO. YOU DIDN’T,” Gaby shouted, her jaw dropping.

“Oh, we did,” her mom grinned, stepping out. “Surprise! We moved!”

“RIGHT NEXT TO CAMPUS?” Gaby yelled, both shocked and already laughing.

“Yup,” her brother said, hopping out of the backseat. “So now, instead of FaceTiming us, you can just walk home after class.”

Her dad nodded. “We got a cozy house two blocks away. Big enough for all of us. Your mom wants to decorate it Greek-style.”

Gaby groaned dramatically. “I’m in college. I’m supposed to be independent.”

“You still are,” her mom smirked. “We’ll just be… supporting your independence up close.”