Jazz held her breath as Nathan unwrapped his birthday gift the following November. She’d saved her pennies for months—her dimes and nickels, too.

Working at the literacy center in Brooklyn one day per week didn’t earn her a big paycheck, but adding in some savings from her car fund gave her enough to buy something special for her Nate. She hadn’t fully figured out her dream, so she wanted to do everything in her power to support his.

The shocked expression on his face as he lifted the Nikon from its box was worth so much more.

“No way!” he shouted, holding his new camera reverently in both hands. “This must have cost you a fortune!”

“Don’t worry about how much it cost. Do you like it?” In addition to saving her pennies, she’d devoted countless hours to browsing Craigslist, Hoobly, eBay, and their college bulletin board listings. In the end, she’d gotten a great deal and made her boyfriend happy, which counted as a total win in her book.

“I love it, and I love you! This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Thank you so much, Jazzy J!”

She blushed and ducked her head, mumbling, “You’re welcome.”

The refurbished camera fit in Nathan’s hands as if it had always been there. “Hold still. My first picture needs to be of you.”

“Right now?”

“Of course, right now.” Click.

Jazz laughed as Nathan took one shot after another rapid fire, even posing for him as she thought a fashion model might.

“This is so great,” he said, at last setting down his new prized possession. His wide smile remained. “I’m going to get you an old-fashioned hipster typewriter to match my new camera.”

“Nate…”

“Don’t argue. You deserve it. We deserve it. It’s like we’re already halfway around the world, like we could just walk out the door and into Belize or Cape Town or Luxembourg.”

“Nate, wait.” She hadn’t wanted to have this conversation today, but it was looking less and less like she’d be able to avoid it.

His face fell, as if he somehow knew what she planned to say. “What is it, Jazz?”

“Don’t get me the typewriter.”

“Why not?”

She took a deep breath. Just say the words. “I’m quitting the school paper.”

“What? What about our dreams together?”

She’d expected his surprise and his disappointment. She knew he’d question her commitment to their dreams, but willed him to understand that the most important part of those dreams was that they’d live them out together, side by side. That was what mattered, not what they did to support themselves during their travels.

She reached for Nathan’s hands to bring him close again. “They can still happen. They will still happen. Nathan, you’re amazing at taking photos. It’s your passion, your love, just like you always wanted, but writing isn’t that for me. I’m still searching for what I want to do.”

“But you’re so good at it, Jazz. Are you sure?”

She nodded. She’d been sure for a while, but Nathan painted such a beautiful picture of their lives together that she’d tried to convince herself that writing could make her happy. She liked arranging words to create powerful emotional reactions, and she liked the research that went into her reporting, too. But something important was missing, something she was determined to find.

“Sometimes everything can be perfect on paper, but still not make sense in the real world. Writing is one of those things for me.”

“So what will you do?”

He seemed to be taking this well, better than she’d hoped, but she needed to be brave as she told him the next part of her fledgling plan. She took a breath. And another. “Actually, I’m thinking about declaring my major in business.”

Nathan’s brows pinched as if he were trying to work out an unsolvable equation. Finally, he said, “Business? Like my dad?”

She’d been preparing herself for this, but seeing her boyfriend react so poorly to her decision cut deep. When she’d first considered business, it had surprised her, too. But after many meetings with her academic counselor and a few weeks volunteering for the financial aid office between classes, she’d become more committed in her desire to declare a major—this major.

“No, not like your dad at all.” She kept her tone steady. “I want to help people, Nate. To make their lives better. A business degree will open doors, the doors we need opened to change the world together. Who knows? Maybe I can be your talent manager when you become the most sought after photographer who’s ever lived.”

He dragged his hand across his mouth. “But all my dad ever does is work. It’s like I don’t have a dad at all. You know that. How could you choose to follow his path?”

So many past hurts flashed in his eyes, a reel of the many times his father had chosen work over his family. Jazz would never do that, and she needed to make him understand.

“That’s not what I’ll be doing.” She tried to reassure him. “I don’t care about signing bonuses or Fortune 500 rankings or any of that stuff. I want to work at a nonprofit. Maybe I’ll do some writing there, but with the express purpose of raising awareness about important social issues and helping to fund charities, and—”

“And making people’s lives better.”

“Exactly.” She breathed a giant sigh of relief. Why had she ever doubted Nathan? Of course, he would want what’s best for her. Of course, he would support her on her path to find happiness and meaning.

A small smile formed at the corners of his mouth. The tension in his jaw softened. “Are you sure?”

“I’m… getting there. I’ve been doing some volunteer work this term…”

“At the literacy center, you mean?” Nathan picked up his camera again, looking from it to her. Their normal easiness had returned, thank goodness.

“Actually, at the financial aid office. I’ve seen how much money can change lives. I’ve read applications for DREAM scholarships. These students are the first in their families to go to college, and it’s inspiring how they’re overcoming obstacles to pursue a better future. I want to help them and others like them.”

He pulled her in close and attempted to take a selfie with his new camera as he kissed her on the cheek. Jazz hoped the photo would turn out well, because she wanted a copy. This hadn’t been planned, but she had no doubt would be one of the moments they looked back on after ten, twenty, fifty years together.

Nathan set the camera down again and wrapped her in his arms. She laid her head against his chest as he said, “You’re too good for me, Jazz Michaels. You do know that, right?”