Vanessa was struggling to keep her composure, though she wasn't sure why. Her only audience was her husband and oldest daughter. They'd seen her lose it plenty of times. She pulled the car door shut loudly and slumped down in her chair, rubbing at her temple.

Lin started the ignition and gently rubbed his wife's thigh in support. It had been hard for all of them to hear Stella wailing as they left the twins at Lin's parents' for the weekend. She and Seb adored their grandparents but any time her parents were out of sight was difficult. Vanessa could still hear her daughter's cries in her head.

"She'll be fine," Lin assured her quietly. Vanessa just sighed loudly. It had been some consolation that her twin brother had taken her hand and tried to calm her. They had each other and they had Abuela and Abuelo. But it still hurt.

Lin turned and put the car in reverse, knowing his wife's emotions. It was better to get away from the situation and change the subject when she was this emotional. Lia caught his eye, giving him a concerned look. He gave her a quick wink to reassure her.

They drove in silence for a while until Lin finally reached for the radio and found some hip hop.

In the backseat, Lia had her Chromebook open and was using her phone as a hotspot. Luckily it was regular practice for her teachers to post class materials and assignments on Schoology, so she was getting a head start on the day's work. It was a three and a half hour trip, so if she paced herself she could get through most of it. She wanted to enjoy the weekend with just her and her parents. Since the twins had arrived she rarely had time with both at the same time.

Soon, Lia had zoned out. She got into the groove of her work with her earbuds in and knocked out the first draft of an essay and calculus problem set. Before she knew it, they were coasting into Cambridge.

Lia closed her laptop and watched the buildings appear outside her window. Cambridge was so different from New York. It would be a nice change of pace to be in a completely new town where no one would know her. A fresh start.

After stopping for a quick lunch, they arrived at the admissions office for MIT. Lia had seen college campuses before, but there was something about MIT that seemed very scholarly and important. She looked around, knowing she could fit in here. Everyone worked their asses off to get in and wanted to be here.

Vanessa checked the family in at the front desk and they all took a seat in the waiting room. Lin and Lia both pulled out their phones. It wasn't five minutes before someone recognized him and asked for a picture.

Lin happily obliged but hoped he wouldn't be getting requests all day. He was wearing a coat and flat hat to hide himself as much as he could.

Several families arrived over the next fifteen minutes and Lin could feel eyes on him every once in a while. In New York, most people didn't care when they saw him unless he was in the Broadway area. Get out of the city and he was a mega celebrity.

The tour guide introduced herself as a junior chemistry major from New Jersey and welcomed everyone to join her outside. As they gathered Lia could hear whispers around her and could make out words...Hamilton?...Lin-Manuel Miranda? She sighed and crossed her arms.

"Before we start, do we have any alumni in the group?"

Vanessa raised her hand and gave a small smile. "Class of 2004, chemical engineering."

"Wonderful! Welcome back!"

She began the tour and started talking about the history of the school and about the buildings around them.

As the tour progressed, Lia could feel herself getting more and more annoyed.  Some of the other people on the tour were wanting pictures and some of the passing students had also noticed her dad.  Of course she was proud of him and understood why people wanted to meet him, but this was supposed to be her day.  Their day.

The tour finally ended and Lia felt grateful.  She had hoped she'd feel a sense of excitement after having toured her top choice school, but all she wanted to do was get out of there and hide in their hotel room.  As people began to disperse, the tour guide approached them.

"Mr. Miranda, I'm so glad you could come!" She gushed.

"Oh, please call me Lin," he told her.  "It's a beautiful campus and I know Vanessa loved her time here."

The tour guide looked at Lia and smiled.  "You'll be a shoe-in!  Your mom's an alumnus and your dad's a Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright?"  She looked back at her parents.  "Have you thought of making a donation to the university?  That usually helps bring attention to a kid's application."

Lia had heard enough.  "Excuse me," she said shortly, and stormed between her parents before hurrying towards where their rental car was parked.  That's really all that mattered?  Four years of grueling, intense work at Hunter and it could all come down to the fact that her mother was an alumnus and her dad was famous?  It was bullshit.  She had fought and worked her ass off to get into MIT.  She wanted to get in on her own merit, not because of who her parents were.  And a donation?  It made her sick to her stomach.  What about all the kids from struggling families who couldn't afford to drop a million dollars to a university?  She couldn't take another minute.

Tears were in her eyes as she found the car and hid herself on the other side of it.  She could no longer hold it in.  Lia crouched down, buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

Moments later, she heard footsteps and some quiet footsteps.  Her mother's boots.

"Lia?" She asked gently.

"What?" She grumbled from the other side of the car.  Vanessa made her way to the other side of the SUV and crouched down with her daughter.  She wasn't sure how things had gone downhill so badly that she was in tears.

"What happened, sweetheart?" She asked.  "You didn't like it?"

"Oh I liked it fine," she almost growled.  "It's phenomenal!  The thing I can't stand is that no one was interested in me or why I might want to go here.  All anyone cares about is who my dad is and the fact you're an alumnus."

Vanessa could see why people asking for pictures with Lin would be bothersome.  It was something she'd had to put up with for the last three years, but she was an adult and could handle it.  Lia was a very private kid, though, and Vanessa knew it bothered her.  She wasn't sure why it bothered her that she was an alumnus.

"Your dad may have been a bit too obliging," she admitted.  "Once one person asks and gets a picture, everyone figures they can too.  But why does it bother you that I'm an alumnus?  I thought you were proud of that?"

"I am," she wiped under her eyes with her sleeve.  "But did you hear the tour guide?  She thinks I'll get in because of you and dad.  I want to get in by myself."

Vanessa let her eyes wander away, looking out at the buildings around them.  Lia had always been an outstanding student and took great pride in her work.  She wanted colleges to want her for her accomplishments.

"And I think you can," she told Lia.  "But college admissions are complicated.  They do take into consideration if a parent is a graduate, but I don't think your dad would have anything to do with it."

"She said he could make a donation!" Lia reminded her mother.

"Well, if you get in, maybe," she admitted.  "But he's not going to bribe them.  You know it's impossible for your dad to do anything like that.  He has too much of a moral compass."

Lia shook her head a little, knowing it was true.  "Where is he?"

"Taking a few more pictures," she admitted, pulling out her phone.  She sent her husband a quick text to get over here quickly.

"And what if I do get in and I can't do the work?" Lia posed, fresh tears spilling out.  "They'll all be like, 'Wow, she's Lin-Manuel Miranda's daughter?  Isn't he a Pulitzer Prize winner?  How did he produce such a dumb child?'" She used a mocking voice.

Vanessa rubbed at her daughter's back.  "You're right.  He could never produce a dumb child.  You and Seb and Stella are all very intelligent, but more importantly you're good, caring people.  Unfortunately, you've had to live your teenage years in the spotlight more than any regular kid, and you've handled it magnificently.  Whatever college you decide to attend, I know you'll succeed at it because it's in your DNA.  You're a Miranda and a Nadal.  You come from two families of severe overachievers."

Lia grinned a little, knowing it was true.  She never let herself fail.  It was against her nature.  She wasn't one to sit around and be lazy.  If MIT didn't realize that without her parents' pedigree, then they didn't deserve her.  Lia knew she needed to put her nose to the grindstone even more now than ever.

Her mother patted her back and they both stood up just as Lin was jogging towards the car.  "Everything okay?" He asked, his eyes darting between two of the most important women in his life.

Vanessa gave him a look and then rolled her eyes a bit.  "She just needed a reminder of how awesome she is," Vanessa told him as she walked towards the passenger door.

Lin clicked open the car.  "Oh," he scoffed like it was a given.  "Of course.  On a scale from one to ten, YOU are an eleven."

Lia rolled her eyes and chuckled and Lin gave her a wink.  They all climbed into the SUV to tour around the city that Lia might very well call home next year.

Lia was finding out there were perks to having a mom who was an alumnus. Vanessa knew all the hidden gems to go to. They ended the night in a hole in the wall Italian restaurant. They all agreed as much as they missed the twins, it was a breath of fresh air to enjoy a meal without having to worry about catering to the picky eaters or fits being thrown.

Vanessa couldn't help her emotions when she hung up from facetime with the twins once they got back to their hotel. Their little faces covered the screen, sometimes very zoomed in since they hadn't quite mastered the art of camera angles. She was elated that there was nothing but good reports from their grandparents and what sounded like a fun day at the zoo. Stella and Sebastian had a blast going over all of the animal sounds.

"You think we should facetime them one more time?" Vanessa turned her head towards Lia who looked to be in total bliss as she enjoyed the assortment of cannolis she had taken to go.

Lia shook her head from the other bed, swallowing the bite before she responded, "Abuela said they were headed to bed. I wouldn't wish a woken up Stella on anyone,"

Vanessa smirked, sitting up on the luxurious hotel bed, clutching her phone in her hand"I know, but Seb gets nightmares and Stella freaks out if she doesn't have Pinky," Lia chuckled as her mom referred to the pink bear Stella had become attached to since she was a newborn. There had been many times the family had to go back home from wherever they were to retrieve the priceless stuffed animal.

"Mom, we tripled checked that Pinky was in the diaper bag and this isn't the first time they've slept over," Lia tried to reassure her mom, taking out another cannoli from the box, losing count of how many she had already ate, "They're good,"

"I know," Vanessa repeated with a small smile. Her phone's wallpaper, a picture of the five of them in London stared back at her. She clicked her phone off and set it to charge on her night stand, "Just you wait, I'll be ten times worse when you're away at college in the fall,"

Lia shook her head, chuckling, "Trust me, I know. Besides, Abuelo and Abuela raised dad and he turned out somewhat o- hey!" Lia exclaimed as the cannoli she was getting ready to enjoy was swiped from her fingers. She looked up to find the grinning smirk of her dad, who had been on a work call for the past hour in the other room, taking a bite out of the pastry before he returned it to her as Vanessa laughed at their usual antics.

Lin told whomever he was on the phone to hold on as he quickly leaned in and gave Vanessa a kiss across the bed, "The twins are fine. Stop worrying," He returned to the phone call, licking the powder sugar off of his fingertips as he went onto the terrace to finish up his conversation. Vanessa could only smile,, not even questioning how he could know what she had been feeling just by the look on her face.

"I take back what I said that he turned out okay," Lia said in a bitter tone as she begrudgingly ate the rest of the cannoli, which only made Vanessa laugh again.

"You two are one in the same," She said as she searched for the remote under the covers to flip on the television. It would be nice to watch something above a PG rating. "So, one tour down, however many more to go. Any other schools in particular you want to check out?"

Lia shrugged her shoulders as she folded up the box of pastries, deciding she had reached her limit, and put them on the side table, "Probably NYU, Wesleyan, and maybe Fordham."

"Where are some of your friends wanting to apply to?"

"The Ivys, which just seem too uppity to me, or schools in the South and the West Coast and I don't want to go that far," Lia explained.

Vanessa grinned, glad Lia didn't have the full-on desire to leave home, "Ayden hasn't said anything to you about applying to Columbia?"

Lia shook her head as she sat back onto the bed, "We talked about it a bit, but I also don't want to be the girl who just follows her boyfriend,"

She was raising a hell of a woman, "So, he doesn't care that you'll probably be leaving New York?"

"Mom, you and dad kept your relationship when he was in Connecticut and you were here," Lia gave her mom a narrowed look.

"Yeah," Vanessa said hesitantly, lightly laughing to herself as she thought back to her and Lin in their twenties, "But I also don't think we're the prime example of a college long distance relationship. I'm not saying you two will run into the same issues or that it can't work, because it absolutely can. I just thought he would be more of a factor, that's all."

Lia laid on the bed, resting her head up onto her hand, "I think you just haven't liked Ayden since last year,"

"That's not true!"

Lia rolled her eyes, "You were 'Team Ayden' since we first started dating, until he decided to take a gap year, and now since we've been back you've been questioning everything about my relationship,"

"I have no issue with Ayden taking a gap year. I think they can be extremely beneficial and there is no rush to decide your life at 18" Vanessa pressed the mute button on the television to minimize the background noise of random infomercials, "I did have an issue with his parents just throwing him money for the year while he waited to find himself through sleeping in and playing video games," She admitted candidly.

"So, you mean if I decided to take a gap year, you and dad wouldn't support me?" Lia asked incredulously, her arms folded across her chest.

"Support you? 100%. Have you freeload for the year? Not a chance,"

"So, his parents should have just changed the locks and just said 'fend for yourself!'.

Vanessa gave her Lia a look at the disgruntled face she was making, knowing how dramatic she could be.

"I didn't say that. And we might just have different parenting styles. But yeah, if you decided to take a gap year, or even don't get a job straight out of college, that's completely fine. But I'd expect you to do something: a job, internship, volunteering in the community." Vanessa replied, "Even ask you dad. When he wasn't teaching anymore and decided to work on Heights full time, he still had random jobs to make ends meet."

"You think Ayden is some privileged kid with rich parents who just expects everyone to go along with whatever he wants?"

"I didn't say that. He's attending Columbia, an Ivy League, and has, most importantly, always treated you with respect and kindness," Vanessa wasn't going to point out that maybe the thoughts could be on Lia's mind if she was bringing it up, "I just think the two of you have different personalities. Regardless of what you think right now, you couldn't spend, even a week, just lying around doing nothing." Vanessa continued, "You were crying earlier at the mere thought of getting into college based on anything other than yourself. Your work ethic surpasses any other person I have ever met, minus your dad, which is yet another way you two are so damn alike."

Lia's face softened a bit, as she pulled at a random loose thread on the comforter. Her voice grew softer, "You think Ayden and I are too different to last?"

"No," She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to remember exactly how they got on this specific topic, but simultaneously grateful her seventeen year old still opened up to her, "I think you're young and it's your first relationship. But I also think many high school relationships last forever and you get to grow up together. Only you can make that call,"

Lia pursed her lips, not quite sure how she felt. She loved Ayden, but something had felt a bit off between them since she came back, something her mom didn't even know. But of course they were. He was in college and she was in high school; it made sense that their priorities would start to differ.

Vanessa tilted her head onto her shoulder watching her daughter lost in thought, "Want to keep talking about it?"

Lia shook her head. She knew her emotions had been all over the place throughout the day, and she could feel herself on the verge of tears. She didn't want this trip to become about Ayden or becoming an emotional basket case. She knew the thoughts wouldn't just magically disappear, but she could deal with them back in New York.

"If you change your mind or want to talk about anything, I'm always here,"

"Thanks, mom, " Lia offered a genuine smile, which Vanessa reciprocated.

She went to pick up the remote, but her husband's voice from outside led to a thought that she knew would bring Lia's mood up, "I actually have some pretty exciting news,"

Lia quirked an eyebrow up, not sure what her mom was talking about.

Vanessa moved to the side of the bed to be closer towards Lia, hoping Lin wouldn't hear them from the patio, "Dad's getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,"

Lia's jaw dropped a bit and her eyes widened, "No way?!"

Vanessa nodded her head as her smile took over her face, "He found out about a week or so ago. He's freaking out about it, even moreso than his usual self,"

"This is unbelievably cool!" Lia couldn't stop smiling as she brought her hands up to the mouth, still in a bit of shock. Although she could resent her dad's fame at times, she really was proud of him and all that he had accomplished. It was moments like these that she also realized how accomplished he really was, "When is the star unveiling ceremony?"

"End of November. We planned on telling you tonight, actually, but I wanted to bring it up to you first. He really wants for all of us to be there. The whole family is going, and we wanted to make somewhat of a trip out of it," Vanessa reasoned, "It's the week after Thanksgiving, so you'll be back in school already, but we would meet him in California so you'd only need to take two days off."

Lia realized why her mom was talking to her without her dad. Everyone knew how she was about missing school, and it would be right around finals season. But this was for her dad. And she knew if he wanted to bring her and the twins into the 'Hollywood arena', it meant a lot to him. Of course she wanted to support him. "Of course I'm going to be there," She said sincerely, "It's for dad,"

Vanessa pushed a stray curl that had fallen out of her ponytail and pushed it behind Lia's ear. She had a pretty great kid, "I'm really glad to hear that. And remember to act completely surprised when he tells you!"

"Alright, alright," Lia responded, nodding her head enthusiastically. Her laughter began as her mom quickly returned to her position of laying on the bed when the patio door started to slide open.

"What's so funny?" Lin asked, shutting the door behind him as he saw the sight of his daughter hysterically laughing and his wife looking oddly frazzled.

"Nothing, nothing," Lia said through her laughter, coughing to try to regain her composure, "It was something on tv,"

Lin looked at the television set then back at his daughter, "It's muted,"

"It's a new type of silent movie,"

Lin laughed at the absurdity of the statement, but he had learned throughout his journey of fatherhood that sometimes it was better to just not question the things that his kids would come up with. He fell back onto the bed next to his wife.

"How'd the call go?" Vanessa asked.

"Good," Lin answered as he kicked off the shoes Lia had long ago deemed as his 'dad sandals', and let his body sink into the bed, "Filming is gonna wrap up soon for Fosse/Verdon and everything is still on schedule for it to premiere in the Spring,"

"That's great, babe," His wife grinned. She was married to a man of many talents.

"Thought anymore about what you want to do tomorrow, Lia?"

Lia shrugged her shoulders at her father's question, "We aren't the family to gear up and go to Fenway Park," Athletics weren't exactly one of the fortes of the Miranda/Nadal family, "There are a few museums that look pretty cool. Ooh, and a ghost tour where you ride this trolley through Boston!"

Lin and Vanessa shared a look with each other before Lin leaned up on the bed, "You? A ghost tour?" He asked with a dubious tone. This was coming from the same girl who couldn't even get through 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' because she had deemed it too creepy.

"It seemed like something fun and different!" Lia exclaimed.

"Yeah, for people who can get through it without peeing themselves," Lia rolled her eyes at her parents' antics as the two of them laughed at her expense. Lin tried to cover up his laughter by stuffing his face into Vanessa' shoulder, but it was useless.

"Fine, we'll leave all of the planning up to the two comedians," Lia retorted as the laughter started to die down.

"The museums sound lovely, sweetheart," Vanessa remarked, nudging Lin with her arm to back her up.

"Mmhmm," Lin nodded, stroking his goatee, "Very scholarly. And we have our very own Massachusetts native among us,"

Vanessa shook her head at her husband, "I'm not a native! But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve for tomorrow,"

"Even better," Lin said, "Vanessa gone wild!" Lin kissed his wife's cheek as the two laughed at his jovial tone as he leaned his chin onto her shoulder. "Lia, get this! What do you think Sean Combs, Alan Menken, and I have in common?"

Lia knew where her dad was moving the conversation towards, but of course couldn't let him know that. She dramatically tapped her finger against her chin, as if she had the slightest clue, "Hmmm. One of the greatest rappers of all time; one of the greatest composers of all time; and you...I'm blank,"

Vanessa stifled a laugh as she could feel the joy radiating off of Lin, "We will all have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame by the end of November," 

Even though she already knew the news, unbeknownst to Lin, the huge smile on her face and squeal wouldn't have let on any different, "Dad, that's incredible! That's so sick!"

Vanessa couldn't help but tear up as her eyes glazed over to her husband, who also had a misty look in his eyes. Her favorite thing about her life was watchin Lin with their kids, and he and Lia shared such a deep bond. "Thanks mija." Lin sniffed, trying to keep himself from getting choked up. He didn't expect himself to get emotional at telling her the news, but he also wasn't surprised, "Really that means a lot. You think you might want to come to the ceremony?" He broached the topic hesitantly, "You'd have to miss a few days,"

"I wouldn't miss it, dad," Lia's cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so hard, but she didn't care. She could tell, even moreso, how much it meant to him. And he deserved it.

The family's conversation shifted back to planning their itinerary over the next few days, and finding a movie to end the night with. Laughter consumed the room again as Vanessa and Lia quickly vetoed Lin's suggestion at visiting a Hamilton statue in Boston. They were grateful for the short getaway, cognizant of the fact it was more than likely one of the first 'lasts' on the list that would only get longer as time inched closer to Lia graduating.