We all piled into the van—including a sleeping Dammit and two very elated ferrets. Luis volunteered to drive so Mom could talk without having to pay attention to the road. I made my way to the back of the van, Declan trailing behind. Zoey and Sid naturally followed Declan, both of them looking ready to collapse.

The rest of the van was noisy—everyone telling my mom their part of the story, but back where we were sitting was quiet, like it had its own little bubble. It didn’t take long before Sid flopped over in the seat, her head in Zoey’s lap, dead asleep. Zoey was stroking her hair, a soft smile on her face.

Zoey glanced up, catching me watching her. “I didn’t have a chance to thank you.” Her words were pitched low to not wake Sid. “I’m not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.”

“I’m just going to imagine that you would have managed fine without us.” I didn’t want to think about it otherwise—how close I’d come to losing Declan.

“I still want to thank you,” Zoey said, yawning. “Not just for tonight.” She brushed another hand through Sid’s hair. “I was worried when Declan left for Seattle. He was so hurt.” Her fingers hit a tangle, and she began to carefully undo it. “And we hurt, because we knew that we’d caused it, even if we didn’t mean to. But now?” Her grin was soft and a little sad. “We’ll miss him in Portland, but it won’t be as painful. He has all of you. He’s not alone.”

I reached out, touching her knee. “You and Sidney aren’t alone either, you know. And you haven’t lost him.” I shrugged. “You gained us. Which you may or may not regret in time.”

She laughed quietly as she finally pulled the knot apart, tucking that lock back in with the rest of Sid’s hair.

“You’re always welcome to visit,” I offered, and I meant it. Zoey and Sid were vital to Declan, and I wanted to do everything I could to keep that branch intact. They weren’t his in the way that me and my roommates were, but they were his nonetheless, and that was important. “And we’ll come down there, but you’re right. He’s family now. We’re like one of those mafia families—once you’re in, there’s no getting out.”

I’d spoken the last part loudly enough, and during a lull in the chatter, that Luis heard me. “Should I be worried?” He glanced back at me using the rear-view mirror.

“Yes,” I said, “but on the upside, we’ll always feed you, and my mom is worth it.”

He nodded. “Can’t argue with you there.”

Once we were home, Mama Ami and my mom checked us over one last time to make sure everyone was fine—and reminded me to take my medicine that the akesoite had prescribed—they finally went home to their own beds and the rest of us were left to sort ourselves out. Showers were embraced. Declan tried to take over the kitchen, but Juliet quite firmly made him grab a seat at the table while she heated up food that Bay’s cousins had brought over from the food truck. It was like our battle with Angus and Eva had been catered.