I didn’t want any of my animals to get sick.

But I wondered if I could get one of the goats to pretend to be sick so I could see him again.

Or maybe Sundance. I could give Sundance some of my underwear again and we could go and see Marco . . . I glanced down at Sundance. He stuck his head up, then cocked it to the left as in, “What are you thinking?”

I petted his head. “If you feel even the slightest bit sick, let me know, okay?”

He wobbled his head.

* * *

“I’m going to write to her,” I told Jules when she came up to visit again from Seattle to prepare the final details for her wedding. “She’s my biological mother. I want to talk to her. I want to talk to my dad. And my sister and aunt.”

Jules nodded and swung an arm around me as we sat on the bench in the gazebo, the sun setting, deer in the field. “I think you should.”

“I’m not talking about it with Mom and the aunts.”

“Yep. Let that one be.”

I felt hot tears flood my eyes because of my continual sanity problems. “I think I need some pie when we go back.”

“Let me slice it,” Jules said. “It’s the apple pie, right? Let’s eat popcorn, too, extra butter.”

“Might as well have ice cream with it, too.”

“Mix the flavors.”

“It’s healthy,” I sniffed. My mind was swirling. I had a new mother, father, aunt, and sister. Marco was gone. My mother had lied, and so had my aunts and father. I needed healthy food to cope. “Popcorn is made out of corn, which is a vegetable. Apple pie has apples in it. Ice cream is in the milk group.” My voice pitched up with emotions. “Might as well watch a romance movie while we eat.”

“Agreed. Stop crying, you’re going to make me cry, Evie.”

“I love you, Jules.”

She sniffed.

“Don’t cry, Jules.”

“I can’t help it. There has been a lot of stuff going on here! A lotta stuff!” Her mouth trembled.

“I know, I know!”

“And I’m getting married to Mack!”

We both burst into tears, hugging each other close.

“Mack is so patient and understanding. He knew I needed another woo-woo last night and I didn’t even need to ask for it!”

She snuffled.

I laughed through my tears.

“Why are you laughing, Evie?”

She was genuinely perplexed. “Because sometimes people laugh and cry at the same time and that’s what I want to do.”

“Okay!” She laughed. “I’ll do it, too!”

* * *

What do you say to a woman who gave birth to you?

A woman who clearly wanted you in her life, who fought to have you in her life, in court.