I got up and hugged her. “What, honey?”

“I do need help with the girls!” she said.

I laughed and wiped her tears, swamped with guilt. Mina would never have left me. I couldn’t leave Julie, even if it meant sacrificing a piece of my happiness. “Well, you don’t have to, sweetie. You will all just stay right here. With me.”

She shook her head. “Nope. You’re marrying Elliott. It’s right; it’s time.”

I sighed as Charlotte came down the stairs. I felt so deflated, but I thought of Mina again, of what she had sacrificed to take care of me. “I don’t have to, honey. Family first. You can stay here. I promise.”

“Really?” Charlotte asked as she made her way to the coffeepot, jumping into the conversation like she’d been here the whole time.

“She’s just saying that,” Julie said, “because she doesn’t want me to feel guilty about not moving in with my mom.”

Charlotte nodded.

Grace poured more batter on the griddle, and it sizzled. “Alice, you’re marrying Elliott. Because I was up all night crunching numbers and doing a little thinking, and, Julie, well… I have a proposition for you. For you and Alice, really. About how we can stay right here.”

“Wait a minute,” Charlotte said. “I thought you were beside yourself about getting back with Troy?”

She shrugged. “Some good friends of mine made me realize that my self-worth is not tied up in Troy. I’m back on my feet, I’m stronger than ever, I can take care of myself and my kids, and I don’t want him. You all made me see that I didn’t want him, really, but I thought I needed him.” She paused. “And if it’s time for us to go, we will. We can.” She paused again. “But honestly, life is just more fun when we live it together.”

“So what are you proposing?” I asked.

Grace turned off the burner and wiped her hands. “Alice, I would like to buy the mommune.” She looked at Julie. “Jules, I want you and the girls to stay here and help me turn it back into a bed-and-breakfast. I’ll do the cooking, obviously. And you would be in charge of all the managerial things. Booking, social media, etcetera.”

Julie’s jaw dropped. “No. Really?”

Grace looked at me. “Alice?”

I could feel myself tearing up, and I jumped up off my stool to hug her. “Yes! Absolutely, one hundred times yes!”

“It just goes so smoothly when we’re here together, Jules,” Grace said.

“And there’s always a best friend to talk to or a kid to make you laugh,” I added, maybe a little sadly.

“And some weeks, you aren’t even doing laundry,” Charlotte added, winking at me.

“This way, we keep some of that, but we also move forward. You know?” Grace said.

“Totally,” I said. “I love it.”