“It’s important for people to be the most happy they can be. And for them to keep on asking themselves what would make them the most happy.”

“But you’re happy here,” Cami said.

“But once you realize you’ll be happier somewhere else, sometimes you stop being as happy where you are.”

“But you have me.”

“You will always make me the happiest.”

“Then we don’t have to go.”

“Don’t you think I will be able to make you happier if I’m happier?”

Cami didn’t say anything.

Kaito said, “If there were ever something we could do to make you happier, we would do it.”

“I’m happier here.”

“But you don’t know yet what things might make you happy in a new place,” he said. “I hear there’s a crayon factory in the capital.”

“Crayons?”

“With all sorts of exhibits for kids.”

“Like what?”

“Stations where you can make your own crayon labels and stations for drawing.”

“On paper?” Cami asked.

“Yeah. My parents took me once,” Jana said.

“Did it make you happy?” Cami asked.

Jana nodded. “Super happy.”

“I will try it,” Cami said.

Izabel and Kaito both kissed her.

“Is it okay with you?” Izabel asked Jana.

“Yes,” Jana said. “I would like to leave, too.” Then Jana looked at Cami, and then back at Izabel and Kaito. “What about Elm?” she said.

Kaito and Izabel hadn’t talked about Elm yet, but Izabel knew what had to happen, and she was sure Kaito knew, too. She said, “We have to say goodbye to tree friend if we’re moving.”

“That’s true,” Kaito said. “We’ll be too far away to see tree friend anymore.”

“But I’ll be able to hear my tree friend,” Cami said.

“No, honey,” Izabel said.

“I can still hear tree friend when I can’t see them,” she said.

“No, I understand that,” Izabel said, “but we have to say goodbye.”

“No.”

“People don’t have tree friends.”

“They used to.”

“Maybe they did, but they couldn’t hear their tree friends in their heads.”

“You don’t like trees.”

“What?” Izabel said.

“You don’t like them!” Cami screamed.

If Cami were older she would have run into her room, away from Izabel. But at this age, she buried her head into Izabel’s chest and cried and wiped her nose on her shirt. It was Izabel who hurt her, but it was Izabel’s comforting that she wanted. And Izabel did comfort her. She held her and kissed her and told her everything would be okay.

    Chapter Thirty-Six

Lucy had Izabel’s family squeeze into a circle in her office. Once they were settled, Lucy found Elm quickly.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Cami said to Izabel, as Elm.

“Thank you,” Izabel said.

“He did not kill you.”

“No.”

“Does that mean he is not a bad man?”

“No, he is. He would have kept killing families.”