“Here, I’ll take Juliet and you sit,” Alexis said, indicating the small patio out back. “We can eat breakfast and catch up on your glamorous life.”

I peeked at my jet-lagged appearance in the reflection of the toaster. “I don’t know about the glamour part. But I can tell you all about the fun part.”

Dad hauled my pack against the wall and brushed his hands together. “Is this all you got? No suitcases coming, right?”

We all trooped out to the patio. I sank back into a chair, tipped my head up toward the sun, and let out a huge, I’ve been traveling for twelve hours straight sigh of relief. “That’s literally all that I’ve got. I still have that little storage unit in LA with some of my furniture and gear. But I only need my camera, my microphone, and my laptop.” I nodded at the bulging pack. “And a whole lot of dirty laundry.”

I was twenty-seven and knew from various social media accounts that my friends were pursuing the exact opposite path from the one I was wandering along—moving in with romantic partners, getting married, putting down roots in a million different ways.

At some point I’d have to get my shit together and stop living out of a backpack. Except just thinking about white picket fences and two-car garages tied my stomach into knots I wasn’t sure how to unravel.

My sister plopped a giant plate of French toast, oozing with syrup, directly in front of me. “I don’t deserve you,” I said and immediately shoved a giant bite into my mouth. “Oh my God, this is amazing.”

“Well, it’s your dad’s recipe,” Eric said, sitting down with his own plate. “I’ve just subtly perfected it over time.”

My dad grinned. “You’ll be comin’ by the diner while you’re home, right, Tab?”

“Long as you’re cooking up chicken cheesesteaks,” I said, taking another giant bite.

Alexis nudged me from under the table. “What’s the deal? Are you only home for the weekend, or what? I thought after California you were supposed to be spending a few months in Key West.”

Juliet handed me a piece of her breakfast.

“Why thank you,” I said. To my sister, I waggled my eyebrows with every bit of dramatic flair I possessed. “How would you feel about me being back home for two whole weeks?

Dad and Kathleen shared a secretive smile. Alexis caught it.

“Wait, what?” She poked my dad in the arm. “You knew all about this, didn’t you?”