Ingrid laughed as she sat. “Careful what you offer up. We might be calling you more than you’d like.”

“Gross, Mom,” Daniel muttered as he scooped berries onto his waffle.

She ruffled his hair. “You’re taking a few girls of your own out these days.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to hear about you and Dad going out.”

Ingrid rolled her eyes heavenward. “You should hear him when we kiss.”

Daniel made a gagging noise, and the rest of the table dissolved into laughter.

The remainder of breakfast went by in a blur of Ingrid and Daniel sharing funny stories about their family. Zoe was quiet as if she didn’t entirely trust this place to be as good as it seemed, but I knew she’d ease in here over time.

Ingrid rose from the table. “Zoe, let’s go get your backpack and make sure you have everything you need for school. Daniel, will you clear the table?”

“We’ll help,” Kenna immediately offered.

“Thank you.” Ingrid led Zoe back towards her new room.

Kenna and I began gathering cups and plates while Daniel took the platter to the counter. He turned back and paused to take us in. “They’re good parents.” I stilled, Kenna going motionless beside me. “I overheard them talking last night. They said that Zoe was in a bad foster home.”

Daniel’s cheeks reddened. “I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, but I wanted to know what happened to her. My parents are good people. I was in five different fosters before I came here. A lot of them were really shitty. And I was a jerk when I got here, but Mom and Dad…they never gave up on me, no matter what I did. And then, after a year, they asked how I’d feel about joining their family forever.”

Kenna’s hand slipped into mine, squeezing the life out of it. Daniel swallowed, his eyes shining with the threat of tears. “It was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

I cleared my throat. “Thank you for telling us. We’ll be able to rest easy knowing that Zoe’s in such good hands.”

Daniel gave a chin jerk that belonged to someone much older than his fourteen years. “And I’ll look out for her.”

Kenna released my hand and moved to the sink with her pile of dishes. “She’ll be lucky to have you.”

We finished cleaning up and said goodbye to Zoe, making plans to see her in a few days. Ingrid and Kenna exchanged phone numbers and, to my surprise, hugs. Then we were off.

I glanced over at Kenna as we waited in a line of cars to get back onto the ferry. “Do you feel better?”

Kenna startled as if she’d been in another world. “What?”

“Do you feel better about where Zoe is?”