I met her eyes and held them. “Anyone who’ll stick around now that you have a tiny baby to care for instead of going out and partying every Friday night? Anyone who won’t think listening to you talk about diaper rash and sleep schedules is tedious and boring?” She frowned at me, her jaw tense. “Look, I understand this is an unorthodox proposition, but think of it from Huey’s point of view. Instead of one parent, he’ll have four. You won’t have to do it all yourself. You won’t have to do every single night feeding. When he’s sick—and he will get sick—there’ll be other people to lean on instead of having to do it all yourself. Being a single parent is hard. It's twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year.”

I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. “You’re a good person. I can tell because you took Huey in, even when it had to be painful for you. I know that you’ll want what's best for him—we have the money, and the time, to give him that. You’ll still be able to live your own life as well, instead of paying for the mistakes of your father for the rest of your life.” She winced at that, and Rigby shot me a look that said gentle. “We’ll put in safeguards for your protection. Get the lawyers to draw up agreements to hold us to our word. Move out to Michigan temporarily, for three months, and see how you feel. If it’s too much, we’ll figure something else out. But think about giving us, and Huey, this opportunity,” I said softly.

After a moment, she nodded, and I lifted my chin at the guys.

River slipped her a piece of paper with his number on it. “Rigby and I have to go back to Ann Arbor for preseason training, but Devan is here for a couple more days to pack up Alana’s place. He can answer any questions for you, and we’ll honor any of his promises. If you could maybe message me updates on Huey when you can? I’d like that. Alana used to…” He trailed off, and it was only because I knew him that I could hear the raw pain in his voice.

We’d loved Alana. She was a year younger than us, and when we’d met in a co-ed group home, all uncontrollable teens, we’d bonded. I think, perhaps back then, Alana had a crush on River, but he’d never seen her as more than a little sister to protect. Just as I had.

And we’d failed her.

Nova took the number and punched it into her phone. She snapped a picture of Huey and sent it across immediately.