Her mother was shaking her head. “I’ll never get to see you,” she said. She began clearing the dinner table aggressively, even though no one had finished their food. “We’ll never be together the way we have been,” she added when she reentered the dining room. “Nothing will be the same.”

“Nope, it won’t be. But that doesn’t have to be bad.”

Nell continued clearing the table, silent tears streaming down her face.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry you’re upset. I wish—”

Her mother waved her away and swept into the kitchen, closing the pantry door behind her. It was where she went to cry because she thought no one could hear her in there.

“Addie?”

Greta’s twin was staring at her, the betrayal clear on her face.

“I’ll miss you so much,” she said. And before Greta could reply, she quietly went upstairs. Greta’s heart broke a little bit more.

“Dad?”

She was hoping that he might give her his blessing. That he might understand. Her father just said, “You’ll need to give her some time.” Then he followed her mom to the pantry.

***

The last time she’d left her parents’ house three weeks before, she had been defeated and furious. Now, she was sad. Sad that her parents hadn’t heard her the way she wanted. Sad that she hadn’t left with their blessing. Sad that Adelaide wasn’t on her side. But sad wasn’t the same as defeated. For as heartbroken as she was, she knew she’d done what she had to do to be true to herself. And that? That felt really damn good.

Thinking hard about what had just happened, she arrived on her own front stoop before she knew it.

“I’m home, babies!” Greta announced to her plants as the door closed behind her. Then she saw unfamiliar boots and remembered that she didn’t live here right now. “Oh, shit, shit!”

She debated backing out the door and closing it behind her. She could go to Ash’s and crash on his couch. Hell, maybe Truman wasn’t even in and hadn’t heard her.

“Um, Greta?”

The first thing she noticed about Truman was that he was adorable. The second thing she noticed was that he looked awful—puffy eyes, a reddened nose, and lips bitten red.

“I am so sorry,” Greta said. “Would you believe that I somehow forgot that our entire house swap had happened in the aftermath of a massive fight-slash-processing-session with my family?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Well. Thanks. ’Cause that’s what happened. Anyway, I just need to crash for the night, and it’s awesome to meet you, but since I’m totally unannounced, I can go to Ash’s. Sorry I disturbed you.”

Greta hadn’t thought it was possible, but at the mention of Ash, Truman’s face became even sadder.