“I didn’t have anyone, and—there was a time where I was cooped up in a sealed room in the hospital and stuff was going on outside, with the PRT and the other Case Fifty-Threes. They introduced me to people who were harder for me to hurt. Victoria was one of them. I liked her, and she knew Weld, and she put up with me for some reason, so we kept talking and meeting.”

I leaned closer, whispering in her ear. “For some reason? You helped keep me sane. You were my friend.”

“Stop it, dummy. You’re going to make me cry more,” she whispered back. “And I can’t believe I’m finally hearing your voice for real.”

And with that last statement she was tearing up more.

“Since when are you this much of a crier?” I asked.

“I’m all emotionally open and shit now,” she whispered. “Blame Weld. And blame yourself, being all normal and stuff.”

“I’m pretty sure I just caught you saying my name just now,” Weld said. “Maybe that’s my cue to duck out before you start badmouthing me.”

“I’d never ever badmouth you,” Sveta said, at normal volume. She’d turned to face him, and I held her arm to steady her as she swayed a bit. “What would I even say?”

“I hear people coming anyway,” Weld said. He stopped, looking at Sveta and me, then smiled wide. “This is fantastic.”

Sveta hugged my arm.

“You’ve said that a lot,” the Magenta-haired boy said.

“I can’t even begin to tell you,” Weld said. “In more than one way. I’ll leave it for Victoria to share.”

“Maybe we can chat another time,” the boy said. “We could hang out.”

“If Sveta, Victoria, and Jessica okay it,” Weld said, clapping a hand on the guy’s shoulder. “I don’t want to throw any wrenches into the therapy or make anything awkward by blurring lines.”

“Send me an email if you want to discuss it. It’s always good to see you, Weld,” Mrs. Yamada said.

“I’ll do that, and it’s good to see you too, Jessica. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make the time to sit in.”

“Totally understandable. Good luck. We may run into each other if you stick with the Wardens.”

“Excellent,” Weld said. He glanced at us, delivering a wink probably more meant for Sveta than for me. “Fantastic. I’ll text you when I have an idea of what’s happening with my afternoon, Sveta.”

“Good luck,” Sveta said.

With a parting salute, he was gone.