“Life lesson, kid,” Silver says with a smirk. “Never underestimate your opponent.”
Tabby and I laugh from the sidelines before she grabs my arm and tugs me toward the dance machine. It’s the one with the light-up arrows you have to step on in time with the music.
“Come on, let’s show them how it’s done!”
We pick a song, and suddenly I’m stomping on flashing arrows, trying to keep up with the beat while Tabby easily bests the high score from beside me. By the end, I’m breathless and laughing and pretty sure I’ve pulled a muscle, but it’s worth it for the way Tabby high-fives me like we’ve just won the Olympics.
“Okay, rematch!” Jack appears beside me, pointing at the racing game across the aisle. “Me and you. Right now.”
I narrow my eyes. “You’re on.”
We slide into the seats with the fake steering wheels, and the countdown begins. Jack is ruthless, cutting me off on turns and bumping my car into walls, but I manage to pull ahead in the final stretch and cross the finish line half a second before him.
“YES!” I throw my hands up in victory.
He slumps in his seat, defeated. “Best two out of three?”
By the end of the night, we’ve accumulated a mountain of tickets. Jack cashes his in for an action figure of some superhero I don’t recognize, clutching the toy as if it’s made of gold.
Silver and I pool our tickets together and get Tabby a lava lamp, which she declares “the coolest thing ever” and immediately starts planning where to put it in her room.
We pile into Silver’s truck, tired and happy, smelling like pizza and sugar from the cotton candy we noshed on.
Jack’s already half asleep against the window, his action figure in his lap. Tabby’s in the back beside him, scrolling through social media on her phone.
“Alright,” Silver says, starting the engine. “I suppose we should get you home, Solana.”
“Dad,” Tabby groans from the backseat, sighing in exasperation. “Don’t be ridiculous. Let her stay the night at your place.”
I blink, caught off guard. “Oh… no. That’s okay, this is your weekend with your dad.”
“So what?” Tabby asks. “You’d spend the night any other night, right? Why should it be different when we’re there? We’re okay with it.”
Silver glances at me, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Well? What do you say? Want to join us?”
I notice the warmth in his dark blue eyes, and my heart flutters inside my chest. He’s already reached over to squeeze my hand.
Glancing back at Tabby, who’s watching me expectantly, and Jack, who’s sleepily mumbling something about wanting pancakes for breakfast, I give a nod.
As silly as it might sound, I haven’t felt this integrated into a family unit in a very long time. Probably since before my own parents passed away, back when the Youngblood household was still full of life.
Even if this is just a small moment, it still means so much to me.
“Okay,” I say. “Yeah, I’d like to stay over.”
Silver kisses my knuckles, then focuses on pulling out of the parking lot and hitting the road. It takes me another few seconds to realize I’m smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. I’m finally remembering what it feels like to belong again.
37
SILVER
“Dad! DAD!”
I jolt awake, heart slamming against my ribs before my eyes are even fully open. The chanting is coming from downstairs—Jack’s voice, high-pitched and insistent.
I reach across the bed instinctively, but the sheets are empty and cold.
Solana’s gone.
