Laney watches and chuckles.
“It’s getting better, isn’t it?” she asks.
“Yes,” I say.
Not a lie.
Not the whole truth.
“What aren’t you saying?” she asks quietly.
I study her.
Strong. Tired. Braver than she knows.
“Marco’s mother’s been arrested.”
The words land.
She goes still.
“Marco’s… mother?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “I still find it hard to believe that she hated us so much.”
“Yes.”
“Oh my God…”
“I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else.”
She looks down at Emmy.
“Does that mean it’s over?”
“No,” I say gently. “It means she can’t touch you anymore.”
She looks back at me. “That’s not the same thing.”
“No,” I agree. “But it’s a start.”
She nods slowly. “What do we do now?”
“We keep you safe. We keep Emmy safe. And we let Marco burn the rest of it down.”
“And you?” she asks.
“I stay right here with you and Emmy.”
Her eyes soften.
“Saint…”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She exhales like she’s been holding her breath.
