“It attracts people like us.”
“It must.”
The idea that Heath would’ve moved—it’s unthinkable now.
Lav loves her friends.
She loves living here.
Even when Mabel slips to my side and tells me that there’s another new GrippaBeav video up, and also that one of those jerks from lunch the other day posted pictures of me and Heath and they’re getting a small amount of attention, it doesn’t ruin my day or take the wind out of my sails.
I have a new home and a new family and the most amazing boyfriend, who also has a kick-ass family.
Who cares what happens on the internet?
We sing happy birthday to Lav, the kids eat cake, and then she opens presents.
And it’s so normal.
Normal, and happy, and chaotic, and wonderful.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Heath murmurs as he slips to my side and presses a kiss to my forehead.
Vivian and Thor have been asked to assist with presents, so he’s off-duty.
For the moment.
“I love this new normal,” I murmur back.
“It kicks ass.”
Best part?
I don’t feel like the outsider.
I belong.
I truly, fully, absolutely belong. No lingering doubts. No worries.
Just this bone-deep knowledge that I’m where I’m meant to be, with the people I’m meant to be with.
After presents, Lav calls for me to come help her show her friends how to defend their bounce house castle against dragons— “And sharks!” Leland adds—and that’s exactly what I do.
I go fight dragons with my favorite little girl, laughing and shrieking and twirling and then helping a kid who pukes all over the bouncy house.
Heath’s smiling as he joins me and the little guy to give him a quick once-over while Mabel and Ginny order all of the kids out of the bouncy house.
“We’re so sorry,” the kid’s mom says as his dad angles in too. “We told him not to bounce after eating this much cake.”
Heath’s still smiling. “Not a kid birthday party if someone doesn’t puke. All good. We’ve got this.”
We do.
All of us.
Ginny and Dori are dashing out of the house with buckets and paper towels.
Mabel’s redirecting the kids to Thor, whoalsoknows how to make balloon animals.
