“Okay,” I said, and went ahead into the bathroom to collect my things. “You’re right. It was just a thought.”
She waited until I had dumped the various toiletries, et al. in my suitcase before coming to me and giving me a brief, fierce hug. “We’re all here for you, Keeks. Never forget that.”
I wouldn’t. They were all I had right then.
Much as I would have liked to crawl into Kara’s spare bedroom and hide there for the next seven or eight years, I didn’t have that luxury. On the way back to the house, I told her to call everyone to gather at Michael’s for what might be our last council of war, then added,
“Just make sure Jeff and I are seated on opposite sides of the room. That way, we won’t kill each other.”
She shot me a sideways glance, and I gave her a brief summary of what had hap
