“Kayla, stop. It’s fine. We honestly don’t mind. And you’ll meet my dad soon. He should be home with Julie any minute now.”

   “Julie?”

   “My little sister. She’s eight.” Sadness shadows her face, and I know she must be thinking about her sister. “How old is—I mean, was—Emily?”

   “She was nine.” She stops breathing for a second and closes her eyes. When she opens them, they look resolute, like she realized she must accept this horrible fate. She grabs my hand. “Can you come with me, please?”

   I lead her downstairs into the family room. Mom’s there, too, with a tea set on the coffee table. Lisa stands up when we walk in, and she and Kayla hug for a long time. I sit on the love seat opposite them, and assume Kayla will be next to Lisa on the sofa. But she surprises me by sitting next to me and taking my hand. She presses close to me, almost climbing into my lap.

   She’s afraid.

   I adjust our positions so I can loop one arm around her waist and hold her hand with my free hand. She burrows even closer. I’m not blind to the confused stares we’re getting from the grown-ups, but I don’t care. If she needs me, I’ll be there for her.

   I suddenly realize that this might be the last time I see her. I don’t know what her plans are or where she’ll live after this. Is she still going to go to UNC? She may not even want to see me again. I’ve been a part of the worst night of her life. I didn’t even think of that. My stomach drops.

   Lisa clears her throat, glancing between the two of us. “I’m sorry.” Her eyebrows are drawn together in confusion. “I know there are more pressing things we need to discuss, but what’s going on here?” She looks at Kayla. “Kayla, your mom sent me a picture of you last night. You were cozied up next to James, and Megan was there, too. She said you had just left for prom. Am I missing something?”

   I look at Mom, but she’s just as confused. She leans forward in the recliner, waiting for an answer. She won’t get one from me.

   Kayla’s voice is so quiet, I can barely hear her words. “I walked in on James last night.”

   Lisa gasps, knowing where this is heading.

   “With Megan.”

   Lisa’s face falls.

   Kayla continues, “They were seeing each other behind my back for two years.”

   It’s Mom’s turn to gasp. I hold Kayla more tightly.

   “That’s when I met Jake. He was there . . . He helped me. He—”

   “Wait,” Lisa interrupts. “You guys have known each other for only one night?”

   Kayla’s quiet for a long moment before she answers. “I don’t think that really matters, Aunt Lisa. I’ve known James for four years.”

   Lisa nods slowly, trying to understand.

   “I know it’s strange, and I know it might just be circumstantial. We shared an experience that somehow makes us closer . . . But Aunt Lisa.” Kayla looks up from her lap. “Jake makes things hurt a little less. He’s home for me now. If being around him takes the pain away just a tiny bit, then it doesn’t matter how or why he’s here with me. I just . . . Oh, you can’t understand . . .”

   Lisa settles back on the sofa, lost in thought. My mom smiles at Kayla, and I kiss her on the temple and lean us back.

   Just then the front door bursts open, and Julie comes running down the hallway. Her shoes squeak as she makes an effort to stop abruptly, then she slowly walks into the room. My dad comes up behind her and places his hand on her shoulder. She looks at everyone in the room one by one. When her eyes land on Kayla, she does a double take. She notices how close we are.

   “Oooo,” she says, stepping closer to us. She studies Kayla’s face. “You’re pretty!” Looking at me, she adds, “Better than the last one, Jacarb.” She says my name like she did when she was a baby. She does it when she wants to be a brat, because she knows it pisses me off. Now is not the right time. I’m about to tell her to get lost when she leans in even closer to Kayla.

   “Hey, I know you! You’re Emily’s sister, right? Man, she looks so much like you. She’s going to be just as pretty when she grows up. We have dance together. She wasn’t there today, though . . . Is she sick?”

   “Okay, kiddo, time to get some homework done. I’ll let you do it in my office on the big spinny chair,” my dad says and mouths “Sorry” to Kayla.

   “Oh, no . . .” My mom covers her mouth with her hand. “Emily Jones? Your parents are Kevin and Denise?” Recognition dawns on her face.

   Kayla nods. Her eyes are wide with unshed tears.

   “Oh, sweetheart!” Mom cries. Lisa looks between my mom and Kayla. It’s not enough that Kayla lost her entire family, or that Lisa lost her best friend, but now Mom’s lost people she cares about, too—she just didn’t know it yet.

   “Well.” Lisa looks between my mom and Kayla. “I thought you’d be staying with James or Megan, but now I see that’s not an option.” She glances at me then down to our entwined hands. “We can figure something out. I’m sure Tracey won’t mind having an extra guest till we sort out what’s happening with the house.” She tries to smile.

   “She can stay here!” I blurt out.

   Kayla turns to face me.

   “Right, Mom?” I plead with my eyes.

   “Yes, sweetheart, of course she can stay here until things settle down a bit and she finds a new place to live.” She smiles reassuringly at me.

   “I can’t stay here—” Kayla begins to say.

   “What?” I look at her.

   “You can, and you will,” my mom says firmly in a tone that means the subject is closed.

   Lisa stayed for dinner, and Julie is spending the night at a friend’s house. Dad apologized to Kayla again and assured her that he explained the situation to Julie. It might be a little hard for an eight-year-old to comprehend, he said, but he did the best he could. I know Kayla appreciated it—and they finally had a chance to meet.

   Lisa and Mom made plans to catch up the next day. I think Lisa is glad someone is here to help both her and Kayla, and I know Mom doesn’t mind, especially now that she realized she knew Kayla’s parents.

   Lucy and Heidi arrive after dinner. I rang them earlier and told them about Kayla’s clothing situation—she doesn’t have any, aside from underwear. While they wait in the family room, I run upstairs to get Kayla, who’s been holed up in my room since dinner. She didn’t eat. I don’t know how she’ll feel about my telling them everything and their being here. I knock on the door and wait for a response.