Time bounced back, slamming into me, the noise deafening for a split second before the world settled around me.

“Hugo?” Malaya said. “Are you okay?”

He blinked and shook his head. “I already told you I’m okay. You worry too much.”

She glanced at me expectantly.

I nodded. “He’ll be fine. It’s gone.”

A dimple appeared on one cheek. “Really?”

“Really.”

She jumped forward and hugged her brother. He patted her head, not sure what to do and probably a little grossed out. I got the feeling they didn’t hug much, but what siblings did?

I gave Artemis a quick attagirl, then she launched off my legs like a torpedo—that was so going to bruise—and disappeared through a wall.

“What are you doing in here?”

We turned to see Florence walking toward us. And Flo was not happy.

“I wanted to introduce her to Hugo,” Malaya said.

“I’m sorry.” I stood to leave. “She didn’t mean any harm.”

“It’s okay, Mrs. Davidson.” She relaxed and turned to the boy. “Hugo is very special.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked.

He grinned from ear to ear. “I’m an inventor. I’m going to invent a tiny machine you can carry in your pocket that turns salt water into drinking water so when global warming melts all the ice, we can still drink the water that we’re swimming in. You know, so we don’t die of thirst.”

“And he’ll do it, too,” Ms. Rizzo said.

“I have no doubt,” I said.

I told Ms. Rizzo and eventually the home’s director that I’d found Heather and she was on her way back. They would’ve had to call the police even if Heather came back on her own accord because they’d already reported her missing, so I called Uncle Bob instead. I could explain what happened, and he could make sure no charges were filed against her. But he was out on an investigation, so they had to call in an officer.

Then I called Heather and Pari and gave them the news. The curse was gone and would not be back. I thought she would cry. Pari, not Heather.

Pari brought her back to the home, and I spent the next hour explaining to the responding officer about the curse and how Heather believed she had it and was going to die if she didn’t run away. He laughed it off like I knew he would and said that once he filed the report and he took her off the missing persons list, he didn’t think there would be any further questions.

It took a while to convince Heather she wasn’t cursed. That she never was, and that the curse would never be back. “Pari told me that you aren’t from this world,” Heather said when we were alone.

“Part of me is.”

“She said you’re from another dimension.”

“Part of me is.”

“She said you’re like a princess there.”

I could live with that. “Kind of.”

“I wish I could see your light like she can.”

I shook my head, grateful that she couldn’t. I thought of Beep, what she would go through growing up so different. While I’d never wished to be anything other than what I am, it was not easy growing up with such an ability. “I’m glad you can’t. And Pari talks too much.”

Heather’s illness all came down to an unusual flu that had been going around. She would be fine, and I had to admit, the excitement Nurse Rizzo showed when Heather showed up warmed my heart. They did see the kids. Maybe not all the time, but they did see them.

I gave hugs all around, and then Pari and I went to our cars. “You look like you’ve been hit by the truck of despair,” I said to her.

She shrugged. “I kind of liked having her around.”

“Me, too. Hey, maybe they have, like, a Big Sisters program where we can come hang with the kids.”

She brightened. “You think so?”

“Never hurts to ask.”

“You’re right.”

Without another word to me, she all but ran back inside to talk to the director.

23

I was ready to take on the world,

until I saw something sparkly.

—T-SHIRT

I left Pari in the hopes of finding Osh’ekiel somewhere in the great vastness. But Cookie called before I got very far.

“Charley’s House of Lederhosen.”

“Can you talk?”

“I think so. I might slur my words a bit. Didn’t get much sleep. Otherwise, I’m good.”

“Gambling.”

“Oh, hell, yeah. Vegas. Blackjack. Male strippers.”