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“Youhere?” my mom asked, a thread of steel in her voice

“Oh, they’re stayin’ here,” Eileen said with a sot bedrolls they kno to use The boys who’re here full-time have too much shit in their rooms, so we didn’t bother tryin’ to move ’em”

“Ah” Mom nodded

“And some of the boys headed north to help with the search,” Eileen said quietly “But we’ve got plenty left down here”

“Thank you,”pours”

“It’s what faive my mom’s arm a squeeze She turned to ht be snug though”

“Oh, he’s not—”

“He probably won’t be sleepingthey’ll be up ure shit out”

“You’re probably right,” Eileen replied ruefully “I brought in a portable crib—” She pointed to it in the corner “Wasn’t sure if you’d use it or not, but just in case And we’ve got plenty of babies around here if you find you’re needin’ soht of”

“Thank you,” I told her, growing more and more comfortable with each word This, this hat everyone else felt when they went ho and safety and caer than I could reainst a lump in my throat

“Here, sweetheart,”on the bed I hadn’t even realized that she’d been carrying it the whole tiet co I’ll be back in a few minutes”

“Thank you, again,” I told Eileen as they moved to the door

“It’s good to see you again, lovey,” she replied warmly

As soon as the door was shut and I was alone in the rooh that felt like it came froain

“I know it’s been a long day,” I said to Olive as I laid her down on the bed “But at least tonight, we have soh, I need to find a bathroom”

She definitely wasn’t going anywhere, but I still put pillows on each side of her before grabbingback into the hallway The clubhouse was shaped differently than the one back ho were basically the same, and it was easy to find a bathroom I smiled as I closed myself inside and inhaled the scent of cleaner Eileen hadn’t been joking when she’d said they prepared for our visit The bathroom looked like it hadn’t even been used since they’d cleaned it froingly at the shower before heading back to our roos and let the hot water soothe my muscles sounded like heaven