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“Mother, please,” Bastion said “Dust said so That’s quite unnecessary”

“It really is,” I said, so she’d finished her sentence Just howBastion’s bacon worth? Guess I’ll never know

He clapped”

I s nice to er, carefully rewrapped in its shroud of cloth

“This is yours”

“Thank you again, Dustin,” Luella said as Bastion dragged her by the ar the door open “Do you need a new computer? A new phone? Let me buy you a car No, two cars”

“Mother, please” Bastion grunted as he stuffed Luella into the back of their car “We’ll buy hiift the way sensible people do” He turned to ave me a little wave “See you, Dust”

I waved back “Not too soon, Bastion Not too soon”

I watched as the Brandts’ sedan drove off, disappearing into the distance Then I jued on my arm

“Prudence?”

She threw her arht I could get used to this I sed her back

“Thank you for saving him,” Prudence said, her voice faint, strained “Whatever it was you did, thank you He’s a stupid idiot, but I love him like a brother I really do”

I patted her on the back, s at Gil as he stepped out of the restaurant behind her

“Walking her ho Prudence’s hand when she reached for his

“You kids be good,” I said “And stay safe”