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I reached for her hand, relieved when she let me take it. “Sisters protect each other, right?”
Tears sprang into Stella’s eyes. “I didn’t when you needed me, and I’m so sorry for that, Luna. I know you only came back to me because of Nova, and I’m not going to choose Rodney over you again. You put more care into my daughters than he ever has, and I know they’ll do better in life having you as an auntie than him as a father.”
I hadn’t meant to make her cry. I had been talking about Nova protecting Rory without noticing how direct the parallels were to her and me.
“Tell me what you need from me. I’ll help you,” she insisted.
I swallowed back the swell of emotion, my own tears sneaking up on me. She got up and kneeled in front of my chair, the two of us hugging in the predawn light, healing the fractured parts of little Luna that had lost faith in her older sister all those years ago.
With Stella on board, I could push to the next steps. Arthur would still be awake, but not for much longer.
“Give me a few minutes to get everything rolling and then I’ll help you set up for the kids, okay?”
Part of me felt like I needed to rush the process in case Stella changed her mind. She could be brave now, but who knew how she would feel when Rodney was in her face.
I sat on her front steps and dialed Arthur’s number.
“Luna? Why are you calling me in the middle of the week?”
“I need your help.”
“With what?” His voice went soft, concern filling his tone.
“I need you to get Walter to clean up the mess he made of my life.”
“And how are we going to do that?”
“Walter’s been at the club since before I started, and he’s been a model patron that whole time, hasn’t he?”
Arthur was quiet for a beat. “He was. But I have a zero tolerance policy for anyone bringing in people who are dangerous to the performers under my care.”
I fiddled with the end of my curls, shivering slightly in the cool morning air. “I know that and I love you for it, but I feel like Walter might be willing to go the extra mile to get his privileges back. Getting banned from our club has to be a huge dent in his social life. He was there all the time. If he’s feeling the loss of us, we should have more leverage.”
“Luna.” Arthur sighed. “I’m going to need a little more information before I agree to whatever your plan is.”
I poured out everything Auggie and I had discussed.
“How are you not a politician?” Arthur said, laughing on the other end of the line. “All right. It sounds like this would keep you safer than having Walter banned, so I’m willing to entertain it. Let me reach out to him and I’ll get back to you.”
“Arthur, you’re an angel.”
He barked a laugh. “I know. Be good until I see you again.”
“Am I ever anything but?”
Confidence simmered in my blood. The plan was in motion; now I had to wait.
I went back inside and stood next to Stella while we filled sippy cups, sliced fruit, and set out toys. Stella poured me a second cup of coffee while she went upstairs to make sure Nova was awake and getting ready for school. I grabbed ingredients for breakfast out of the fridge and got to work on that so Stella didn’t have to worry about it.
“Auntie?” It was all the warning I got before Nova attached herself to my side.
“Good morning, Supernova. How did you sleep?”
“Eh. I’d have slept longer if Mom let me.”
“It’s not your mom’s fault school starts way too early. I think they should have hours for the non-morning people.”
Nova snorted. “If only. How come you’re here making breakfast?”
