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GABE

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Kerry Winsor: Uh . . . y’all saw that, right?

Comments:

Marjorie Brown: WE’RE POPPING BEERS TONIGHT, BITCHES!!!

Hu Gh: I didn’t hear shit. What happened?

Jackie Anne: I’m pretty sure there was just a romantic moment in the square. It was so cute!

Kerry Winsor: Yes!!! WHO BET HE WAS STAYING??? I DID. PAY UP!!!

We found solace in Jade’s Goodies. She was still a mess when I shut and locked the door, and she went right back to hugging me.

It took a long time for her to stop crying. It tore at my soul, but I had it coming. I’d spent too long doing the wrong thing.

Atticus had warned me it would feel worse than I expected.

He was right. I had a feeling he would be right about a lot of other things too.

When Jade quieted down, I stayed. I held her, rubbing her back until she was ready to talk. Eventually she pulled away, still wiping at her puffy eyes.

“What changed your mind?”

“I was already feeling conflicted. Very much so. Then Atticus came by.”

Her eyes lit up. “He did? Me yelling at him worked!”

“You yelled at him?”

“I didn’t get why you were so set on leaving, so I investigated. I saw your mom’s letters. Sorry, by the way.”

I shook my head. “Not that it fixes it, but I was going to tell you.”

“It doesn’t, but it led me to seeing how Atticus was with you.”

“Hands off?”

“Yes, which isn’t what you need. Sometimes, you need sense beaten into your head.”

“I do. But I’ll work on it. I don’t need to depend on others for decisions.”

Jade’s eyes widened. “He really talked some sense into you.”

“Not just that, but I’ve seen who it hurts. I can’t keep doing this. I am happy I saw where Mom was from, but I could’ve done it in a different way. In trying to avoid her mistakes, I almost lost everything I needed. Everything the girls needed too.”

“They’re happy here,” I said.

“Staying might be the one thing they won’t fight me on.” I laughed. “I bet the school will be mad.”

“You were sending them there for Alice, right?”

“How much did you figure out?”

“I can figure out almost anything.”