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leaped onto the back of the couch. “Our girl Gabby spun around all upon a sudden and cried out, ‘Now
it’s my turn to chase you!’ Oh, was that boy surprised.” The cat fanned herself with a paw and Gabby laughed.
    “It’s true,” she said. “I think that’s when we did the most damage down here. But he was having fun. Real fun. I could tell. And then he got sleepy.”
    Gabby smiled down at Philip. His head was still in her lap. Careful not to wake him, she gave him a gentle hug. Her arm sank a bit into his gooey skin. He sighed happily in his sleep.
    John knelt down next to Gabby. “Would you like to move in with us?” he asked. “Forever?”
    “Come now, that’s hardly appropriate,” Edwina clucked. “In fact, it’s time for me to get Gabby home. A little assistance, please?”
    Lisa gently lifted her son’s head so Gabby could slip off the beanbag chair without waking him. Gabby grabbed her purple knapsack, then before she got up she knelt down in front of
Vondlejax. The cat used both front paws to scratch behind Gabby’s ears. “See?” Vondlejax cooed. “Right there, just like that. Isn’t that just pure heaven?”
    “You were right,” Gabby said. “It feels incredible, thanks.”
    She gave the cat a hand-to-paw high five, then blew Philip a kiss before she followed Edwina back upstairs and toward the front door. John and Lisa shadowed their every step.
    “So when exactly
are
you available?” John asked.
    “Do you work during the school week?” Lisa added.
    “Do you have room for any more regular clients?”
    “How many months ahead can we book?”
    Gabby started the same answer she gave all her new clients. “Just call my sister. She—”
    “
I
will let you know when and if Gabby’s available,” Edwina cut her off. “Let us remember, she isn’t officially in the program yet.”
    Before Gabby could say another word, Edwina herded her outside and back into the limousine. Gabby immediately rolled down the window. It was dark outside, but the front porch was well lit, and
Gabby could clearly see John, Lisa, and Vondlejax.
    “Good-bye!” Gabby called. “It was wonderful meeting you! I hope to see you again soon!”
    The threesome all waved back. Then John nudged Vondlejax, who quickly dropped to all four paws and began an intensive and very feline tongue bath. Gabby kept waving until the house was out of
sight, then she rolled up the window. She tried to sit back in her seat, but suddenly she couldn’t breathe. She sat straighter, tilting her neck back to gasp for air. Her body trembled all
over. Even her stomach felt fluttery.
    “There’s a thick blanket under the seat,” Edwina said. “I recommend wrapping yourself up.”
    Gabby reached down and felt thick fuzziness. She gratefully pulled the blanket around her and huddled into it. “I don’t understand,” she chattered. “I’m not scared.
Not anymore.”
    “Delayed shock,” Edwina said. “It happens. Much like when you force yourself to be brave for an injection, but faint when you get up to leave. Keep warm. It’ll
pass.”
    She turned up the heat in the back of the car.
    Gabby felt frighteningly out of control of her own body. She cuddled deeper into the thick blanket and concentrated on the warm air bathing her face. Soon her teeth stopped chattering and her
breathing slowed. She was okay. She took a long, deep breath and let it out with a sigh as she relaxed into the seat.
    “It was your sister, yes?” Edwina asked.
    Gabby’s jaw clenched. She was always wary when people asked about Carmen. “What do you mean?”
    “The child who didn’t deserve to be treated like a monster,” Edwina said. “Seemed like you had a good understanding of what that might be like.”
    Gabby narrowed her eyes and glared at Edwina through the rearview mirror, but the older woman didn’t look critical, just matter-of-fact. Maybe even a little…kind? It made Gabby let
her guard down.
    “Yeah,” she admitted. “That