“Mom, fattening me up won’t make—”
I lean against the doorframe and let the warmth of it all wash over me. This chaotic, imperfect family, cobbled together from trauma and circumstance, is everything I never knew I wanted. I want a thousand more evenings exactly like this one.
I decide not to make a fuss about my exit. This group has had enough dramatic departures and reunions to last a f*****g lifetime. Instead, I just slip toward the door and slide out into the night.
I almost make it, too.
Eliana’s voice stops me when I’m halfway to the car. She doesn’t have her cane and she’s half an inch away from tripping over the edge of the sidewalk, so I double back to steady her.
“Jesus, Eliana. You’re going to break your neck.”
“And you were going to leave without saying goodbye,” she acc
