They were packed and ready to go by lunchtime. Abby had almost nothing to take, since she had arrived with only the clothes on her back. Joe, however, was happy for the opportunity to take some clean clothes and belongings.
Kari had insisted they all eat together in the dining hall before they left, pushing several tables into one long stretch so no one would feel separated. The room buzzed with warm noise. Laughter, the scrape of chairs, the clatter of silverware against ceramic plates. The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air.
Joe looked around the group, marveling at how much had changed in just two short years.
Kari and Evan sat at the head of the tables with their boys, both parents looking utterly exhausted but glowing with a kind of bone-deep happiness. Mia sat wi
