We got home from Eugene at Seven in the evening. The entire drive home had been on auto pilot, and I couldn't tell you once I had parked up beside the guest house, how I even got there.

Veda took her ear pods out, and placed them on her lap as she unbuckled. I sat and stared at the house, not moving.

"You okay Snow White" she asked, peeking around to look me in the eye. She waved her hand over my face.

I blinked and returned from planet despair, looking back to her with a strained smile "Yes" I lied " fine"

Willa waved from her porch as we exited the car "Allie says dinner is ready in five if you both want to join"

Veda ran over, her attentions straight on Mr Darcy beside Willa's feet. She dropped down and fussed him. He rolled onto his back and exposed his belly, to her delight. "Would love to" she answered "but is it vegan friendly" she asked, throwing her black hoody on the back of one of the porch chairs.

Allie's voice came through the open door "Theres always a Vegan option"

Willa watched Veda at her feet and smiled "She does something Vegan every night... even when you are out with Millie. Heck, I think we should just go Vegan too at this rate"

Veda nodded as she stood back up "you should" and she leant in as Willa hugged her.

"How was Wrens game. We listened on the radio. That last goal sounded like one I'd of loved to have seen" Willa asked.

"It was good. The drive is a killer though... and Snow White here is a misery the moment she leaves Wren behind" Veda accused, gesturing toward me walking up the steps.

"Why don't you go inside and get the table laid" Willa suggested.

"Okay" Veda answered, taking Mr Darcy and heading inside.

As the door shut, Willa patted the seat beside the one she sat herself down in "Sit"

I did as I was told, but every movement now was still autopilot. I was a little lost in my head.

"Talk to me" Willa asked.

I wrapped Vedas discarded hoody around my shoulders, the fall air was getting crisp, and beside the lake always seemed to be cooler.

"I have to talk to her tonight. I'm scared"

She adjusted her position so that she was closer to me "What's scaring you" she asked calmly.

I met her warm gaze, and opened up "I'm worried that she will want to go back... and I won't get to be the one that gets up with her every morning, and says goodnight to her every evening. I've gotten used to being a sister, and despite being petrified of the responsibility at the start, now, I'm petrified, that she won't be my responsibility any more. I love that little devil"

Willa nodded and listened as I explained how I would probably have to go to New Hampshire, at least until the final court hearing. Vedas home town was near Nashua, not far from Boston. I would find a place to live, a job that could be permanent if needed, and be close to her, because until this was resolved one way or another, I still didn't feel comfortable sending her across the country and leaving her there. I needed to be able to see with my own eyes how they would be living, and if she was safe there. At least if she called me and needed me, I would be right there.

"Millie, I have a proposition for you" Willa told me as I finished talking.

"You do" I asked.

Willa squeezed my arm affectionately "Don't say no straight away, hear me out first okay"

I frowned slightly, but agreed "Okay"

Willa took out her cell phone from her pocket and flicked through some open tabs before passing it to me.

"What am I looking at" I asked.

I flicked down the realtor page from NH, and Willa pointed at a beautiful little house, it was a two story, quaint little house that had a duck egg blue front door and two large windows either side. There were lots of colourful flowers in the boarders around the lawn and in front of the porch.

"It's my house" she told me.

I looked up from the phone "you have a house in Manchester?"

Willa nodded and smiled "It's the first home I bought on my own. Allie and I lived there until Teddy and Harper brought the kids to Oregon, and then we made the move here too"

"So, you kept it" I asked, looking back and flicking through the interior photos. It was beautiful. The view out back, it was a valley of trees, wow. Impressive.

"It was my first gift to Alberta. Our very own home. I couldn't part with it. Never could. We decided to rent it out. It's had the same tenants in it for over a decade, but they are moving to Vermont. Well actually, they left a couple weeks ago. It's empty. I had just put it back up to rent"

I was so focused on the pictures that I almost missed her next question.

"Do you want it?"

It took a moment to filter in before I looked back to her. I dropped the phone back on my lap. My mouth falling open slightly.

She smiled "is that a yes"

"I can rent it" I ask, to confirm "But it looks way out of budget"

"As long as you need to. No set time limit, and Family rates of course" she offered. "If it even comes to that though Mills. It may not"

I leapt over the chair and wrapped my arms around her, almost sending her chair backwards "yes yes yes I want it. Willa you have no idea the pressure that would take off"

Allie appeared in the doorway, the light casting her shadow over the porch "Oh good, you told her"

I stood up and hugged her too "Its so beautiful"

Allie smiled as I let her go. She walked over to Willa and sat on her lap "because this Beautiful woman of mine made it that way... for me. It's a special place. I hope if it comes down to it, that it's a place of calm and peace for you too, in a time of great upheaval. It was for us"

She kissed Willa's cheek and stood back up "now come and have dinner. Vedas started without us"

***
Once dinner was over, Veda and I helped wash up before we headed back to the guest house. Norman met us at the door, and whined his little butt off as we followed him through the rooms to his bowl in the kitchen.

"Here" Veda said, lowering down with a foil covered dish and placing it beside his bowl "Allie made you supper"

I placed my keys down on the kitchen counter and walked over the the couch. Veda grabbed a water and was about to head to her room.

"Hey" I called after her.

"Yeah" she asked, looking back.

She looked so happy and content. How could I drop this on her without it hurting?! If it even would?! Perhaps I would be the only one with a hurting heart.

I patted the spot beside me "Come sit. I have to talk with you about something"

She rolled her eyes "I already know about the birds and the bees, but thanks for the thought" she returned sarcastically.

"Get your butt on this couch" I called after her as she headed once again to her room.

She stopped halfway down the hallway and glared at me, with a teenage scowl that could put the fear of death into the hardest of men.

"Millie I have to ring Jo" she groaned "I've not heard from her all day"

"You can call Josephine afterward. Please" I ask.

Vedas ears prick up at the pleading way I ask. I wasn't usually like that with her. She walks back out of curiosity, because let's be honest, if she didn't want to, she wouldn't.

"What" she asked bluntly, taking the spot beside me.

I took her in, and she frowned at my stupid smile "you are creeping me out"

I shook my head "Shut up and let me look at you. You're perfect" I told her "you know that" I ask, reaching over and pinching her pinked cheek.

She brushed me off "Get lost. What's the tea?" She asked me again, flicking one of her braids over her shoulder. "You and Wren getting married"

I considered that thought "No, but I wish we were. Most definitely one day I hope"

Norman jumped up, purring, and curled himself up between us. I gave him a little stroke behind the ears.

"Then... what" she asked, looking up to me from Norman, her brown eyes searching mine,

I gathered the courage and sighed "It's Charlie" I begin.

"Did he die" Veda asked me bluntly.

I shook my head quickly "No, god no. Why would you say that"

Veda shrugged "He's in the army. It's not unheard of, and he's been gone so long"

"No" I told her again "he's not dead. He's fine... he's ... home" I revealed.

Vedas eyes lit up "he's home" she repeated, surprised and excited all at once "Can I call him" she asked eagerly "I have so much to tell him about. He doesn't even know the half of it"

I nodded and handed her the piece of paper I had written his number down on, from the paperwork. "Here. This is his current cell"

She was so excited as she took it out of my hands, that she began to type it into her own phone straight away.

"Just hang on a moment though" I asked her, reaching over and placing my hand over her phone "there's something else"

"Is Daniel back too" she asked.

"No. I still haven't heard back about Daniel. It's about Charlie... he... he wants you to go back home. He would like you to live there with him, and your grandmother"

Veda frowned "But I live here now. In Snow whites cottage" she joked.

She saw though, how I didn't even smile, and she nodded "You don't want me anymore do you" she asked.

I gulped down the emotion I had been holding in my throat, and denied it profusely "Of course I want you" I tell her, grabbing her hand and pulling it into my lap. "I want what's best for you... and whatever it is you want too. Veda you have a home with me, and it's not got an expiry date. I would have you forever. Gladly. This is something that I need to discuss with Charlie okay, he's worried about you and wants you home, but I'm worried about you too. It's important he knows me, like you do, so that we can work together to make the correct decision for you. Do you understand?" I asked.

"What about what I want" she argued, pulling back her hand from my lap.

I looked down to where it had been, and back to her "What is it you want" I asked, genuinely desperate to know, but terrified of her reply.

She looked away, tears forming in her eyes "I don't know" she whispered, so quietly I could just about hear her.

"And that's okay" I tell her quietly, reaching for her. She looks back to me as the first tears drop down her cheeks.

I reach up and wipe them away "I'm not asking you to pick between me and Charlie, Veda. It won't be like that" I promise.

"So what happens now" she asked solemnly.

I took a deep breath "I have to go to court Monday. Charlie too. We will hear from the judge what we are to do until a permanent decision can be made on your guardian"

"So, I can stay here until it's decided" she asked.

I hesitated, not wanting to answer that question, because I didn't even know.

"Millie, I do get to stay right" she asked "I have school. And the fall ball is soon. I'm going with Jo. Millie I can't leave Jo... she needs me"

"Listen, don't worry. If we have to go back to New Hampshire, you can talk to Jo all the time. I know she will visit. Just like Wren will"

"Nooo" She shouted, "you can't make me" before running to her room and slamming her door, and leaving me in tears on the couch.

I wasn't making her do anything... but if I had to be the person she directed the pain at, I would let her.

No one ever said it would be this hard, loving and protecting someone you were raising, someone that wasn't yours to keep. I had a feeling that the fear I felt, that night, was the same fear my Mother must of had my entire childhood too, of Millie returning and taking me away.

I wouldn't let her be taken away.

"Baby ... how did it go" Wren asked when I called her that night.

She heard the sob "Oh Mills... I'm halfway there"

I managed to collect myself "Halfway here" I asked.

"Yes baby I'm on the way. I'm not letting you do this alone"

And she did, she arrived just before eleven, and she held me, she held me all night long.
***

Monday arrived, Wren and I took Veda to school. Veda begged me to take her, she wanted to see Josephine, and refused to talk anymore about it. I called ahead, and explained to the principal Joe what was happening, he was supportive and offered me leave for the week. I wasn't sure that he had realised, that the leave may just be permanent.

Wren held my hand, and walked me up the steps to the Lawyers office. My Mother was stood there already, outside the doors, waiting, in a smart suit, she removed her shades and offered me a reassuring smile "Ready" she asked.

"As I'll ever be" I returned.

She placed her shades in her purse "We don't lose darling. Dawsons always come out on top. I need you to remember that, today, that even if it swings his way now, it will swing right back to us next time. Permanently. Now stand up straight, don't show an ounce of weakness... and follow the lawyers instruction. Whatever happens today... I'm going to be right here" she told me with her protective and assertive tone. "I love you Millicent"

I gulped, forcing the emotion back down my throat "I love you too... both of you" I told them, as she and Wren stood either side of me.

My Mother nodded, and reached for the door. Awaiting my response before opening it. I nodded back, and the door opened ahead of us.

No going back now.

***
It didn't even take an hour, to have the briefing, and have the judge look over the case, and make a decision on Vedas placement whilst we awaited assessments, and a formal decision.

She was going back to her legal guardian. The grandmother and Charlie, at least until the matter was resolved, and either all parties agreed, or the judge and the court made the formal decision on Vedas permanent guardian.

I had apparently made the worst decision when I took her out of her state, and without seeking permission first. I could kick myself for not thinking it through properly at the time, but it was a split second decision to have her come with me, so that she didn't end up on the streets. Nobody seemed to care about that though, only what was on the damn paperwork. My little sister could have been living in a tent for the last two months!! Alone, hungry, and scared. The system was fucked. And whilst it was fucked, I would have to take my little sister across the country and return her, like a lost puppy. No thought given to her welfare, not really, only to what the system deemed was right.

Charlie and I would have mediation, over the next two months, and we would both be assessed by the social services. I didn't have much hope in them, or trust them to make the right decision, but I would have to play the game and hope to god this time, that they got it right.

***
The car was packed, Veda and Josephine were hugging on the porch, the longest goodbye, and the hardest for Veda.

We had said goodbye to the rest of the Nomikos brood earlier that morning, and of course my Mother and Kate, but these were our final goodbyes.

Wren hugged me tightly against the car "I will be there as soon as my last game is done before fall break. And I'll be on the phone every day, and the video chat too. You will be sick of my face" she joked, to make me smile.

I held her tighter, releasing her just enough for her to lean back so that I could kiss her.

Our lips parted slow, and I took a moment to inhale her scent, making sure I wouldn't forget it.

"I love you" I whispered.

"I love you too baby" she returned, kissing me again a little more tenderly

Willa arrived beside us, with Allie.

"We are going to miss you" Allie told me, wrapping her arms around herself to warm up.

"We will fly out in the fall break with Josephine and Wren" Willa reminded me "Make up those spare beds" she told me with a smile "that house loves visitors"

"But does Millie" Allie poked her.

I laughed a little "When they are family..." I began, looking to Wren lovingly "When they are you guys, yes. I love having visitors"

"Good" Allie said dropping her arms from herself and hugging both Wren and I together. Willa joined her, and Veda and Josephine appeared and wrapped their arms around them too. A huddle, a cuddle, and a goodbye, to the first extended family that both Veda and I had ever really felt we had.

Allie placed Normans basket into the backseat, she looked just as sad to wave him off too. They closed the doors, Wren coming back and leaning through my window for one last kiss, and then she joined them again, as they backed up to watch us leave. They waved then, until we were out of sight.

It wasn't goodbye... it was "see you next month" but man, as the car drove over the gravel and away from the lake house... it felt like the worst goodbye of my entire life.

To the east coast we go...

But for how long?! We didn't know.

🤞🏻 🎄