I rummaged in my pocket and handed him the medicinal I’d given Jupe. “If he’s got a hangover, give him another drop of this in some water. Or crushed ice, if he’s throwing up.”

He kissed my forehead. “I’ll handle him. Go to sleep.”

Amazingly enough, I eventually did.

I woke on my own around three. Rose and Adella showed up as I was getting out of the shower. Mr. and Mrs. Holiday were buzzing around the house as well—I could hear Mr. Holiday teasing Jupe in the living room about making him some disgusting hair of the dog drink with raw eggs.

Normalcy had never sounded so good.

Once I rejoined the group, I found out Yvonne would be released from the hospital that afternoon. Her concussion was okay. No permanent damage. A small relief to the lingering guilt I harbored. Rose and Adella were flying Yvonne back home with them to Portland. She was going to stay with her mother for a few weeks. As long as Rose had the Solomon ring, I supposed she was safe from Yvonne’s knack, or what remained of it. I spoke to her alone while Lon was helping Adella pack.

“You good?” I asked her. “Need any help?”

Rose pushed her glasses higher on her nose. The Solomon ring was loose around her index finger. “We’re going to retrieve Yvonne’s clothes from the hotel, then pick her up from the hospital on the way to the Morella airport.”

“Doctor says it’s okay for her to fly after the concussion?”

“Mick did some healing on her this morning. Scans look fine, so he said it’s okay. Will you be riding out to the city with us?”

Yvonne was the last person I wanted to see right now. “Probably not. My business partner’s coming over, and I’ve got some things to take care of.”

She nodded. “I wanted to thank you for what you did. Lon told me that you put yourself in danger by doing that to Yvonne. I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have asked you if I knew.”

After the dream talk with my mother, I now wondered if she was tapped into me during my metaphysical surgery on Yvonne, but what was done, was done. “I just hope you don’t regret asking.”

“Not one bit.” She grasped my hands. Her fingers were firm around mine. “I still don’t know if Yvonne can be saved, but you improved her chances, and I’ll always be grateful for that, no matter what happens. And if there’s ever anything I can do to repay you, please tell me. Because if you’re Lon’s family, you’re my family.”

If I hadn’t spent half the night emptying myself of tears, I would’ve cried. But as it was, all I could manage was a “thank you.” My early impressions of her had completely faded. I saw her as Lon did now, I supposed: strong, stubborn, beautiful, and utterly dedicated to her family. She was a good mom. I’d trade her for mine in a heartbeat.

Jupe appeared on the back patio and came inside through sliding glass doors.

“How you feeling?” I asked.

“Stupid.”

I smiled at him.

“When are we leaving for the airport, Gramma?”

“Soon. Need to be there in a couple of hours.”

Which didn’t give me much time—a little over an hour before the sun would set, and I had things to do. I stopped Jupe on his way upstairs. “Can I talk to you? In private.”

Rose held up her hands. “Don’t let me stop you.”

I mumbled my thanks and led Jupe to the front door. “Here,” I said, snagging his army green field coat off a hook on the way out. “It’s cold.”

He slipped it on as we marched down the driveway under a dreary afternoon sky. I counted our steps as we went. “You’re already way out of her range, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Jupe said.

“Just making sure.”

“Is this about last night?” Jupe said in a low voice.

I shook my head as the sound of a car drew our attention to the side gate. “Crap. Kar Yee.”

“Kar Yee?” he said, but his excitement soon sputtered. “Does she know about last night? You didn’t tell her, did you?”

“I didn’t tell her, don’t worry.”

She sped down the side road and pulled into the circular driveway behind the Giovanni’s rental car. When she spotted us, she waved a hand and headed our way. “Nice digs, future boyfriend. I almost got lost on the mountain trying to find your secret back road.”

He grinned goofily. “I’m glad you’re all healed up now.”

“Me too. Good as gold,” she said, pinging her collarbone with her fingers. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a red envelope. “This is for you,” she said, handing it to Jupe.

“Me?”

“It’s movie passes,” she said before he even had a chance to open it. “No big deal.” She was mildly embarrassed. “You did that stuff for the Tambuku website, and I really liked that opera figure. It was sweet. You’re a good kid.”

Jupe’s breath came a little faster through his open mouth. “Oh, man. That’s cool. Thanks.”

“No big deal,” she insisted again. “What’s up with you, by the way? Your halo looks sick.”

Jupe’s mouth twisted. “Uh . . .”

“Probably just a getting a cold or something,” I offered.

“Yeah,” he said, sneaking me a grateful look. “Probably just that.”

She nodded and tilted her chin my way. “You’ve got news about that Telly kid?”