For Fiona

45. Epilogue

Fiona was used to her big family always getting involved, so she was not surprised that her favorite aunts and uncles were around the house, but she finally had a moment alone in her room. Feeling nostalgic, she looked around at the space and remembered when the walls were a lighter shade of green and not covered with so many pictures and posters. There were still plenty of books on the shelves, but they had changed with her taste. Her ribbons remained in the same spot. She did not wear them as frequently as when she was younger, but she always wanted to see them no matter how much time had passed. After shoving a few final articles of clothing in a suitcase, she decided to pack all but one of her ribbons, too. And since no one was looking, she hid a stuffed bear under clothes right in time before her bedroom door opened. She saw her parents standing in the doorway as they had millions of times; even if they had aged a bit, they still looked at her the same usual, loving way, but she could tell they were a bit sad. "Don't cry," she told them.

"I'm fine," Tim lied. "Your mom isn't."

"Are you crying again?" Daisy asked and slipped past her parents into her sister's room. "Mom's been crying with Uncle Wes for the last ten minutes."

"It's been an emotional day for us," Lucy justified her actions. "This is worse than your first day of school."

"Which you were a mess for," Tim recalled.

Lucy nudged him feigning annoyance.

"Are you packed yet?" Jack asked from the hallway.

"Done!" Fiona reported and watched her mom's lower lip wobble. "I'll come down in a sec." She went over to her mom and assured her, "I'm just going to college. Not another planet. And the campus is like thirty minutes away."

"It could be an hour in heavy traffic," Lucy felt the need to correct her, which made Fiona give her a look of disbelief. "My first daughter is going to college. Let me be emotional."

Tim stepped back as Fiona pulled her mom into a hug, then he noticed someone else had been spying from the hallway. "Lily, you okay?"

"Does Fi have to go away?" Lily asked, concerned.

"She's not going away," Daisy told her younger sister. "She's going to school."

"I'm not really going anywhere," Fiona corrected both of them and finally let go of her mom to look between her sisters; despite how all three of them looked different, nothing could change their internal connection. "We're a family. No matter what. No one leaves. No one goes away. We'll always be together," she assured them.

"But you won't be in the house anymore," Lily pointed out.

"I'll be home all of the time," Fiona promised. "I don't want to do my laundry at school, anyways."

"Good luck getting into the laundry room here," Tamara said when she butted in. "Jack's got the car all packed up, kid. He's ready when you are."

"There's one more bag," Fiona replied and grabbed her last suitcase.

Tamara took it and carried it down the stairs, passing the Lopez Evers family on her way.

Angela rubbed Wes' back to comfort him while he looked at the car in the driveway. "We still have another kid at home," she said. "And he'll be back all the time for food. Plus, he's going to college with his best friend, so we know he'll be safe. That and I gave them both tasers."

Wes gave her a look, clearly concerned.

"I've taught them how to use one. They'll be fine," Angela assured him.

"Will they?" He asked.

"Don't worry, Dad," Emmy Evers said. "Mom and Aunt Nyla taught us how to kick anyone's ass if they mess with us. Jack will be alright."