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“Perfect recipe,” Perry muttered. “I see what you did there.”

“Let’s not dwell on the bullshit.” Mark started spreading out the note-covered napkins. “Yeah, we’ll have to deal with some transitional crap, but one thing we never do is dwell.”

“I’ve dwelled many times on why I brought you two into my life.”

Joan and Mark took that in stride. Sarcasm was their familial love language. More extreme than her own family’s dynamic, but at least these three were open with one another. Sadie still hadn’t told her parents about being abducted, and quite honestly, might never. They would be relentlessly overprotective for the rest of her days.

“Let’s clean this place up.” Joan dropped a kiss on top of Sadie’s head. “Make it presentable for…well… Just make it presentable.”

For the Supers, perhaps? Or to sell it? Maybe cleaning it up meant?—

Wait. When she had questions, she had to vocalize them. “Do you mean actuallycleanit, or remove things you don’t wany anyone to find?”

“Both.” Joan took a step back. Her cue she didn’t want to say more.

“Let’s start with the kitchenette.” Mark made his way to that makeshift area.

Joan held her hand out, which Sadie clasped. Whatever she wasn’t proud of, or didn’t want Sadie to find, they’d work through it. She’d already demonstrated wanting to do better by giving money to the living artists whose pieces graced her home with the message “I very much enjoy your work. –Spark”

Joan was hoping to transfer money in her illicit ways until the Supers stopped her. It was, after all, for good. With not so good money.

Whew, the moral conundrum was a lot.

Sadie took in the sad little sink, the old countertops, the fridge that sounded like it was about to take off into space. “You’re not planning on cooking here, are you?”

“God no,” Joan said. “We can use Mark’s kitchen. It’s gourmet.”

“You know how Joanie and Perry love art?” Mark grinned. “I love kitchen.”

A handwritten sign taped above the sink caught his attention.

Keep Our Lair Beautiful! Wash your damn dishes. That meansyouIrving.

Irving was Hide. Which meant all of the Supervillains used to meet here. Which meant Trick, Hide and Volt’s stuff had to be among the things they wanted to clean out.

Mark ripped the sign off the cement wall. “One thing we never do is dwell.”

EPILOGUE

Three months later

Sadie smiled at the trio of customers as she handed their orders out the service window on the food truck. “Thanks so much for coming to our grand opening. Please let us know how you like your sandwiches.”

Joan’s familiar warmth brushed against her as she held a wrapped sandwich out the window. “One Irish Spring.”

“Thank you,” the businessman said as he took it. “The names of your dishes are catchy.”

Joan gave Sadie the adoring grin she loved. “They were all this beautiful lady’s idea.”

“Variations on warm and chilly things,” Sadie said.

“Let us know if you have any critiques. We just opened, so we’re looking for feedback.”

The man thanked them both, pulling at the white deli paper.

Mouthwatering scents of freshly cooked ham and crisp veggies filled the truck. Sadie took a big gulp of water, then leaned out and checked the sky over Friendship Park. A rare overcast day in Vector City. No rain in the forecast that afternoon, so hopefully customers wouldn’t stay away. She had to hit the sidewalk to drum up business.

“Doing great, Team Hot and Cold,” Joan said as she stood at the flat-top grill.