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“Well,” Vera beamed as she looked at Brayden’s side of the room, “tell me your mom and sisters decorated for you without telling me.”

While Brayden’s side of the room featured framed photos, carefully displayed hockey gear, and string lights under the bunk bed where his desk was, his roommate barely had a desk lamp and anIron Manposter taped to the wall.

To celebrate moving Brayden in, they ate at a local Mexican restaurant as they all tried to avoid the fact there would only be four of them going back to the Cove.

As Ellie expected, the goodbyes were just as hard to watch as they were to give. She watched their parents cry as they wished Brayden well and gave him one last lecture about safe sex. Even Everleigh cried as Brayden hugged her and lifted her off her feet. Then it was Ellie’s turn.

“You know, I think this is the first time I realized I won’t be having breakfast with you every morning after eighteen years.” As Ellie hugged Brayden, she heard Vera crying behind them. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of them.”

“Thanks. I love you, Ellie.”

“I love you, too, Bray.” Ellie kissed his cheek as she smiled. “Make good choices.”

“I will,mom,” he teased.

Vera hugged him again, and Ellie could see her crying. But her heart ached when she saw Brayden crying too. Ellie pulled Everleigh into a hug as Isla and Vera hugged Brayden.

They all said one more round of goodbyes before leaving. The drive home was much quieter than the drive there, but Ellie was thankful for the quiet. She looked out the window of the backseat as she mindlessly pet Willow, who was nestled between her and Everleigh. Normally, Willow rode in the back in a crate for safety. But both Everleigh and Ellie needed her calming presence as they drove home.

The house seemed weird when they arrived back. Sure, Brayden had spent the night away from them before, but it was still weird to know he wasn’t upstairs. Isla and Vera looked as exhausted as Ellie felt, so they all kissed goodnight before going to their separate rooms. Ellie grabbed the blanket off the couch where Brayden had slept and carried it over to her bed.

Cuddling up with it, she tried to sleep. But all she could think about was how different her life would be when she woke up. Sadie and Brayden were off at college now. Or, well, Sadie was halfway there and would officially move in the next day.

But still.

And in a few days, Ellie would be starting college as well. She had plans to keep shadowing Vera and Austin when she didn’t have classes, and she’d also taken a job at the bar with Dylan. That was surely going to liven up Straight to Ale.

Picking up her phone, Ellie pulled up Sadie’s text thread.

I miss you.

Three dots appeared almost instantly.

I was just about to tell you the same thing.

Ellie and Sadie texted back and forth for over two hours before Sadie fell asleep. Tossing her phone onto the pillow beside her, Ellie knew sleeping in her own bed wasn’t going to cut it tonight. There was only one place she wanted to be.

Grabbing the sweatshirt she’d taken from Sadie’s house the night before the party, Ellie put it on and headed across the yard to the farmhouse. She let herself in the back door and made her way quietly up the stairs. Ellie opened the door to her parents’ room and found them still awake, watching a movie. They were cuddled up together, but they slightly scooted apart as Vera patted the space between them.

There was no hesitation as Ellie crawled into bed between them. Vera pulled her into a tight hug as she kissed her cheek.

“How are you doing, Care Bear?” Vera gently ran her thumb over Ellie’s cheek. “I wanted to check in with you, but you looked tired earlier.”

Isla pulled the sheet up over Ellie as she put an arm around both her and Vera. “Do you want to talk now?”

Ellie nodded. “Last night and today drained me. Saying goodbye to Sadie hurts and I already miss her.”

“I know, baby.” Vera’s eyes softened as Ellie continued.

“And I miss Brayden,” Ellie sighed, trying not to cry. “We’ve been together since nine months before we were born.”

“Aww, Care Bear, I know.”

“And I’m worried about school starting next week.”

“What’s making you worried there?” Isla asked.

“I don’t know. I know Dylan will be there, but all my other friends went away to college.”