Page 100 of Bitter Falls

J. B. facilitates the return of Remy Landry to his parents at the hospital, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen three people come alive like that. Remy is a shadow of the photos I’ve seen, down to skin and bones and raw will, but he’s survived the impossible. And so have his parents. I can see the joy ignite in all of them, and it makes me feel all this has almost, almost been worth that.

There are seven bodies retrieved from the pond at the first Assembly of Saints compound. Another ten emerge from the lake at Bitter Falls, including the body of Vernon Carr, the leader of the Wolfhunter cult, who’d run to Father Tom for protection. He hadn’t found the welcome he expected.

I get an anonymous postcard delivered to me via J. B. Hall’s offices. It’s handwritten in a childish scrawl, and it says,Thank u for my life. There’s a big, flowingDat the end.Dfor Daria. I don’t look at the postmark. I don’t want to know. I shred it.

We go to therapy twice a week. All five of us, including Vee. It helps.

Sam and I put in adoption papers. He’s adopting my kids, formally, as my partner. And we help Vee put in paperwork to become an emancipated minor. She’ll be staying with us, at least until she can find her own way. Lanny and Vee seem to gravitate toward each other like magnets, and yes, I worry about that. Vee’s got a long way to go to get to stable.

We definitely need to find a house big enough to contain the drama.

The last thing before we leave Stillhouse Lake, I handwrite a note and mail it to Lilah Belldene. It says,I keep my word.

I’m not surprised when I don’t get anything in reply. Life goes on. We have Father Tom’s trial to prep for. A new home to find.

And like Sister Harmony, I don’t know what’s coming next.

And that’s amazing.