Page 72 of No Capes

“Be careful,” he says with a crack in his voice. “Love you both.”

When he hangs up, Brynn gathers her keys and grabs a jacket to wear over her dress. Luckily, she still hasn’t changed. This could work.

“Facecloths are in the hall at the top of the stairs,” Brynn tells Arielle.

“Have fun in the basement,” Fox says to Jamie, coming to help me stand.

“I can show her. It’s my room,” Jamie protests.

Fox shoots me anI-told-you solook. “Knock yourself out.”

Jamie puts my arm over his shoulder and awkwardly tries to support me the way Fox had, but he doesn’t have the height to be as helpful. It takes about five minutes for us to walk fromthe kitchen, through the living room, and over to the stairs. Fox trots along behind me, waiting when Jamie has to stop and think about how to maneuver the pair of us up the stairs.

My forearms ache the most, but a throb in my elbow triggers a memory. Before I’d held out my arms to explode our old house’s kitchen, Arielle poured water over them, giving me instant energy. “Hey,” I say. “I could use a shower. Can you just help me to the bathroom?”

“Of course.” Jamie nods, a gentleman.

It takes fifteen minutes, but the shower helps my aching. I’m still stiff when I finish, but rejuvenated enough to use my legs again. D.S. told me I have to build strength, and stay hydrated to keep my powers from exhausting me every time I use them. I can do that. A big t-shirt and plush shorts wait for me when I come out of the shower. Brynn’s old clothes.

Jamie’s room is painted blue and has a double bed in the middle that I immediately flop onto. His shelves are decorated with trophies from his own swimming feats, though he said he wanted to quit. The walls hold retro album covers and maps of the country. Pretty sophisticated for a twelve-year-old.

“All set?” Jamie’s sweet voice comes from the doorway as I gather myself for sleep. Jamie looks identical to twelve-year-old Fox: same wild, blond tufts, same easy smile that he offered a hundred times a day, before the snickering and sarcasm would take over.

“Is Brynn back?” I ask.

Jamie stifles a yawn. “Not yet. Wait.” The garage whirs open, the sound coming in the cracked window. “Yes. Um. I should head down now. Obviously, that’s the bed,” he points. “It’s clean.”

“Thanks, Jamie. Thanks for staying up to hang out with us.”

“Anytime. It’s been good to have you guys around. Not that why you’re here is good,” he stops. “See you tomorrow.”

“See ya, big guy.” I hop up and start to close the door, but Arielle pokes her head in.

“Dad’s safe,” she tells me. “Front porch light was on, and Brynn will check again tomorrow.”

I nod. “My phone’s off, but the passcode is H-0-T-D-0-G if you need to use it for anything.”

She touches my elbow to comfort me, which does more than that. Now that I’ve had more time to process our conversation from earlier, the coldness I’ve felt from her is replaced by my guilt.

Not only did Arielle give up pieces of herself when she married Phil, she had to commit to her role knowing it would hurt our Dad and me. The smallest gesture from her feels as if we’re finally coming home again.

I shift from the bed to switch off the light when a quick tap comes from the doorway. I don’t have to turn to know it’s Fox, but I do anyway, because it’s polite to face the people you’re talking to.

“Charming, isn’t it?” He holds up a yellow water bottle. “Thought you might want this.”

“Nice pajamas,” I reply, giving a quick glance over his plaid pants and loose pink shirt.

He sets the bottle on the bureau opposite me and leans against the drawers, crossing one leg over the other.

“You’re all set?” he asks.

“I’d like to go to bed while I’m still seventeen, thanks.” I comb my hand through my wet hair and finally rest it on the pillow over my head.

“Remember, my room is next door. If you wake up in the middle of the night and forget where you are. Arielle is down the hall.”

“How come you get to keep your room, but your brother and sister have to sleep in the basement?”

Fox pulls up my sheets, unaware that my shower has helped me return to almost full stamina.