The next morning, sitting at the dinner/breakfast table with Carolina and Zion, Ginny was reading what she had written so far for her essay. "My whole life changed when I moved to this progressive utopia, where creativity and compassion thrive. Wellsbury is where I most belong."

"Progressive utopia?" Carolina repeated skeptically. "More like a town with masks. Everyone just hides the pain and shit they go through away."

"It's my essay," Ginny pointed out. "And if it's a town of masks where everybody hides, you and Mom fit in perfectly."

Carolina gave Ginny a look.

Zion gave Ginny a look. "Hey. Easy, gummy bear."

"What do you think?" Ginny asked, asking their opinion on her essay.

"Well, it's... definitely well written," Zion answered.

"What?" Ginny asked. "What's wrong with it?"

"Is it true?" Zion asked. "Is Wellsbury where you feel you most belong?"

"Dad, it's an essay, and winning the contest could help get into the right college," Ginny told him.

"Oh, there's a right college?" Zion asked.

"Well, yeah," Ginny answered. "I mean, no offense. I know you took a bunch of different courses at a bunch of different places, but that's not how things are done here."

Zion had a narrow eyed sarcastic look. "Oh, no offense taken."

Carolina chuckled.

"How would you make it better?" Ginny asked.

"Let me think on it," Zion told her. "Caro, you get anything for your essay yet?"

"Not yet," Carolina answered. "I'm having trouble coming up with what to write that isn't completely dark and not suitable for the classroom."

"Good luck with that," Ginny told her. Carolina and Zion both looked at her. "I mean, with everything..."

Ginny didn't finish, knowing that there was nothing she could say that would sound right.

"I know this is more important to you anyway," Carolina told her. "You wanna do the whole college thing right. Me?"

"You're probably gonna pull a Mom or a Dad and do a bunch of different things and go to a bunch of different places," Ginny finished.

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Zion told her. Carolina managed a small smile. Zion sighed. "Though, speaking of that, starburst..." Carolina smiled at his old nickname for her, like how he called Ginny 'gummy bear'. "When I'm on the road, I told you that you could tell me everything that goes on here. Including..."

Carolina sighed, knowing that this was gonna come up. "Having episodes and attacks so you know when to be there. But, Dad, you know that I hate getting in the way of your jobs and doing things you love, and--and traveling and seeing the world, and..."

Zion shook his head. "Those things aren't important to me like you are, Caro. I want to be here with you when you need me." Carolina gave a subtle smile. Zion looked at Ginny. "Though what took you so long on telling me about what happened at school? And don't tell me it was because you two were fighting."

Ginny looked down, biting her lip.

Carolina sighed. "It's fine, Dad. We kinda got through it. Obviously things are still tense and there's still things to work through, but it's not bad like it was."

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

Zion looked between them. "All right. Have you made many friends here, like Ginny?"

"Uh, like I said, all her friends are hers alone, because they annoy the shit out of me," Carolina explained. "We even made a deal that I would avoid them mostly so I don't say things to piss them off and vice versa."

Ginny looked at Carolina. "Although you do seem to be softening up toward Max, and have been for a while. Max was right. You do seem to be going a little soft. And you said that she was the second person to say that. I'm guessing Marcus was the other one."

Zion raised his eyebrows, looking between them.

Carolina gave Ginny a look, shaking her head. "Don't start, all right? Marcus is a friend."

Ginny raised her eyebrow, nodding. "Mm-hmm."

Zion looked like he was thinking something along the lines of 'I knew it', holding his ukulele, started to play the song that he used to play for them when they were babies.

✯

At school for that morning, Carolina and Marcus were walking down the hallway.

"So that was your dad yesterday," Marcus told her.

"Yep," Carolina agreed. "I normally don't tell him a lot of the issues going on because I know that he would drop everything and come running back, but..."

"What's wrong with that?" Marcus asked.

"I don't wanna get in the way of him doing what he loves," Carolina answered. "That's what our mom did, you know. She let him go so that he could travel and do all the things he does and see all the places he gets to see. She didn't wanna hold him back. She didn't want to be his prison." Marcus nodded in understanding. "Though I have dinner tonight with the mayor coming over to have dinner with us five Millers and meet our dad, so that's something fun and awkward to look forward to."

Marcus chuckled. "Good luck with that."

"Yeah," Carolina agreed. "But, uh... I think my parents  both think something more is going on between us. I know that Ginny does."

"Oh, Max does," Marcus agreed. "She won't shut up about it, always asking me questions and demanding to know answers."

Carolina chuckled. "So, uh... I think we can do with a little pause on whatever's going on."

"I'm not the one that was begging you to stay," Marcus told her, teasing.

Carolina was frustrated but amused, smiling. "You're never gonna let me live that one down, are you?"

Marcus smirked a cheeky smile. "Nope."

They both chuckled, laughing lightly.

"I know we still gotta talk about what was said when I was drunk at the party," Carolina told him. "And we will, I promise. It's just... with my dad back, and school, and..."

"It's okay," Marcus told her. "You don't have to explain."

Carolina nodded, sheepish. "Okay."

Marcus chuckled. "Okay. I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Carolina agreed.

Marcus walked away to go sit at the red wall.

Carolina walked down the hall toward her locker, which was across the purple wall where Abby, Ginny and Max were sitting, after Abby had expressed her dislike in how MANG had been drifting apart, including the fact that Norah wasn't there. The three girls had seen Carolina and Marcus talking.

Ginny saw Carolina at her locker. "Hey, Caro, just wanted to let you know Mom texted. Paul wants to have dinner with all us Millers tonight to meet Dad."

"Yeah, I saw," Carolina told her, looking at Ginny. 

"Saw you talking to Marcus," Max told her. "What's going on with you two?"

Carolina turned to look at them. "Nothing."

Ginny tilted her head. "Oh, come on. Dad even knows something's going on between you and Marcus."

"Even I'm not blind enough to not see that you two like each other," Max told her, rambling. "Plus, you know, like, he's always helping you with weed and smoking and drinking and all that and he helped you with the attack last week at school and he agreed to a party at our house after he was sure you were okay with it and he helped us out with your family when your aunt and cousin were in town, and--"

"Okay," Carolina cut her off. "Nothing is going on between us, okay?"

"But you don't deny that you like him," Max replied.

Marcus could hear from over by the red wall, giving Carolina an 'I told you so' look about Max not shutting up about it.

Carolina was a little frustrated to be put on the spot like that. "Can we not do this right now?"

Abby smirked slightly. "Sure, whatever. You still didn't deny it."

Carolina opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off when Hunter walked up to them.

Hunter looked at Ginny. "Que pasa, kielbasa? [What's up, sausage?]"

Ginny smiled. "Nada, nada, limonada. [Nothing, nothing, lemonade]"

Carolina frowned. "You're calling each other sausage and lemonade in other languages? Oh, Jesus, take me. I can't do this."

Marcus laughed lightly, silently. Carolina walked away down the hallway.

✯

That night, Austin, Paul, Georgia, Carolina, Ginny and Zion were all sitting at the larger dining room table for dinner. At first, things were tense and silent and awkward.

Paul broke the silence. "Well, this all looks great."

"It does look great," Georgia agreed. "Zion's a great cook. So is Paul. Paul made breakfast. It was really great."

There was an awkward look between Paul and Zion.

Georgia chuckled nervously, looking at Carolina and Ginny, who both looked awkwardly amused.

"So, Zion, you are a photographer?" Paul asked.

"Among other things," Zion answered. "I hate to define myself by what I happen to be doing on just one day."

Georgia shrugged. "Sometimes it's okay to wear just one hat. Some people prefer it, if your job's important enough."

Georgia placed a hand on Paul's arm, before picking up her glass of wine to drink.

"So, Paul, what's it like being mayor of this, uh..." Zion trailed off, looking at Ginny, using what she used to describe the town in her essay. "Progressive utopia?" He looked at Carolina, using her words to describe the town she used that morning. "Or town of masks?"

Carolina looked at Zion.

Ginny shook her head.

"I love it," Paul answered. "I just, uh... hope I get to keep doing it after this election. What are you photographing at the moment?"

"I'm working on my book, actually," Zion answered.

"Your book?" Georgia repeated.

"Yeah, I got a book deal," Zion answered. 

Georgia chuckled. "Zion, that's amazing."

"It happened a while ago," Zion told her. "Ginny and Caro didn't tell you?"

Georgia raised her eyebrows at their daughters.

"What?" Carolina asked. "You never ask about Dad."

Georgia knew she was right, looking at Zion. "That is incredible. Congrats."

"Uh, what's it about?" Paul asked.

Zion sighed to think of the best way to describe. "The Raute people of Nepal. They're the only nomadic group left, never spend anywhere over a month. Fascinating culture. I lived with them for five months."

Paul pointed at him. "I know the area. It's Far West Nepal, right?"

"You've been there?" Zion asked.

"Yeah," Paul answered. "I did a Himalayan trek."

"No way," Zion said. "Which trek did you do?"

"Annapurna," Paul answered.

Zion tapped the table, sitting up straighter. "Snowman."

"You did Snowman?" Paul asked. "Holy sh--that's badass! That's 25 days on the Himalayan spine. That's..."

Georgia was weirded out that they found something in common and were getting along, not sure how to react, smiling, nodding. "Cool."

"Yeah," Paul answered. "Wow."

Carolina and Ginny were also confused and unsure of how to react that Paul and Zion were getting along like that since this was rare, exchanging a look with each other and with Georgia.

'What's happening?' Georgia mouthed.

Carolina and Ginny shook their heads, not knowing either.

"Paul, wanna see Zion's blanket fort?" Austin asked.

"I absolutely wanna see a blanket fort," Paul answered. "Let's go. Come on. Whoo!"

Austin, Paul and Zion stood, walking away from the table to go see the blanket fort.

"I think it's our best one yet," Zion told them.

"This is so cool, man," Paul said.

Georgia, Carolina and Ginny were left at the table processing.

"Uh..." Carolina trailed off.

Ginny nodded sarcastically. "They're going to the blanket fort."

Georgia nodded, still processing. "Okay."

✯

After dinner, Georgia and Paul said good nights to each other before Paul left.

Zion, Carolina and Ginny walked downstairs.

Zion had his arms crossed. "I like him."

Georgia saw that they were about to head out. "Where you going?"

"To find where they most belong," Zion answered, leading the way to the door.

Carolina looked at Georgia, shrugging, walking with Ginny and Zion.

Georgia turned after them. "That's cryptic and annoying."

✯

Zion led his daughters to a place for slam poetry night. "So, what do you think?"

Carolina looked around. "Uh... I don't know. Whatever."

"Oh!" Zion said. "Okay, I see. So, you two are cool now."

Ginny sighed. "No. Cool people don't say they're cool."

Zion chuckled. "Taking notes. Must be cool."

"Well, she's trying to fit in with the 'cool crowd', but most of them are just annoying," Carolina told him. "I can't deal with them."

"Except for Max," Ginny replied.

"Max can still be annoying, but mostly just how she exhausts me trying to keep up with whatever the hell she's saying," Carolina replied.

The three of them chuckled, sitting down, with Carolina and Ginny on either side of Zion.

Zion wrapped an arm around either of them, pulling them in to hold them, making them both laugh lightly. "So what else is going on?"

"Hmm... Mom's a psychopath," Ginny told him.

Carolina rolled her eyes. "Oh, here we go."

Zion gave Ginny a look. "Hey."

Carolina sat up. "Did you know she has a sister?"

"Ah, you met Maddie?" Zion asked.

"Did you know her parents are still alive?" Ginny asked. "So, apparently, we have grandparents that we never knew about. That's not fair, to keep kids from their grandparents."

"Are you kidding me with this?" Carolina asked. "Mom literally told us that they abused her. It was fair to keep us away from them. They would've done something bad if she hadn't."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

Zion nodded in agreement with Carolina. "Look, I get it. I do. But I've met your grandparents. And to Georgia, they are dead. She did what she did so she could be the best mom she could be. Your mom loves you more than anything, and so do I."

"Okay, fine, but she is crazy," Ginny told them.

Carolina sighed. "Come on."

"You're seriously gonna tell me she's not crazy?" Ginny asked.

"All right, I'm not gonna say that," Zion told them. "Yeah, your mom's mad cray. But she's the kind of crazy you want fighting on your side."

Carolina smiled. "Thank you. Exactly."

When a man walked onto the stage, people around the room did snap applause.

The man started his poetry piece. "If home is where the heart is, then as a traveler, my home is nomadic. Diasporic static, shock me with these memories. I feel it all. I take home with me. I could never be alone. As an immigrant, I'm always home, I'm always home. I hope for the world to feel what I'm feeling. Their love is one in a million. I know my heart is not a house, but I call it home. I know my heart is not a house, but I call it home. I call it home. I call it home. I call you... home."

When he finished, there was snap applause all across the room.

Zion looked at his daughters. "You like? So, why did it work?"

"'Cause he has a cool life?" Ginny asked.

"Because he spoke from the heart," Zion answered. "If anyone else can speak your truth, it's not your truth."

Carolina nodded, tilting her head. "Ah, the essay."

"Ginny, I'm glad you like Wellsbury and that you have friends," Zion told her. "And Caro, I know that you're struggling to find what to write about. You're both growing up now, so you gotta tell your own story, right?" Carolina looked down. "What's up, starburst?"

"How long are you staying this time?" Carolina asked.

"Whoa," Zion said. "Do I have an expiration date on my back, or--"

"Dad," Carolina said.

"We need you," Ginny told him. "You balance out Mom, you help Caro, and she might be too afraid to ask you to stay because she doesn't want to get in your way, but I'm not too afraid to ask." Carolina gave Ginny a look. "I want you around. I don't want you and Mom to fall back into the same patterns."

"What are you talking about?" Zion asked.

"You guys can't resist each other, and then something happens, and you always have to leave," Carolina told him. "Look, I'm not gonna ask you to stay around for longer than you want because she is right about one thing. I don't want to get in your way of doing what you love to do. But it would be nice to have you around longer this time."

Zion looked between them, smiling a bit, before walking onstage, receiving snap applause before he started his slam poetry piece. "'Sup? I'm Zion." He pointed at Carolina and Ginny. "These two's dad. My little girls and I, we go camping and roast marshmallows. They get sticky fingers. 'Dad, I want you to clean them'. So I do. My little girls and I, we hike the Grand Canyon. They get tired. 'Dad, I want you to carry me'. So I do. My little girls and I, we have this game called Magic Carpet Ride, and I zoom them up and around and down. And 'Dad, do Magic Carpet Ride again!' So I do. 'Dad, do Magic Carpet Ride again!' So I do. 'Dad, do Magic Carpet Ride again!' So I do, I do, I do! My little girls aren't so little anymore. They want to do it themselves. 'Dad, you don't know what you're talking about'. 'Dad, you don't get it'. 'Dad, be cool'. My little girls are growing up. But they still need their dad. 'Dad, I want you to stay around'. So I do."

There was snap applause, and Carolina and Ginny both looked emotional but happy.