Soren could feel Mayzie’s heart beating quickly and her grip tightening on his shirt. They were at a crossroads. He knew it. He wished he weren’t nervous, knowing that Mayzie could probably sense it.

“Soren, she’s beautiful,” smiled Ashlynn. It was then that Ashlynn pointed to Mayzie’s bunny. “And who is this? Is that your friend?”

Soren almost answered first when, by some miracle, he watched as Mayzie nodded subtly, mouth slightly open in awe.

“Can I see?” asked Ashlynn. Mayzie, who had kept bunny tight to her chest, barely held out the cotton ball creature before pulling it back close to her chest. “That is an awesome friend you have. Does he have a name?”

Sadly, bunny was still a little hard for Mayzie to say and, instead, she leaned into Soren’s shoulder.

“Now, none of that. We’re not shy around our friends,” said Soren, a smile of relief washing over him. “His name is bunny. Mayzie, can you say bunny?” Mayzie didn’t respond, but instead leaned back up and began stroking the cotton creature’s ears.

“That’s a great name,” commended Ashlynn. “It’s nice to meet you too bunny.”

“Hey Mayzie!” called Rey, who had walked over to the tips of Ashlynn’s fingers and had laid down so his shoulders and head dangled over the ledge. Soren and Ashlynn were so hyper focused on the toddler that Rey had made himself comfortable and silent until now.

The sound of Rey’s voice immediately captured Mayzie’s attention. She began looking around for the source of the voice until Ashlynn lowered him down to just a few inches above the ground. Rey sat up and dangled his legs off of the edge of Ashlynn’s fingers and held his arms out.

“What do you think about this Mayzie?” asked Rey. Mayzie, seeing him, immediately began squirming and holding her hands out for Rey. Soren’s heart was pounding, but perhaps this was a good thing. He lowered Mayzie to the ground and watched, astounded, that she dared to take a few steps forward toward Ashlynn. Ashlynn, in response, lowered her hand completely so the back of her hand was on the ground.

Mayzie, obviously conflicted, looked back to Soren who joined her at her side and walked up to Rey with her.

“See Mayzie? Ashlynn is good. See? Good,” said Rey, reaching over and patting the tip of Ashlynn’s finger. The toddler, obviously putting together pieces to some puzzle in her mind, reached out beside Rey with the hand that held her bunny, and mimicked the motion Rey had just done.

“Good!” cooed Mayzie as she turned to Rey and Soren for approval and praise – two things that happened immediately.

“That’s right, Mayzie! Good. Ashlynn is good,” praised Rey. Soren knelt and stroked his daughter’s back reassuringly.

The four of them remained motionless for a several minutes before Soren broke the silence.

“Rey, do you have everything packed and ready?” asked Soren. Rey nodded.

“Yes, Soren. I have everything packed,” replied Rey as he tucked a few stray strands of hair behind Mayzie’s ears.

“Then, would you take Mayzie around the room and keep clear of this area while I help Ashlynn load out everything? We need plenty of time to make it back so we can check out where we’ll be moving to,” asked Soren. Rey signed and looked up to Ashlynn before nodding.

“Sure thing. Come on Mayzie. Let’s go on a walk,” said Rey as he hopped off of Ashlynn’s fingers and picked up Mayzie. Together, they began walking to the other side of the room all along the baseboard.

It was then that Ashlynn and Soren simultaneously heaved a sigh of relief. Soren, knees weak, let himself stagger over to Ashlynn’s hand and sit beside it.

“I think she likes you,” he breathed, a disbelieving smile curling across his face.

“You think so?” asked Ashlynn in the same breathy tone. Soren chuckled and nodded.

“Absolutely,” he grinned. “Now, we have some packing to do, don’t we?”

“Yes we do,” she replied. Soren stood after a moment and climbed onto Ashlynn’s hand. She made sure he was stable before standing and adjusting the ladder to climb up to the wall. Ashlynn set down Soren and took off the vent grate to begin packing up their home. Ashlynn was methodical and delicate with each thing she was directed to grab and placed each item into the crate, keeping the rooms separate as necessary.

She didn’t question the different items she put in, nor who they belonged to. What mattered was that she was helping and that they were together, working together like they had done so many years ago.

The box was finally loaded, and it was time to leave. Soren stared at their once fully formed home and then stared down into the room below to the box Ashlynn had packet. It was amazing that everything they owned could fit into one simple crate. A smaller box on top would be their temporary hiding place when they were outside, but thankfully they wouldn’t be in there for long.

Soren stared out one last time to their home before turning back to Ashlynn. She waited patiently as Dorian did one final walk through with Soren.

“Ready to go?” Soren asked finally with a sigh. Dorian nodded slowly and descended the line. Soren was not far behind.

Soren could not help but pause as he did. There was one more thing he was forgetting. He ducked back into the walls and along the beams to a small shelf formed where the joists of the roof met the rest of the apartment. He remembered a trinket – a small silver locket – that he kept there when he needed a moment. The images inside were slightly worn and poorly sketched, but it was important he keep this thing.

“Goodbye,” he muttered to no one but the memories that remained.

With the locket in tow, Soren made his way back out of the walls and descended the line. Everyone else was already packed and prepped. Soren descended the line and touched down a few feet from the box they would be hiding in. Rey, Dorian, and Mayzie were already inside

“Ready?” asked Ashlynn. Soren nodded slowly.

“Let’s go,” said Soren, leaving behind yet another home he had grown to love while gaining another. With that, they set out to the next chapter of their lives.