We’re finally going back home today, and as Ricardo had something to make up for, he came to pick us all up. His face immediately turns sour the moment we step out of the door and into the parking lot.

“Hey, Ricardo,” I say, and both Carl and Margaret greet him too.

“Hey, guys … look, I’m sorry,” he immediately begins.

“Too late, bro,” I muse, laughing. “It’s already done and over.”

He rubs the back of his head. “I hope it wasn’t too painful. Fuck. This is all my fault.”

“Why? Laura and the boys didn’t do this to me,” I say. “It was Julio.”

“No, but if they’d stayed at the house, maybe they wouldn’t have distracted you. I mean you could’ve died,” he says.

“I’m alive,” I reply. “That’s all that matters.”

I try to act cool because that’s just how we roll. I’m done feeling guilty, and he should be too.

“How do you feel?” he asks.

I shrug. “As good as I look.”

He rubs his lips together. “I’m really, really sorry. I really am. I just couldn’t stop them from coming to the church.”

“Dude, it’s not your fault,” I say. “She was determined to come rescue me or something. I dunno.”

“She even stole my damn car,” he growls, pushing Carl’s wheelchair.

“She did?” I raise a brow, impressed with her skills. Ricardo isn’t easy to bypass. He’s a big guy.

“Yeah, well, after she locked me in the house, they all jumped into my car and raced off. Even left skid marks on the street. So damn lucky my car wasn’t damaged. I would’ve been pissed.”

Guess I was wrong about the fool part.

I look at him. “Fish, huh?”

He raises his brows. “What? She was very … convincing.”

I narrow my eyes as I help Carl into the back of the car. “Just admit that you’re thick.”

With a straight face, he says, “Fuck you, Frank. You’re just as thick. Who the fuck goes into a shootout without a gun? Like, who does that?”

I laugh. He’s right; it was stupid, but he didn’t know I had one hidden in my room. “I did get a gun, though.”

“Where?”

“In my room.” I shrug.

“You keep a gun in your room?” Margaret suddenly asks as she sits down in the passenger’s seat.

“Well, I did. Not anymore, of course.” I smile. “It was only to protect us.”

“I guess it served its purpose well then,” she answers, taking a deep breath.

“Exactly. I saved our asses. That’s all that matters.” I sit down beside Carl and close the door.

Meanwhile, Ricardo gets behind the wheel and glances at me over his shoulder. “You’re one lucky son of a bitch; you know that, right?”

I grin, feeling even more lucky as we drive away from this damned hospital. “You betcha.”

* * *

When we get to the church, I hop out of the car and help Mother out too. We dropped Carl off at his home where he’ll be taken good care of by his family. Ricardo helps Mother back inside the church while I grab the bags from the trunk.

“Thanks, dude,” I say as I walk in after him and drop them on the floor.

“Don’t mention it.” We give each other a bro-hug. “But … I consider the debt fully paid now,” he adds with a wink. “More like overpaid.”

I nod. “Got it.”

He turns around, but before he leaves, he asks, “We still on for that cookout next week?”

I grin. “Oh, yeah … it’s on.”

He smiles and waves as he leaves.

I bring my bag to my room. Meanwhile, Mother’s already waddled back to her room in the back. I bring her bag to her. “Here you go, Margaret.”

“Margaret?” She looks up at me with big eyes. “You never call me that.”

I frown as she approaches me and puts her hands on my shoulder. “You don’t like it?” I ask.

She straightens my jacket for me like she always does when she’s worried. “I like it when you call me Mother. It makes me feel useful.”

The warm smile on her face makes me happy, and I place my hand on top of hers and squeeze. “You’ll always be my mother.”

“Are you sure? Because it looks like you gained another one on the way.” She chuckles, and then eyes the door like I’m supposed to look. When I do, I notice Laura’s peeking through it all the way from the hallway.

“She’s quite the girl,” Mother whispers. “Feisty to the bone and sassy as can be.” She gently pats my cheeks. “Exactly my boy’s type.”

I snort. “She sure is … and quite the mother too.”

“I think you two will do well with Bruno …”

“You do?” I do value her opinion. A lot, actually.

“He’s just as spirited and courageous as you were when you were young,” she muses.

“Really?” A lopsided grin appears on my face.

“Of course, and you know what? I think they’re waiting for you.”

“But …” I grab her hand. “I can’t leave you alone in this huge place.”

She snorts. “Course you can. You did it before.”

I scratch the back of my neck. “True …”

“But those boys and that girl are actually a good reason.” She pats me on my cheeks again, this time even harder, making it feel like she’s trying to teach me a lesson.

“So you’re okay with …?”

“Course I am! Just go.” She twists me around and pushes me. “Be where you’re supposed to be.”

“But I’ll still come do the sermons …” I mutter.

“Yes, yes. But not today.” She gives me a surprising slap on the butt that stings a little. “Now go.”

“All right, all right,” I say, laughing a little.

Warmth fills my chest the moment I see Laura’s glinting smile as she greets me. “Hey.”

“Hi, yourself,” I muse, rolling my eyebrows until she laughs. “One sec, I have to grab my bag.”

“Okay,” she replies as I quickly run into my room and back to her again with my bags in hand. “Ready when you are.”

She playfully slaps my chest and says, “C’mon. They’re waiting.”

“They being ‘the boys,’ I assume?”

She folds her arms. “Who else? Besides, they asked why you weren’t at home.”

I put my arm around her shoulder as we turn and walk toward the exit. “You do realize you basically gave me the go-ahead to move in with you, right?”

She chuckles. “Like that was even up for debate.”

I pull her closer. “Now you’re getting it.”

I can’t stop grinning. The whole way we drive back to her place, I’m just goddamn happy. And that says something.

When I jump out of the car, Bruno’s peeking through the window with a big, fat smile on his face, shouting at his brother. He runs off and opens the door for us.

“Daddy!”

His face and the smile that follows as he runs out into the yard and into my arms are all I need.

I’m here.

I’m exactly where I belong.