Page 37 of Tarek

I smiled. "It is. I'm mated to a Dragonii sheriff on New Haven, and I'm going to be his deputy."

Saying it still gave me a little thrill. Not because I wanted to impress strangers, but because it was real. It was happening. I wasn't simply escaping a life that had fallen apart. I was moving toward one I'd chosen for myself and my children.

"Well, I'll be," the cashier said. "A deputy sheriff on another planet. That's one for the books."

"That's what I thought," I replied.

The boys beamed as though I'd personally been responsible for inventing space travel. I paid for the drinks and snacks we'd picked up, made sure everyone had used the bathroom, and took Skye for a short walk before we climbed back into the car.

From Port St. John, we continued toward Titusville. Before heading to the testing center, I needed to stop at the boys' school and make their withdrawal official. I had already decided that there was no point putting them through another school day when we were leaving, but I wanted their teachers to have the chance to say goodbye, and I needed to make sure their records would follow them.

When we arrived, I parked and helped Evan and Matt out of the car. They knew we were going to the testing center afterward, but I explained that we had one last stop to make first.

"Do we have to go to school today now? I thought we were going on the flying saucer!" Matt asked, looking at the building with understandable suspicion.

"Not for lessons," I assured him. "We need to tell everyone you're moving, and you can say goodbye to your teachers and friends."

Evan's expression grew thoughtful. "Are we going to a different school on New Haven?"

I laughed. "Yes, you’ll have to go to school. Video school first, then you'll go to the new school they're building once it's finished and the teacher comes."

Inside, the school secretary looked surprised when I explained that the boys were withdrawing because we were relocating to New Haven. I gave her the details for the Titusville Mylos and Dragonii Testing Center and asked her to forward their records there. She had questions, naturally, and I did my best to answer what I could without getting into more than we needed to discuss at the front desk.

"That's quite a move," she said, still looking startled. "Are you sure this is all happening today?"

"It is," I said. "We're leaving this morning."

She glanced at the boys, then back at me. "Well, we'll make sure their records are sent over as quickly as possible."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

We went to their classrooms so they could collect the things they'd left behind and say goodbye. Their teachers were kind, though I could see the surprise on their faces when they realized the move was happening so soon. Evan's teacher gave him a hug and wished him luck at his new school, while Matt's teacher told him she expected him to keep asking questions wherever he went. The boys were quieter than they'd been at breakfast, and I understood. This was one of the last familiar places they'd see before everything changed.

I waited while they said goodbye to their friends, answered a few questions, and collected their belongings. When we finally walked back to the car, Evan held his school things close to his chest, and Matt had gone quiet. I put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"You okay?"

Evan nodded, though his eyes were a little shiny. "I think so."

Matt leaned against me. "I'll miss my friends. I only just made these ones after leaving my other friends at our old home."

"I know, buddy. It's okay to miss them, but you'll make new friends, too. There'll be kids who are human and kids who are Dragonii, and some will be moving there after us just like we are, while some might already be there, but we won't be moving away again, so you'll get to keep the friends you make."

Matt looked up at me. "There'll be Dragonii kids?"

"Of course."

"And human kids, too?"

"Yes, buddy. You'll have plenty of children to get to know."

He seemed to consider that for a moment, then his face brightened. "So we won't be the only new kids?"

"Nope. There'll be plenty of people starting over, just like us."

That seemed to make a difference. Matt straightened, his sadness easing as he began imagining the children he might meet. Evan looked thoughtful, too, and I was grateful for the reminder that moving to New Haven wasn't just about leaving things behind. It was about finding somewhere we could belong.

I helped them into the car, made sure Laura was still comfortable, and drove the last short stretch to the testing center.