All her life, Lola never had a place where she truly felt at home. With Loren—sure. But since then, there hadn't been a place she could safely call her own. Not with the Youngs, where she never felt safe. She had even searched for it in the deepest hell of the underground, but found nothing.
Strangely enough, in all those places, people easily threw around the word family. Yet hearing it only made her question whether that was truly what family meant.
So it felt utterly strange to hear, "Welcome home, Lola," and for the first time, feel that it was sincere.
It felt like home… and yet, she barely knew these people. This was her first time meeting most of them in person, but her heart knew right away. Her long search for a home was over.
She was home.
A place she knew she could go to, even — or rather, especially — on her worst days. She didn't want to think too far ahead or make assumptions, but she couldn't help it.
