Josefina was nibbling on a bagel when she heard Annika on the phone, her eyes lighting up with laughter.
“Annika, you’re such a rock star!”
Annika, fueled by the praise, felt an energy boost like no other.
“Ms. Josefina, I’ll let you go now. I need to keep a close watch and stay on top of things!”
After hanging up, Josefina settled back into her meal with Oliver.
At the dinner table, Grandpa Robert chimed in, “Josie, Oliver, your grandma and I have decided to head back home. Your mom will stay here with you for now.”
With all the recent chaos, Grandpa Robert was uneasy about leaving their home unattended.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, you should go back to check things out. Don’t worry about me. I’m safe here, especially with Logan around to watch over me. You’re needed back there to keep things running smoothly.”
Josefina felt a twinge of worry too, knowing they’d be better prepared if anything went wrong.
Eventually, Grandpa Robert and Grandma Emily took Hattie and headed home. If anything went south on Josefina’s end, they’d rush back in no time.
Once they’d left, Josefina perched on the porch swing, with Logan gently pushing her from behind.
“Sensei, this place isn’t like Green Valley. Green Valley doesn’t have any bad guys.”
Josefina glanced up at the cloudy sky, her voice soft, “This place has my family, my friends, and my career. It’s hard for me to just leave. Logan, you can go back and visit. Your mentors will look after you, and your friends are there too.”
Logan stopped pushing the swing, crouching beside Josefina like a loyal, wounded puppy.
“Sensei, I’m not leaving. Wherever you are, that’s where I’m meant to be.”
Josefina paused, her voice gentle, “Logan, do you remember when I pulled you out of that abandoned lab?”
Logan shivered slightly, a deep-rooted fear bubbling up.
It was as if every day, every moment, he felt trapped in that place, enduring endless torment.
“Sensei, don’t be upset. I’ll try to remember, I’ll give it a shot right now.”
“Logan, I’m not upset. If you can’t remember, that’s okay. The cook made some stew; let’s go enjoy it.”
At the mention of food, Logan perked up instantly, happily tagging along with Josefina to enjoy a hearty stew.
...
Taking advantage of Logan’s afternoon nap, Josefina drove to the lab.
Percy was there too, and upon hearing of Josefina’s arrival, he quickly came out, worried the lab environment might be harmful to her during her pregnancy.
Seated in the office, Josefina reviewed the report Percy laid out before her.
“According to the test results, there’s no connection between the Cole family and any parasites. Their bodies are completely clean, no signs of any parasitic presence.”

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