A day later.
We arrived safe and sound back in Stella territory. Leo wanted me to stay in the hospital in the Russian pack for longer but I insisted that we made it back for Silas's birthday. I wasn't willing to miss any more of my children's life than I already had. When he was finished with his little rendezvous with the nurse, Max was also eager to get back to his family- to be specific, his sister.
In the back of the taxi from the airport, he clutched the amulet for the whole journey.
"Can you stop that?" I asked pushing his jittering knee back down the floor. "My three year old can sit still longer than you."
"Sorry," he replied. "I'm just reallyyy excited."
"I know. So am I," I said softly. "But for the love of God, you're 27! Sit still!"