Do you trust me?

The first orb was high in the morning sky. Seth was still stirring, not fully awake.

"Gi-Gi?" he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Why are you in my room?"

He paused, noticing her unease.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes and no," she replied softly, settling on the foot of his bed. She crossed her legs, smoothing the folds of her robes, buying herself time to choose her words. Turning her head slightly away, she spoke.

"How attached are you to that?"

She didn’t turn back around—she just waited.

Seth, half-awake, instinctively twirled the chain around his neck, fingers brushing over the rings. “Oh—this? You mean the rings? Well…”

His cheeks colored. He hadn't realized she’d noticed how often he fidgeted with it.

"Attached? I guess… since Tamera’s been missing, I’ve just… I keep it close. It reminds me of her."

His voice dropped as he looked down at the necklace, then back up. “Grandmother… what is this about?”

"Do you mind if I hold it for a while?" she asked gently. “I promise I’ll give it back.”

“If you could tell me why you want it…” he said hesitantly. “Then sure.”

“Not the whole necklace—just her ring.”

Seth’s hand clenched around the chain instinctively, the rings digging into his palm.

“It’s okay,” Gi-Gi whispered, her hand resting lightly over his. “I promise I’ll return it soon.”

His grip loosened.

“I trust you, Gi-Gi.”

“Thank you for trusting me,” she said—and just like that, she vanished.

“Wait!” he called, sitting up straight. He could kick himself—he’d forgotten to ask the real question on his mind.

A voice, not hers, echoed in the silence.

"I have a lead on your beloved Tamera."

Seth’s heart skipped a beat.

---

Meanwhile, Charlene was wide awake and redecorating her room—or more accurately, trying to stop ReNew from decorating it.

“ReNew, a shag rug? Really? This isn’t the seventies!” she groaned, rubbing her temples. “And why is it bright green?!”

“That’s my favorite color!” ReNew said cheerfully.

“Since when?! Do we like this color?” Charlene threw her hands up in frustration.

“Why can’t I have something I like in here, too? I live here!” ReNew huffed, holding up the offensive rug.

“Fine, keep the ugly rug!”

But it didn’t end there.

ReNew dramatically pulled out a matching lamp covered in lime green rhinestones.

“Okay, now you’re just trying to be difficult on purpose!”

“What are you talking about?”

Charlene’s eyes widened in horror as ReNew added multicolored shag pillows to the mix.

“Please stop the subliminal sabotage!” she begged. “You know how much I hate shag. And fluffy things. And—wait—don’t you dare…”

ReNew pulled out a massive Hello Kitty stuffed animal. “Whatever do you mean?” she said, feigning innocence.

“That’s it! You’re dead!”

Charlene lunged, snatching a pillow from her hand and swinging it with all the fury of a woman betrayed. Feathers and plush cotton flew into the air. ReNew shrieked and retaliated with the Hello Kitty.

Seth burst into the room at the sound of chaos. “What in the—Charlene?!”

She froze mid-swing, surrounded by feathers, stuffing, glitter, and—at his feet—a headless Hello Kitty. Lime green rhinestones sparkled across the floor.

He stepped on one.

“Aha—OW!” he shouted, hopping in pain.

“I don’t even want to hear it!” Seth barked through clenched teeth. “Figure it out. No one leaves this room until it’s cleaned up.”

He stormed off toward the kitchen. “It is way too early for this! I haven’t even had my coffee yet! Fix it, girls!”

“Sorry, Dad!” they called out after him, voices sheepish.

“Don’t be sorry,” he shouted down the hall. “Be clean!”

Charlene turned back to ReNew, her irritation giving way to concern.

“What is going on with you?” she asked. “Please talk to me. Issa’s on his way. I want to show him my room.”

ReNew crossed her arms. “Your room?” she echoed, voice sharp. “You mean our room? Our life? You’re so selfish!”

She plopped to the floor, sending another puff of feathers into the air.

Charlene stared, stunned.

It hit her then—how deeply she could feel the emotions of all the Fates. How had she missed this?

ReNew wasn’t just acting out.

She was feeling left out.

Charlene lowered herself to the floor beside her.

“I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m listening. Talk to me.”

“When you were swimming with Issa,” ReNew asked softly, “did you think about me?”

Charlene hesitated. “I… no, I didn’t.”

“When you found the whirlpool—did you think, hey, let me get ReNew, she’d like this?”

Again, “No… I didn’t.”

“And when you went whitewater rafting?”

“…No. I didn’t think of that either.”

“Exactly,” ReNew muttered. “You didn’t think.”

Charlene sighed. “ReNew… you’re always there. Everything I experience, you see it through my eyes. You feel what I feel, right?”

“That’s not the point!” ReNew snapped, rolling her eyes. “We’ve been inseparable the past few weeks. We talk about everything. Do everything together. And then… you just forgot me.”

ReNew looked her in the eye.

“Tell me the truth. Since I got hurt… have things changed?”

“No,” Charlene said firmly. “Don’t think like that. If I’ve been distant… it’s not intentional. I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings.”

She placed a hand over ReNew’s.

“I’d never leave you out on purpose. I guess I’ve just been… overprotective. I still feel guilty that you got hurt. That I didn’t get to you fast enough.”

She paused, voice softer.

“I’m working through it. But please, be patient with me. I promise—I’ll never leave you out again. Ride or die?”

ReNew smiled through her tears. “Ride or die, Char.”

---

“Hello?” a voice called from the hallway.

Charlene’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh no! The room is a disaster!”

Both girls jumped to their feet. Charlene grabbed ReNew’s hand, eyes glowing with resolve.

“My room,” she whispered.

In a blink, the chaos vanished.

In its place stood her bedroom—restored just like it had been on Earth. Warm, nostalgic, and filled with ‘90s charm.

ReNew blinked. “We are—”

Charlene cut her off.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “I want him to meet you.”

“You sure?”

“Of course.”

They hugged, feathers still clinging to their clothes, but both smiling now—for real this time.