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”Welcome to the Boiling Isles! Watch your step!”
Luz stepped back through the door to find her friends and family waiting for her. It was a parting gift from the Collector. They stayed in the Boiling Isles just long enough to clean up his own mess before taking off back to the stars, but granted his best friend’s big sister something she desperately needed, and this was her first test.
”It works!” She said, hugging her mom.
”¡Maravillosa!” Said Camila, “Now we can finally go home, and you can come back whenever you like; for school, for your friends, and for your novia.” She glanced over at Amity with a smile.
”But before you go,” said Amity, “how would you like to come to my place for a farewell dinner?”
”That sounds good on paper,” said Luz, “but will it be…hospitable?”
”Don’t worry,” said Amity, “Ed and Em have been keeping me up to date. Last night, Odalia was cleared out of the manor for good. Also, I meant to tell you before we knew you and Hunter switched places, Dad meant to tell you that you’re always welcome in our home.”
“Wow, I’m sorry I missed that.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just come over by 7:00 and bring your mom, Vee, and your Owl family if possible.”
”Well, far be it for me to turn down a free meal,” said Eda, with King nodding in agreement.
”Go ahead and spend the day here, mija,” said Camila. “I’m going to go back to our house and check on Vee. I’m also going to need to wear something a little nicer if I’m meeting your girlfriend’s family.”
“Hasta luego mamá,” said Luz.
Camila hugged Luz and her daughter before stepping through the portal.
Later that night, Luz, Camila, Eda, and King stood outside the front entrance to Blight Manor. Vee was relieved her family and friends were okay, but still wasn’t ready to come back to the Demon Realm. Lilith was intrigued at the invitation, but ultimately stayed behind with Hooty. Luz and Eda had their Grom outfits while Camila had on a tasteful blouse, skirt, and jacket. King traded in his usual collar for a bow tie.
Eda knocked and Alador opened the door. “Ah, you’re here. Welcome. Please come in.” The two former classmates exchanged a curt nod as the Owl Lady and her son stepped through the door. Then, Luz and her mother stepped forward, and Alador held out his hand. “It’s good to see you again, Luz. And you must be Camila. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter when she was in the Human Realm. Mittens speaks very highly of you.”
Camila smiled and shook his hand politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, sir.”
”Luz! You made it!” Amity, wearing a dress similar to her Mighty Mittens disguise, came running in and interlocked her fingers with Luz’s as they shared a kiss. “Ed and Em have been helping me all day with this meal.”
”You and Emira have become quite adept in the kitchen since the Day of Unity,” said Alador, scratching the back of his head. “I must confess I’m a terrible chef.”
”I had a good teacher,” said Amity, smiling at Camila.
The Blight family’s dining room table was set up with quite the smorgasbord, the majority of which was suitable for human consumption. Edric and Emira brought out the food a few courses at a time. The tips of Edric’s hair appeared to be singed.
”So Camila,” inquired Alador, “what is your profession in the Human Realm?”
”I’m a veterinarian,” Camila answered. “That’s a healer who specializes in animals.”
”Kinda like my friend Viney,” said Emira.
“And you looked after four witchlings in addition to your own daughters for two months all by yourself,” said Alador. “That’s admirable.”
”Those kids were a world away from home and had no one to turn to,” said Camila. “They needed someone to look after them…some more so than others.” She hadn’t meant that as an insult to her host…but she could see the comment stung him. King and Eda let out an audible wince, and Alador’s expression saddened.
”For years, I wasn’t the father my children deserved. It would be easy to blame my wife for most of that, but I’m afraid much of my negligence was my own fault as well…I'm truly sorry for all of it, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make it up to them.”
”It’s about time,” Eda muttered under her breath.
“It means a lot that you’re trying, Dad,” said Amity.
Alador's smile returned, and the families resumed eating.
Later, once the meal was finished, Alador once again thanked their guests for coming, and reiterated that both Luz and her mother would always be welcome at the Manor. Camila and the Clawthornes, saw themselves out, but Luz stayed behind with Amity a moment.
"So...I guess this is good-"
"-night," interrupted Amity, placing a finger over her girlfriend's lips. "This...is goodnight. It's like you already told me. You may have to return to your life in the Human Realm, but you'll always come back to the Isles, back to me..."
"And that's a promise I intend to keep," Luz said with a smile.
"But until then," Amity reached into her dress pocket, pulling out a newly repaired tamagotchi, "at least we can keep in touch."
Luz was amazed. "You fixed it?!"
"My Dad fixed it. He's been saving it for when I came home. Should work between realms, just like your phone did before the old portal was destroyed."
Luz threw her arms around her girlfriend. "I'm still gonna miss you."
"Same. But don't worry, we'll be visiting each other again before you know it."
"I love you."
"I love you too. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
And with one last long kiss, the girlfriends parted. Luz and Camila then followed Eda and King back to the Owl House, and their portal home.