Kayla and Hope
Kayla still had to decide if she'd change her last name, but right now she was leaning more towards yes. Embrace the full spectrum of complications with the name to show it. She hadn't noticed any less animosity between her dad and Uncle Marcel, though Kayla hadn't been paying attention. But less animosity sounded good because those two made mean girls look like puppies some days. And really, she liked Uncle Marcel. He treated Auntie Bex well and had accepted Kayla in the form she was and not hoping she'd be Davina Claire.
She pulled out her phone. "Yes. Though I think Chessie got a hold of my phone. Your name is now witch's hat, vampire, wolf...and for some reason a cloud." Kayla changed Hope's name back to Hope. "Thank you." That Hope would stick up for her made Kayla feel more like she belonged to their family than anything else. "I appreciate constructive criticism." If anyone ever said anything about Hope's work, well...Kayla might be human, but she knew how to cut someone down to size.
"I can." And if she couldn't, well, Kayla would cross that bridge eventually. She would enjoy these few weeks of freedom.
"Your mom was really nice, Hope. I'm sorry I didn't get to know her better, obviously, but you deserve more time with her." Kayla knew how it felt to lose a mom. Deeply. And she wished Hope didn't also know the feeling. "You still kept the food delicious and going. Your mom knew what she was doing." Kayla gave her cousin a comforting squeeze. "Augh. I don't know how Aunt Alyssa managed to take on this event while still keeping up with everything else. I just have school and one shift at the art store a week and it feels like so much some days."