"DEBORAH, just leave her alone, yeah? She's only trying her best for them all, and it can't be easy for her sometimes."

"She does. She's just…" Her voice fades away.

"Very KYOLINE?"

DEBORAH grins at him. "Yeah, exactly." And with that, he opens the door and leads L'OREAL up the stairs, with DAMON and DEBORAH following on behind.

DEBORAH rushes straight to her bedroom, and twenty minutes have elapsed before he's succeeded in getting L'OREAL and DAMON into bed.

"Is KY coming home to take them to school?"

L'OREAL sleeps from under where she's burrowed into her pink down comforter.

"He doesn't know." He doesn't wish to lie.

"Will you...