Epilogue – Six Months Later

Macy stands hesitantly outside of Beca's bedroom, poking her head around the doorframe to look at her sister's sleeping figure. Even though Beca's back is to the door, Macy can hear the soft snores coming from her open mouth, and watches as the blankets over her slumped body rise and fall with each breath. She doesn't want to wake her up, but it's almost ten and if Macy wants to stay on schedule, they need to leave by eleven.

The younger of the two Mitchell sisters creeps into the room, the floorboards creaking as she approaches the bed. Over the past few months, the room has steadily gained more furniture, and with it, more clutter. Some of Beca's clothes are scattered around the floor, and her jewelry is nowhere near organized, but Macy's favorite part of the bedroom are the pictures that decorate both the walls and the surfaces of the bedside table and dresser. They've made many visits to the CVS down the street, each of them printing out more and more pictures to decorate the apartment.

Fully dressed and ready to go, Macy abandons any and all plans to quietly shake her sister from her sleep as she launches herself onto Beca's bed, the mattress bouncing in protest. "Happy birthday!"

If the sudden movement wasn't enough to wake Beca from her slumber, the screams of her sister sure is, with the older brunette's eyes flying open, only to see Macy hanging over her head. A slow grin breaks out on her face as the sleepy fog clears from her mind. "Well, good morning to you, too."

Macy lays on top of her sister, wrapping her arms around the teen and sighing deeper into the embrace as Beca pulls her own arm out from underneath the covers. "Happy birthday, Bec."

Beca presses a kiss into Macy's temple. "Thanks, kiddo. Did you sleep good?"

Macy pulls back, sitting back on her legs. "Yup. I let you sleep in as long as I could, but now you have to get up."

One of Beca's eyebrows quirks upwards. "Oh yeah? And why's that?"

Macy shakes her head. "Nope. Not telling. It's a surprise. But you have to get up and get ready." She pretends to lock her lips, biting back her mirth as Beca groans. "Come on, I promise you're gonna love it."

Beca flops back down on her pillow and pretends to put up a fight, but eventually, after Macy rips the covers off of her body, she rolls out of bed. Macy smiles gleefully at her, already dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, her loose curls tamed and pulled back in a thin headband. Her navy blue eyes are glistening as she watches Beca pull a towel from the closet and throw it over her shoulder. The corner of Beca's mouth tugs upwards, "Are you going to watch me take a shower, too?"

"Ew, no!" Macy rolls her eyes, "But you have to hurry. I don't want to miss the bus."

Beca's face scrunches in confusion. "Bus? Where do you think you're taking me?"

"It's a secret! Go get ready!"

Beca grumbles in feigned annoyance but crosses the hallway and closes the bathroom door behind her, nevertheless. As soon as Macy hears her turn on the water, she can't help but let out a squeal of excitement. Today is going to be amazing. She's been planning it for weeks, and she wants everything to be perfect. Beca deserves it. She deserves it more than anyone else in the world.

The last six months haven't been easy for anyone involved. They've been long, they've been emotional, they've been challenging, but somehow, both Beca and Macy came out on top. After seven years of seemingly losing every battle that they faced, this one, they were victorious, and thank goodness for that.

After Beca ended up in the hospital from Jack's assault, Meghan eventually caved and granted CR temporary guardianship of the Mitchell sisters. The social worker wasn't happy about it, that much was for sure, but she did it anyway. She later went on to help Beca become emancipated after hearing the suggestion come from Lisa Beale. They had lived with Cynthia Rose for three months before Beca started renting a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment a few floors down in the same building. While the emancipation was finalized, Macy still lived with CR full time, and Beca would spend every night there (without Meghan finding out). Both Macy and Beca worked to furnish the apartment – mostly where Macy would be sleeping so that Beca could get custody as soon as possible – and by the time the emancipation went through, Meghan was ready to grant Beca temporary custody of her sister.

It took another month before the courts were ready to make the arrangement official, and by the end of June, Beca and Macy and the friends that they have made over the last year, gathered in family court where Beca officially became Macy's legal guardian, and the twelve-year-old was no longer a ward of the state.

It was the happiest day of their lives.

Macy smiles to herself at the memory, remembering how both she and Beca had been nervous for the entire morning, even though it was unlikely that the judge would deny the petition. Meghan had practically guaranteed that it would go through, especially with the testimonies of Lisa and Kevin Beale, Cynthia Rose, and Michelle and Patrick Applebaum. They had a solid support system, and, besides that, Beca had been working her ass off to make sure everything would end in their favor. She worked extra hours, she kept her grades up, she got another part-time job at a radio station not too far from the diner, she made sure that Macy was happy and healthy, and most of all, she spent the majority of her free time talking with Meghan and the lawyer, and doing whatever needed to be done to make their dream a reality.

It amazed everyone that ever worked with the girls, especially considering they had been planning on having until the end of August to even start the process. Instead, they started while Beca as still in school finishing up her senior year, when she didn't have as much money saved as she would have liked, and when she was only seventeen.

But it had all worked out, just like Beca had always promised. The judge granted her custody, he signed the papers, and had declared Macy and Beca their own little family, freeing them from the confines of the foster care system for the rest of their lives. The girls had hugged each other for the longest time, neither one of them wanting to end the embrace and just relishing in the fact that it was all over, and that they would never be separated again. When they finally pulled apart, they were ambushed by their friends, who paused only long enough for the sisters to take a picture with the judge.

Macy works to clean up Beca's room, making her bed quickly and then throwing her dirty clothes into the hamper. As much as she loves her sister, she knows that cleaning is not at the top of her priority list – at least not her bedroom. Everything else in the apartment is usually pretty spotless, but, because of that, Beca's own room typically falls to the wayside. She pauses on her way out, admiring her handiwork, before turning off the bedroom light, and smiling even more when she hears her sister's melodic voice coming from the shower.

That has to be one of the best parts of everything that's happened over the last six months. Beca is singing again, and every time that Macy hears it, she just has to stop and listen. It's enchanting, even more so after not being able to hear her sister sing for more than seven years.

Unfortunately, Beca stops mid-song, turning the shower off, and once again the apartment is silent. Macy tries not to be disappointed and moves out of the hallway and into the living room, where she's already cleaned up. She wants to make it as easy as possible for everyone to come in today while they're out, which meant folding all of the blankets that were on the couch from their movie night last night, and also cleaning up the empty pizza box that Beca had left on the kitchen table with the intention of bringing it down to the dumpster this morning. Honestly, she had just been trying to keep herself busy waiting for her older sister to wake up. But now, as the excitement is building, she kind of wishes that she had waited.

It takes another half hour before Beca comes out of her bedroom, dressed and ready to go, even under the pressure of Macy shouting at her to hurry up every five minutes. Her curls are still slightly damp, but they fall free over her shoulders, and her boots clack against the hardwood as she walks down the hall. She grins as soon as she sees her sister draped over the arm of the couch. "Jeez, are you ready? I've only been waiting for hours."

Macy bolts upwards into a seated position. "Finally! I don't think you've ever taken so long to get ready."

Beca chuckles softly, grabbing her bag from the kitchen table. "You know, it is my birthday. You can't be mean to me on my birthday."

Macy hands her sister the key to the apartment, leading her to the door before there are any more distractions. "I'm going to start being mean if you don't hurry up! Let's gooooo!" She opens the door for Beca, practically pulling her out with her, before locking the door behind her. Macy keeps her hand in Beca's, dragging her down the hall as the older brunette can't keep herself from laughing.

"Mace, slow down, we have all day." They break out of the apartment building, but Macy doesn't slow. In fact, she keeps up the brisk pace as they near the bus stop. She pulls Beca even more when she sees the 23-bus approaching, stopping only when they are onboard and sitting beside each other in the seats. Beca turns to her with a smirk. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going now?"

Macy shakes her head, her leg bouncing up and down with excitement. "Nope. You'll find out when we get there."

Turning herself so that she can look at her vibrating sister, Beca can't help but smile to herself. Honestly, since they moved in with Cynthia Rose, she has been a whole new person. Then, when Beca finally got custody, it was like this switch flipped. She hasn't had a panic attack in months, and her nightmares are heading towards being nonexistent. Sometimes, Beca will just catch herself staring at Macy and the aura of happiness that seems to surround her. It's amazing, and Beca knows that she'll never get sick of it.

They are only on the bus for about twenty minutes before Macy declares it's time to get off. They both stand, clinging to the yellow posts set up around the seats, and Macy leads them off when the bus pulls up to the curb. Once out on the street, Beca takes a look around, vaguely recognizing the downtown area. Since it's the summer, it's incredibly busy, with families scattered about on the sidewalk, and people walking in and out of the various stores and restaurants that line the street.

Macy looks up to her, slipping her hand into Beca's. "Do you recognize it?"

Beca's eyebrows furrow slightly. "Should I?" This results in a small laugh coming from her younger sister instead of an answer, as they make their way further down the street of the quaint little area of Atlanta.

Although they walk silently beside each other, neither one of the Mitchell girls is complaining. There was once a time where they would be walking together, hand in hand, and a million things would be running through their minds. Whether it be about their foster parents, something going on with the kids at school, their foster home in general, a visit from Meghan – whatever – it typically caused them both plenty of stress. Now, they are perfectly content with just enjoying each other's company. They're both safe, they're happy, and the only thing on Beca's mind is where Macy is taking her.

They don't stop until they are standing outside of a small café on the corner of one of the side streets, both of them looking up at the awning with the café's logo in plain sight. Beca's mouth drops open with recognition, as Macy's grin grows. "How in the world did you remember this place?"

"I was looking for places to take you for breakfast. I saw this one and I don't know, I just remembered."

Beca slowly shakes her head in disbelief, looking inside at the small café. The few times that Beca and Macy went with their mom to visit their father at work, they would come here for lunch. It didn't matter what time of day it was, Beca would always get the same thing: stuffed French toast with cream cheese and strawberries. Her parents would always give her a hard time because she would eat every last bite – regardless of the fact that the meal could easily feed two. She has nothing but good memories about this place, and, even though Macy couldn't have been any older than four the last time they came here, apparently, she does, too.

Macy gives her sister's hand a small tug, her heart swelling as she sees the remembrance in Beca's eyes. "And, I even checked. They still have the French toast that you used to get."

"Oh Mace, this is… this is perfect, munch." Beca brings her sister into her chest, planting a teary kiss on top of her curls. "Thank you, so much."

After giving Beca a tight hug, Macy pulls away, bringing them into the café. "That's not all. Come on."

While Beca is caught up looking at the familiar décor and inhaling the strong smell of coffee and breakfast foods, Macy instantly spots the familiar redhead in one of the corner tables. Chloe looks up from her phone, waving at the two of them, before standing from her seat. She waits patiently for Macy to lead Beca over, who grins in surprise as soon as she lays eyes on her girlfriend. "What are you doing here?!"

Chloe chuckles, bringing the brunette in for a hug of her own. Both girls smile into each other's necks, feeling the extreme comfort that comes from being in the other's arms. "Happy birthday, baby."

Beca pulls her head away so that she can meet Chloe's lips, getting the same butterflies in her stomach as she did the first time she saw her. "Mmm… thank you." Beca had thought that they weren't supposed to be seeing each other until later tonight when Chloe was scheduled to be coming over for a game night – the one thing that Beca had asked for her birthday: just a night with her two favorite girls in the world. Luckily for Chloe, though, she and Macy have been in cahoots for the last few weeks planning the whole day for Beca, including the brunch.

Chloe has been Beca's rock since she was in those hospitals all those months ago. True to her word, Chloe never once left Beca or Macy's side through the entire ordeal. She was Beca's shoulder to cry on when the emancipation proceedings and the custody petition got too overwhelming; she was there for the long, tear-filled nights and moments where Beca thought she wouldn't be able to do it. She was there to keep Beca focused so that she could finish her classes and graduate in June. She was there for every meeting with Meghan and the lawyers, trying to help her girlfriend make sense of the legal jargon. She was there to help with buying furniture and moving into the apartment. But, most of all, she was there as Beca's best friend and as her girlfriend, never failing to remind the brunette how amazing she is for taking this all on, and Beca doesn't know if she'll ever be able to properly thank her for it.

Giving her girlfriend one last peck on the lips, Beca separates from Chloe, taking her by the hand as Macy brings them over to the table that Chloe has already claimed. She sits in the middle chair, with Chloe on one side and Macy on the other, just as Macy finishes settling in. "Sorry it took us so long, someone wanted to take her sweet time getting ready."

Beca rolls her eyes (she really hadn't taken that long), while Chloe shakes her head in feigned admonishment, never once releasing Beca's hand. "Wow, the one time you have somewhere to be, you care about how you look?"

"You know, I take offense to that!"

Both Chloe and Macy laugh, with Chloe bringing her lips to Beca's hand. "Oh, I'm just kidding, Bec. You always look great."

"Okay, okay, come on. Enough with all the lovey-dovey, there are people trying to eat!" Macy exclaims, but there is no fear behind her statement.

It's almost as if, all Macy needed, was to have a stable and loving environment to live in. Since moving in with CR and then Beca, many of the fears that came from living with the Barry's seemed to drift. While they still present themselves occasionally, it is much easier for the younger brunette to accept that what happened, happened, and that it is in the past. Now, she embraces her sister's relationship, and has grown to love Chloe like another sister, especially after how helpful she was when Beca was in the hospital and then when they were going through all of the legal processes and everything else. Best of all, she makes her sister happy, which is just about all that Macy can ask for.

Brunch is a festive and bubbly affair filled with laughs, jokes, and good food. The meal is similar to the many dinners and lunches and even breakfasts that the trio has had in the apartment since Beca and Macy moved in. Especially since school ended, Chloe is over at the apartment almost every day, wanting to spend as much time with Beca as possible until she moves into Barden in the fall.

Although both girls are dreading the time when Chloe is living a little over a half-hour away and starting her college career, they are both equally as certain that they will be okay. It's not that long of a trip, and Chloe has promised to come back frequently to visit – as well as extending the invitation to Beca (and obviously Macy) that they are more than welcome to come and hang out in between classes. They've both been through a lot of ups and downs together, and this one is minute in comparison to some of the others.

Chloe loves Beca, and Beca loves Chloe. They'll make it work.

Unbeknownst to Beca, throughout their brunch, both Macy and Chloe have been checking the time and making sure that they aren't eating too fast. But, by the time all three of them have naturally finished eating and Chloe pays the bill, it is far past the earliest time that they could return to the apartment. They head out to where Chloe's car is parked in one of the parking lots, before driving back towards their apartment building.

The trio slowly makes their way up the stairs, all three of them full to the point of bursting. Chloe pulls on Beca's hand, bringing her to the landing. "Come on, old lady. You're almost there."

Beca moans, "I don't remember ever feeling this full when I was a kid."

"We told you not to eat the whole thing," Macy jokes as they walk down the end of the hallway where their apartment is located.

Beca waves her off, reaching for the key from her back pocket with her free hand. She puts it in the lock, with both Chloe and Macy exchanging a brief smile behind her back. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You both are so –"

"SURPRISE!"

Beca staggers back in shock, her mind struggling to quickly comprehend the current state of her apartment. Surrounded by balloons of various colors, with streamers hanging from the ceiling, are the people that have quickly become a second family to the Mitchell sisters. Cynthia Rose is at the center, bent over and holding onto Roxy's collar and grinning as she takes in her friend's expression. Aubrey and Stacie are standing behind her, clapping with the rest of the people in the room and letting out a short – but loud – 'woot, woot!' Benji is there with his parents, Michelle and Patrick, and to the left are Lisa and Kevin, fondly watching the three girls enter the apartment.

"What – how –" Beca turns around to face both her sister and her girlfriend, both of whom are high fiving and loving how shocked the brunette is. She holds her hands out in a questioning expression, waiting for someone to answer her.

Chloe laughs, pointing to the young girl beside her. "It was all Macy's idea, I just helped organize."

Holding back tears, Beca reaches out for her sister, hugging her tightly as soon as she feels Macy's arms around her hips. She presses a kiss into the top of her head, running her hands over the girl's curls. "This is pretty amazing, Mace."

Macy looks up at her, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just wanted to do something special for you, after everything that you've done for me. For us."

"Oh, Mace," Beca shakes her head in disbelief, not even hiding the fact that a tear rolls down her cheek. She gives her sister another kiss, this time on her forehead, before saying, "I love you so much, kid. Thank you."

Macy gives her a small smile, before walking over to greet their guests, while Chloe makes her way over to Beca. "I can't believe you kept this a secret from me."

Chloe shrugs, smirking at the way Beca's lip is sticking slightly out in a pout. "I'd do it again if it meant I got to see that look on your face for a second time."

"Ha-ha." Beca wraps her arms around Chloe's waist, pulling the redhead closer. "I don't know how I got so lucky."

They both lean in for a chaste – albeit meaningful – kiss, before Chloe says, "Funny, I wonder that same thing every day."

Breaking away from their embrace, Beca turns to the crowd gathered in her kitchen. With Roxy free from CR's grasp and being distracted by Macy, Beca brings the older woman in for a hug, rocking slightly from side to side. "Were you surprised?"

Beca rolls her eyes, "Did I look surprised? I thought you were working!"

"You really think I would've missed your eighteenth birthday? Not a chance, Bec." CR shrugs, pulling away from the brunette. "Plus, I'm pretty sure both Macy and Red would've killed me if I didn't come."

Chloe perks up from behind Beca. "Oh, for sure."

Beca turns to the Applebaum family, laughing as Benji brings her in for his own hug. "Happy birthday, Beca."

Beca ruffles the boys hair. It's amazing how close he and Macy have gotten since that one lunch back in October. Now that it's the summer, Macy spends many afternoons over at his house while Beca is working, and they never seem to get sick of each other. They are both over the moon that they'll be attending the same school next year – and for the rest of Macy's middle and high school career. "Thanks, Benji. How long have you been in on this?"

Benji shrugs as Beca moves on to Michelle and Patrick – both of whom testified on her behalf during her emancipation and custody hearings, and who helped the Mitchell sisters move in when they got the apartment. "Eh, only a couple of days, but my parents knew about it for longer. Macy doesn't think that I can keep a secret."

Beca stifles a laugh as she accepts the birthday well-wishes from his parents, thanking them for being there, before moving to the other side of the room where Lisa and Kevin are. Beca never thought that she would appreciate a pair of adults as much as she appreciates Chloe's parents. Besides being completely supportive of her relationship with their daughter, and equally as supportive of Beca's plans to emancipate herself and get custody of Macy, neither Lisa nor Kevin ever wavered in being there for the Mitchell sisters. They, too, testified on Beca's behalf, as well as helped her with much of the paperwork, helped her pay for some of the furniture in the apartment, and have offered countless pieces of advice over the last six months. They often go over to Chloe's house for dinner, and between the meal and the games, movies, or entertainment that typically follow, neither one of the Mitchell sisters has ever been made to feel unwelcomed. Beca – and Macy – have grown to love the parents of the Beale family, and while they'll never replace Warren and Amelia, Beca is grateful to have some form of parental support that she has lacked for so many years.

"Thank you for coming, guys, it means a lot."

Both Lisa and Kevin wave the sentiment off, with Kevin clapping her on the shoulder. "We wouldn't have missed it."

Lisa gives Beca a soft smile, the same one that has brought the brunette comfort countless times over the last six months. "Of course, love. What Macy said was right; you deserve to celebrate more than anyone."

"Thanks, Lisa." Beca grasps her hand briefly, before moving further into the kitchen where Aubrey and Stacie are waiting.

As senior year came to a close, and along with it came all of the festivities – from prom, to the senior field trip, to the senior banquet and graduation – Beca became relatively close to Chloe's best friends. They spent quite a bit of time together, both in school and outside of it, and Beca has grown to care for the two, as have they for Beca.

After giving Beca their obligatory 'happy birthdays' and hugs, Aubrey juts her chin in the direction of where Chloe is on the ground with Macy and Roxy, all three of them looking like they're having a blast already. "It killed her to keep this a secret from you."

Stacie nods in agreement, "Oh, yeah, she called us as soon as Macy asked her for help. We honestly didn't think she'd be able to make it."

Beca glances over at Chloe, a smile appearing on her face just like it always does whenever she thinks of her girlfriend. "Well, they got me. That's for sure."

Between the music, the conversation, the food, and just the act of celebrating, the afternoon quickly turns to night, with the sun setting behind the clouds and painting the Atlanta sky with a pinkish tint. It always amazes Beca how fast a day can go by when you're with the people you love, having fun.

Now equally as full from the pizza and cake as she was from brunch this morning, Beca makes her way into the living room where Macy and Benji are setting up a game of Monopoly on the coffee table. Roxy is curled up on the floor beside Macy, who hasn't really left the dog's side all day, and Benji looks just as wired from all the sugar as Beca feels.

Beca lays her hand on top of Macy's head, tilting it so that they can meet each other's gaze. "Having fun?"

Macy grins. "Yup, you?"

Beca nods, "Sure am."

Benji barely looks up from where he's sorting out the various cards. "Do you want to play, Beca?"

Catching a certain redhead's eye from across the room, Beca motions for her to come join them. Chloe practically skips from the kitchen, wrapping her hand around Beca's waist as soon as she's by her side. "Sure, deal Chloe in, too."

Chloe's face lights up. "Ooo! What are we playing?"

"Monopoly, and, rumor has it, you have to let the Birthday Girl have all of the good properties."

"Hm, I've never heard of that rule before." Chloe shakes her head, not being able to get over how content Beca seems to be. As much as these last six months have been difficult, Chloe wouldn't have wanted to spend them with anyone else. She never really believed that she would be able to love someone as ferociously as she loves Beca and can't even imagine what her life would be like if Beca and Macy hadn't shown up at Barden all those months ago. One thing is for sure, she wouldn't be as happy as she is right now.

Beca leads Chloe over to their couch, pulling her down onto the cushion with her. She wraps her arm around the redhead, with Chloe leaning against her chest as Benji and Macy continue to set up the game. They interlace their fingers, with Chloe tilting her head so that she can meet her favorite pair of navy blue orbs. Her lips stretch into a smile. "Hi."

Beca looks down at her, taking in every aspect of the girl leaning against her. The girl who, without a doubt, saved her more than once. The girl who, without a doubt, has made Beca's life ten times better than it ever could have been without her in it. "Hello."

Chloe relaxes in Beca's hold. "So, what do you think? Best birthday ever?"

There isn't any hesitation in Beca's answer as she leans down to press a kiss into Chloe's forehead, the redhead's eyelashes fluttering closed at her touch. "Oh, for sure."

When Chloe opens her eyes, she watches as Beca glances around the room. The brunette flicks her eyes from where Cynthia Rose is sitting at the table with Aubrey and Stacie, undoubtedly talking about the murder-mystery show they've all been watching on Netflix. She looks to where Lisa and Kevin, and Michelle and Patrick are in the kitchen cleaning up the dishes, laughing about something that Beca can't even imagine. She turns to Macy, perfectly content with sitting on the floor with her best friend, chatting a mile a minute while Benji watches her like she's saying the most interesting thing in the entire world. Briefly, her eyes land on the two framed pictures that are on the television console: the one of her parents that has followed them around from foster home to foster home, watching over Macy as she slept, and one of Beca and Macy in the courtroom on the day of the custody hearing, when Beca was signing the guardianship papers and Macy was leaning over her shoulder, grinning as the ink dried on the solid black line.

"You okay, babe?"

Finally, Beca looks back down at Chloe Beale, the girl that, without a doubt, has made her life thousands of times better than it ever could have been, just by being herself. The girl that saved Beca from herself on more than one account, who has accepted every single part of the brunette's life without question or hesitation, and, above all else, has loved Beca harder than anyone ever thought was possible.

Beca barely manages to get the words out, just completely amazed at where her life has taken her; from her parents' death, all the way to now, sitting with the most amazing girl in the world, and watching as her sister is both safe and happy. It's hard to imagine that there was a time where it was just Beca and Macy, because as Beca looks around at her apartment, surrounded by all of these people, she knows full well that they wouldn't be here without them. "I've never been better."

The End

Well folks, over 150k words later and we've finally reached the end. I could not be more grateful for all of you and the support you've given me and this story since the beginning. I had no idea if anyone was going to read this, especially since the movies came out so long ago, but I have continuously been blown away by your engagement with the story and the characters. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me. You all are amazing and I couldn't have done this without you.

I am hoping to have the first chapter of the sequel, It Takes a Village, posted on Sunday (Tuesday at the latest). As I mentioned in Chapter 25, this story will begin a few months after this chapter and we'll get to see the new dynamics of Beca and Macy's relationship and how Beca and Chloe manage being at two different stages of their lives. We'll see old friends, meet new friends, see some healing, some growing, and of course, a little drama along with way. I hope you'll take a look at it once it's published.

As I said above, thank you so much for your continued support. I hope you're all staying safe, and I'll see you with the first chapter of It Takes a Village :)