Page 122 of According to Plan

“I don’t know if looking forward hits right anyway,” said Nylan. “That’s our whole brand, right? We’re pretty forward-thinking in what we do.”

“Yeah, what if we do something more about where we want to go?” posed Parker. “Now that we’re allMixxedMediaall the time. Like… Conjuring Our Creations.”

“That sounds a little Halloween-y,” said Kodi. “But yeah, we need something epic to let people know we’re here to stay.”

“That we’re afamily,” Emerson said. She blew a raspberry at Mal before dipping down to press a cheeky kiss to their sweater-clad shoulder.

Mal grinned as the conversation progressed, and then raised their own hand. With the other, they gave Emerson’s thigh a gentle squeeze. It was warm and present and just right beneath their palm.

They said, “I was thinking we could try ‘Cultivating Our Community.’?”

And around them, the room filled with the joyful noise of making things together.