Now for Chris’s other best friend: Makena! She also made an appearance alongside Lorrie in 2020′s Halloween comic.

Makena is an inventive and inquisitive kid who often looks to the stars. She finds space utterly beautiful and wants to be an astronomer when she grows up. While Lorrie acts on her emotions and Chris gets overwhelmed by his, Makena stops and thinks before she does anything. Chris asks her for advice on everything, even when it’s something that Makena isn’t skilled in, just because he trusts her judgment that much. Makena often holds herself back from taking risks because she doesn’t want to be hurt or grossed out, or because she predicts that something will go wrong. Lorrie and Chris teach her that it’s OK to take risks, and that sometimes things that go wrong… are better!

Makena’s parents, Ione and Giuseppe, are proud of their daughter and her interest in science. They had also expected her older brother, Cosimo, to be a future STEM major. However, Cosimo turned out to be an extremely talented dancer and baker, which his parents have accepted. (Their only concern was how he’d “make a living” in the future, but Cosimo’s charm and optimism ensure that his future is bright.) Makena’s family may have their squabbles, but they’re very loving, and Chris loves interacting with every one of them when he comes over to play.

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