Now, standing in the bedroom of the house we bought together, preparing to take our daughters to Paris, I feel nothing but peace.
This is my family. Ryan and Ruby and Lily. The Steel Sinners and their families. The parents who bring their kids to my daycare and trust me with their most precious treasures.
This is my life. The one I chose. The one I fought for. The one I built from the ashes of everything I left behind.
"Mama!" Both twins come running into the room, Ruby clutching Mr. Whiskers and Lily holding Princess Sparkle. "We figured it out!"
"Oh yeah? What's the solution?"
"They're going to sit together on the plane," Ruby announces. "So, they can be friends."
"That way everyone's happy," Lily adds.
I look at Ryan and smile. "See? They're learning to compromise."
"Or they're learning to gang up on us. Could go either way."
The girls giggle and throw themselves at Ryan, who catches them easily and swings them up, one in each arm. They squeal with delight, tiny hands gripping his shoulders.
"Daddy, will Disneyland have real princesses?" Ruby asks.
"Real as they get, baby girl."
"And rides? Lots of rides?"
"So many rides you'll get sick of them."
"I won't get sick of them," Lily declares. "I'm going to ride everything twice."
"That's my girl." Ryan sets them down. "Now go make sure you packed your princess dresses. We need to look fancy for the castle."
They run off, already arguing about which dresses to bring, and Ryan turns back to me.
"You ready for two weeks of princess everything?"
"I married a biker. I can handle Disney princesses."
He laughs and pulls me close again. "Fair point."
My phone buzzes on the dresser. A text from Marie, one of the mothers who uses my daycare.
**Marie: Have an amazing trip! The kids will miss Miss Savannah, but we'll be here when you get back!**
I smile and type back a response. The daycare was my dream, the thing I'd always wanted to do but never thought I could. Ryan made it happen. Found the perfect location, helped me get the licensing, and supported me through every step of building my business.
Now I have twelve kids who come five days a week, and I love every single one of them. Love watching them learn and grow. Love being the safe space their parents need. Love building something that's entirely mine.
"Business stuff?" Ryan asks.
"Just Marie wishing us a good trip." I set the phone down. "I'm going to miss the kids."
"They'll be fine for two weeks. And you deserve a break. You work too hard."
"Says the man who pulled a double shift last week."
"That was different. We had a situation."
"There's always a situation at the casino."
