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Oh my god. “I still didn’t come home when I said I would,” I mutter. “I’m really sorry, Adelina. I got hurt and had to go to the hospital. I’m better now though.”

“Where are boo boos?” Adelina pouts as Theo cracks a small smile.

“We’re in the very literal stage of life at the moment,” he says. “I personally love it.”

Maybe he does, but it’s making me kind of feel guilty.

“I hid most of my boo boos,” I admit. Shifting Ari, I run my fingers over my chest. “There’s a cut under my shirt, and here under my chin, I have some bruises. I look scary without makeup.”

“Not because she’s not beautiful, but because of the boo boos,” Liliana says quickly.

Yeah, I’m going to have to work on body positivity. I dislike my body, and I’m not a fan of the fact that it regularly betrays me.

Toddlers don’t need my baggage.

“I don’t want you to leave,” Adelina sniffles out, reaching for me.

I can’t hold both girls, so I awkwardly hug Adelina while Liliana holds her. It’s hard to know what I can or should say, because I don’t want to lie. I had the shit kicked out of me just a few days ago.

I don’t want to cave to bullies, but I also have no idea how today will go.

“Daddy has a present for Noor, and hopefully it’ll help get her home,” Liliana says.

It takes me a second to remember she’s talking about Ignacio, and I feel a wave of emotion that I can’t quite pinpoint. I feel grateful that people care whether or not I’ll come back from somewhere, and my eyes burn with tears because for so long, the only people who have cared about me are the ones paid to do so.

Even then, my past foster families have only been doing it for the money and easy access to vulnerable people. This time is different. I can tell.

“Can we play later?” Ari asks.

“We can,” I say, my eyes widening in panic at Liliana.

Fuck, what if I’m lying now? I’m a terrible fucking person, lying to two-year-olds!

“We’ll see,” Liliana amends, winking at me. “Noor might need a nap, so when you play depends on how she’s feeling, okay?”

“Because there are boo boos,” Adelina says sagely, releasing me.

Blinking back the wet shit in my eyes, I nod.

“Have fun at school,” I say, letting Theo take Ari. She gives him a kiss on the nose, grinning. It’s clear that the girls adore all their daddies, regardless of paternity.

“Bye, girls,” Rachelle says, kissing Liliana, Addie, and Ari.

They’re all so cute.

Ignacio grabs my bag, and I check it to make sure my phone and tablet survived.

“I had to fix the screen on the phone, but it works,” Rachelle says under her breath as we leave the house.

“I didn’t drop it hard,” I say, misunderstanding.

“One of the girls must have shattered the screen at some point for fun,” Ignacio murmurs.

“So, we’re definitely committed to going to school?” Rachelle asks.

Carefully dashing away tears that are escaping after the toddlers hit me with cuteness overload, I nod.

“May as well get it over with,” I grumble.