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“Noooo! You said no carrots!” Maisie wailed dramatically.

“What about tickles? Is that allowed?” I asked, reaching for her. Josie joined in as we tickled Maisie until we were all laughing and covered in chalk.

“Okay. No carrot pancakes. You win,” I told them as I rested on the ground, both girls sprawled across my arms.

“You’re so silly. Daddy likes blueberries the best, anyways,” Maisie replied. She was a Daddy’s girl, through and through. From the day we met them, she gravitated toward Eliot.

When we first met them at the DCHS facility, they had been terrified and confused, asking when their mom was coming back. Huddled together in a corner, they clung to each other as we walked in, seeking comfort in the only thing that still felt familiar.

Raised by a single mother working two jobs, they were living across town in a small apartment. The mom’s latest boyfriend got violent and took things too far. Judy, the caseworker, eyed Eliot warily, her thoughts clear on her face.

“They’ve been through a traumatic experience and don’t react well around men. I’m not sure this will be the best fit.” I remember Maisie’s brown eyes watching the three of us, far too much awareness in her wide gaze.

“Can we try talking to them?” I asked, my eyes never leaving the pair.

“Alright, but if they show any signs of distress, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” I started forward and saw the moment Judy was going to stop Eliot from following me. Reaching out, I laced our hands together, making sure we weren’t separated. We were a team, and we were in this together.

The door closing behind us cracked through the silence like a gunshot. We all jumped, our nerves taking a moment to settle. Josie’s face was buried in Maisie’s chest, one eye peeking out. Eliot and I didn’t stop walking until we reached the bench the girls were sitting on.

“Can we sit with you?” I asked, keeping my voice soft. I pointed to the ground so they knew we weren’t going to touch them or get too close. Maisie shrugged, looking behind us at the lady watching our every move. Eliot and I sat down on the old linoleum floor, the two girls looking down at us in confusion.

“I’m sorry about your mom,” Eliot said, and tears filled the girls’ eyes. Shooting a look over his shoulder at the hovering audience, I squeezed his hand in encouragement.

“When I was your age, something like that happened to my mom too. We got away, but it was the scariest moment of my life.”

“You get scared?” Maisie asked, studying Eliot with an intensity beyond her young years.

“All the time. Not as much as when I was little, but there are still some things that scare me.”

“Can you fight?” she asked next. We looked at each other, not entirely surprised by the question, but knew this was something that needed to be navigated delicately.

“I can and will protect my family. If you two decide to come stay with us, that includes you. I promise, no one will get near you. We will keep you safe.” Josie wiggled out of the blanket and off the bench. Reaching instinctually, she toddled into my arms. Pulling at my blue hair, she settled in my lap happily, her head leaning against my chest. Her eyes were closing despite her attempts to stay awake. I held her tightly, rocking slightly to try to soothe her.

“Okay. We can go now,” Maisie finally said, standing up in front of Eliot expectantly. He quickly climbed to his feet before bending over to help me up so as not to disrupt Josie’s position in my arms. Looking down at Maisie, a silent stare off began.

“Can I pick you up? It’s a long walk to the car.” Eliot finally broke the silence.

Maisie hovered from one foot to the other, gripping the blanket tighter around her before nodding. I sighed with relief, her bare feet already looking cut up and bruised. Eliot bent down and picked her up like she was porcelain. The worker looked blown away as we walked past her.

“I think we got it from here,” I told her, and she nodded.

“I’ll let you guys get settled tonight. We’ll touch base tomorrow to finalize everything,” she said, her voice lowering to a whisper as she walked next to me, Josie sleeping in my arms.

When we arrived home, Noah was awake on the couch. Taking in the two sleeping girls, he gritted his teeth, a wave of sadness washing over his face.

“I made up the guest room. Changed the sheets. Do they have bags?” he asked, and Eliot nodded, tossing him the car keys.

“Thanks, son. Their backpacks are in the car, and there’s a trash bag full of clothes. Grab them and leave them in the living room. We can go through everything once we get them into bed.” Maisie lifted her head up at that moment, looking around the house with confusion.

“I’m Noah. Eliot and Lilah are good people. This is the first place I’ve ever been safe. I think you’ll feel safe here too.” Tears filled my eyes as he touched Maisie’s tiny hand gently. She rested her head back on Eliot’s shoulder, trusting all of us in that moment.

After that, Maisie always stuck close to Eliot or Noah. Josie loved everyone, bouncing around just happy to be included. We were still figuring things out, but with each pancake and club celebration, we grew closer. We were laying the foundation of our family, with every ounce of silent support and the promise of safety, security and love.

An hour later, I had managed to salvage enough pancakes for everyone to eat, plus the heaping portion of eggs and bacon I made for the boys. Once everyone was up and fed, we headed out to the clubhouse for Noah’s graduation party.

Opting for a large black SUV, there were no minivans for Scythe. That didn’t mean he didn’t embrace the dad role with the same intensity he broached everything else. He packed the car and bags with military precision. Anything the girls or Noah could need, plus an elaborate first aid kit, were installed in every vehicle. By the time we arrived at the clubhouse, it was already full of people.

“Man of the hour is here!” Reaper cheered as we walked through, coming to a stop in front of us. Reaching out, he gave Noah a hearty handshake.