CadeThe front door of my real home swings open before I even reach the porch, and suddenly there's a blur of blonde curls and gap-toothed grin launching herself at my legs."Cade! Cade! You're here!" Gwen shrieks, wrapping her tiny arms around my waist"Hey, monster," I laugh, scooping her up and spinning her around until she's dizzy with giggles. At six years old, she's the only person in the world who thinks I hung the moon, and I'd probably kill anyone who tried to change that."Careful, she's been bouncing off the walls since you called," Jill says from the doorway, her teacher voice warm with affection. "Come on, dinner's ready."Alex appears behind her, and for a second I'm nine years old again, standing on their doorstep with everything I owned shoved into a garbage bag, waiting for them to decide I wasn't worth the trouble.Thirteen years later, and I still can't quite believe they kept me."How's the house?" Jill asks as we settle around the familiar kitchen table that's see
Last Updated : 2025-08-31 Read more