We stayed like that—just holding each other—until the sound of children’s footsteps echoed through the hallways. Laughter mixed with tears, too loud, too frantic. It shattered the quiet.
I rose to my feet and tugged Caden toward the closet. I threw on a sports bra under one of his T-shirts, zipped a hoodie over it, and tied my hair back. He did the same—hoodie up, jaw tight, eyes already guarded. We took a deep breath together.
Time to lead again.
The TV room was full of sniffles and tear-stained cheeks. As soon as we stepped in, a wave of children surged toward us, sobbing into our arms like we were the only thing holding their world together.
We sat with them in silence, wrapped in small arms, letting them cry it out. When it quieted, I knelt down so I was eye-level with the little o
