Shit… sorry.”

Franklin glared at me.

“Oh… right… that’s a bad word too. You aren’t going to wash my mouth with soap, are you?”

“I should.” Franklin shook his head. I had never once heard him swear. Hell, I hadn’t even seen him truly angry. He was someone who knew how to control his emotions well. I, on the other hand, not so much. If so, I wouldn’t have dragged Amelia into this mess.

“Sorry,” I said again. “Won’t you please forgive me?” I got down on my knees and begged, causing an eruption of giggles from the children. I smirked, grabbing Hunter and tickling him all over. His laugh bubbled out of his chest, filling the entire room. It was good to know that even with all hell breaking out around me, the child’s innocence had remained untouched. I hoped to keep it that way. After his mother’s death, he didn’t need any more sorrow in his life.

“Alright. Alright. Get back on your feet,” Franklin ordered, pointing the spatula at one of the chairs. “Everyone is hungry.”

I did as he said but not before pulling out a chair for Amelia. Her cheeks flushed crimson. It felt good to treat her like a princess.

I sat beside her, grabbing her hand under the table and squeezing it. There was just something about her that made it difficult to keep my hands to myself. Even now, I wanted to fold her into my arms and hold her all night long… among other things…

Franklin served the children first before he handed us both a plate. We ate quietly, for the most part, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I was just trying to connect the dots. Something was going on, and I had to find out what.

Once the children were done, they placed their dishes in the sink and headed upstairs to brush their teeth. “I’ll put them to bed. Do you mind getting started on what we talked about?”

Franklin sighed. “If this costs me my job, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“After what I tell you tonight, you might want to reconsider your job.”

Franklin screwed together his eyebrows in confusion. “What?”

“After the kids are in bed.” I climbed the stairs slowly, holding onto the banister so I wouldn’t lose my balance. My head was still throbbing from the beating I’d taken. I felt frustrated that I had allowed such a low-life to catch me off guard. I should have knocked him out from the beginning. Was I losing my touch?

I reached the bathroom and peeked through the doorway. There, Hunter was helping Gina onto a small step stool so she could reach the sink. He treated her with care, making sure he was very gentle. I smiled to myself, knowing he would grow up to be the perfect little gentleman. Patiently, he waited his turn.

While he was brushing his teeth, I helped Gina into her pajamas and got her into bed. She snuggled up with an oversized bear, looking at me expectantly. “You’ll read us a bedtime story, won’t you?”

I nodded. “Of course. Why don’t you pick one out for me to read while I take care of Hunter?”

She nodded, springing out of bed and toward her bookcase.

Hunter was already waiting for me in the bathroom. “Why are we sleeping here tonight?” he asked.

“Do you not want to?”

“No… I like it here. I was just… curious,” he said, popping his head through the hole of his shirt.

“I just thought you and Gina might want to have a sleep over.”

“Oh! Okay! Thank you!” He hugged me tightly.

I picked him up and carried him to the bedroom, laying him down on the air mattress beside Gina’s bed.

Gina tugged on my pant leg, holding out a pink-colored book. “Can you read this one?”

“Of course,” I smiled, grabbing the book.

“Mind if I help?” Amelia appeared in the doorway. She crossed the room and sat down beside me, her hand on my shoulder. “The Plum Princess… this used to be one of my favorites when I was a little girl.”

Gina giggled. “It’s my favorite, too! Can you be the princess?”

“What am I supposed to be?” I asked.

“You, my dear Cruz, will have to be the ugly toad!” Amelia snickered a bit, poking me on the nose.

“I’m a much better frog.” I took a deep breath, holding it in my lungs before I let out a very realistic sounding ribbit. The kids looked at me in wonder.

“How did you do that?” Hunter asked, sitting up in his bed. He even placed a hand on my throat, as if there was a frog hiding in my windpipe.

I laughed, repeating the process, this time letting out a ribbit that was longer and louder than the last one.

The kids erupted with joyful giggles.

Amelia smiled, leaning over my shoulder to open the book. With a soft, soothing voice, she started to read the story.

Occasionally, I would interject with the toad’s dialogue, doing my best to assume a deep, gravelly voice.

By the time we were done, the children were fast asleep, snuggled into their stuffed animals.

Quietly, we snuck out of the room, closing the door behind us.

“You make a pretty good princess,” I commented, wrapping my arms around her torso and pinning her against my body. “Makes me wish I was that lucky little toad.”

“But you are…” she whispered, kissing my lips ever so gently. “You’re my prince in shining armor.”

My heart surged at her words. “Amelia…”

“Don’t try to convince me otherwise. I don’t care what you say… I love you.”

My eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“I said, I love you,” she repeated herself without an ounce of hesitation.

I smirked wildly, picking her up in my arms and spinning her around until I nearly collapsed with dizziness. “You just made me the happiest man alive!”