Page 19 of Keepsake

She lowered her head, her mouth closed in a line as she pressed against the table. I frowned and directed my question to Dashiell. “What’s wrong with school?”

“Everyone knows about mom,” he said. “They just keep asking questions. Teachers, too.”

“Some teachers are nice and ask if I want to talk,” Vienna chimed in.

“But we don’t want to talk,” Dash finished quickly. “We tried to bring it up with Tita that we wanted to move schools.”

I nodded, knowing already what she replied. “It’s a good school. That’s where me and your mom went.”

Dash nodded. It wasn’t news to him. “But we don’t want to stay there anymore.”

I looked from one to the other. Lachlan did not offer much, but a blink from his brother’s knees. I didn’t let excitement run through my veins. This was better than I thought. They were open to coming with me. But…

“We can talk to Caridad,” I offered.

“You have custody, right?” Dash asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, your mom’s attorney made sure everything was how she wanted. I’m your legal guardian.”

“So, it’s decided.” He nodded and turned to Vienna. “Call Tita.”

The girl sprang into action. I barely understood what was decided as Caridad and the others arrived.

“We are going with Logan.”

That was how Dash delivered the news. It was blunt and somehow the perfect sentence for the sharp answer it received.

“No,” Caridad said.

I massaged my temple. “Dashiell thinks…” but I never got to finish that thought.

Caridad turned to me with a rage I never faced. “You’re not taking my grandchildren from me. Their place is with their family.”

“I’m not trying to take anything from you—”

But she was now screaming in Spanish at me. I held my breath, keeping my head low as she called me irresponsible for taking the children from their family. I was accused of poisoning their mind, of throwing money at them because that was all a Hart could do.

I didn’t flinch. I let her talk. Maybe she thought I couldn’t speak Spanish. That was fine. She was upset, and this was her way of showing it.

So, I feigned ignorance because Dashiell was right. As their legal guardian, I had the right to bring them with me.

I won.

“Mamá, calm down, please. Let’s talk.”

As Caridad sucked in a breath, I could hear her heart shattering.

“I don’t want to do this.”

“You said you wanted us to live with you,” Dash accused.

I breathed in. “Of course I do.”

“They will not,” Caridad yelled.

God, it was endless. I opened my mouth to try one last time, but Alvaro roared.

He stood up at all his height, his face like thunder. Frowning, making that new shiner he had on his eye even more scary. Why the hell did he have bruises, anyway? But it all worked for him. The snug T-shirt with his business logo stretched over his chest, the menace in his eyes proving he had enough of all of us.

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