Page 54 of Choices

"Moana!" Viv and Jack shout simultaneously. Aiden remains silent.

"Aid?"

"Princess Mononoke or Monty Python's Holy Grail." He says quietly.

"I've never seen either one of those. Will you show me?" Rico asks.

Aiden's normally sullen eyes brighten. Fuck, this kid has been through so much. To be honest, I had, too. The reason I didn't know any movies is because my entire childhood had been spent in poverty and then working for Rico.

We help the kids rush through their homework, take baths, and get into PJs so they can pass out right after the movie. While they are doing their chores, the doorbell rings.

I open it, gun at the ready behind my back, but Hannah comes up behind me and peers around me. I need to teach her not to get between me and danger. She's completely pinned my right hand to my back. On the front step are two different but very confused delivery men.

"I have some pizzas?" The one lanky kid asks.

"And I have a bed?" The other lanky kid asks.

"A bed?"

She signs the delivery order for the bed, while I take the pizzas into the kitchen.

"Yeah, mami. You can't sleep in your old one so I bought you a new one."

The kids stampede back down the steps, right as I'm opening the boxes of pizza. Matty grabs the plates from the cabinet and sets them next to the pizza boxes so the kids can help themselves.

"I figure we're eating in the living room?" He asks Hannah who smiles and nods.

Hannah queues up Moana before passing out blankets to us all and it makes my chest feel tight. This childhood. The childhood I never had. Pizzas on the floor in the living room, surrounded by family, movie nights. Luckily, everyone is already zoned in on the movie and unaware of the emotional hurricane happening in my chest right now.

After we finish Matty and Hannah collect the plates and leave them in the sink for tomorrow. Right now, this movie night is more important. As if sensing I'm spiraling, Hannah sits next to me on the couch and tucks her leg underneath her, leaning slightly into me. Under the blanket her hand finds mine and she laces her small fingers through mine. I give it a squeeze in thanks, swallowing around a lump of emotion.

Uncomfortable with the floor, finally, Viv finally gets up and stands in front of me, a question on her face. I can't interpret it, though. But I give her a small smile. She takes that as a 'yes' and climbs onto my lap. I raise an eyebrow at Hannah, to make sure this is okay. Now Hannah looks like she's struggling with containing her emotions, but the soft smileon her face tells me she's not uncomfortable with her daughter on my lap.

I realize suddenly that I love this little girl. She's quiet and serious, but strong and tough. I see a lot of a younger Santiago in her, only without the struggle. It wouldn't surprise me if she ran for President one day. Small but mighty.

At some point I watch as Aiden looks at Viv on my lap, then to his mom who is serenely watching the movie. He's not sure yet if he can trust us, but I like his protective instincts. He's a good big brother.

About halfway through the movie, Matty's had enough sitting still. He grabs the remote from the coffee table and pauses it.

"Alright, crew, only one thing is missing from tonight."

The kids all turn their attention towards him.

"A pillow fort. Aid and Viv, grab blankets and pillow from upstairs and bring them down. Jack, help me move the coffee table and grab the couch cushions."

Vivian jumps off me and the room dissolves into chaos as everyone rushes to help him. I watch, amused, as Jack and Matty argue about structure, and Hannah and Rico stand to let them attack the couch cushions. Rico pulls Hannah against him, her back to his front, and for a moment I'm jealous of their easy affection.

But then she looks at me, with a gaze so hot and full of unspoken promises. She hasn't abandoned me for him. She's in his arms, but her gaze is on me, and fuck if that doesn't feel right. I want to touch her more, hold her hand more, and experience everything with her. She's crawled under my skin and I'm borderline obsessed.

After some arguing and a lot of mess, something resembling a blanket fort has been created, with thick winter comforters on thefloor and a row of pillows against the couch. We each find our spots on the floor, me, Matty, and Rico all not so subtly trying to be the ones next to Hannah, only to be cockblocked by her boys. Viv, on the other hand, snuggles against me and rests her head on my shoulder. Like her mom, her easy affection wraps barbed wire around my heart and squeezes. I catch Hannah's gaze over her head. 'Thank you' she mouths. I can't respond more than simply palming the back of Viv's head.

It's then that I knew I would do anything for this woman and her children.

Chapter twenty

Hannah

After I drop the kids off at school the next day, I take myself to the mall and invest in a few dresses. It's easy to let the intrusive thoughts tell me how ugly, old, and fat I am, but I remind those bitches that the three sexiest men on the East Coast want me. And more than that, I love myself. I'd forgotten that over the years. That I'm someone worthy of love, even if my outward appearance isn't skinny and 20 years old anymore. I'm a loyal friend, a hard worker, and a good mom.

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