Amy immediately pointed to the TV and said, "Daddy!" Everyone turned to look at the screen, but the broadcast had already shifted.

There was no trace of Monbatten anymore.

Amy scanned the TV anxiously, flipping channels with the remote.

After a few moments, she plopped onto the floor in disappointment.

Keira walked over and scooped her up.

"Missing Daddy?" "Daddy!" Amy replied with a firm nod.

At just three years old, Amy had been through so much.

Howard and his mother had mistreated her horribly, leaving her timid and withdrawn.

Only recently, after living in a loving home with Keira and Lewis, had she started to blossom. Even so, she often struggled to express herself.

Now, clutching the remote tightly, she jabbed a finger toward the TV in frustration.

"Daddy!" The screen switched to a news anchor, and Keira couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you think he's handsome? Is that why you're calling him Daddy?" "No!" Amy protested, her little face scrunched in frustration. "Not him! Daddy is in the TV!" Keira brushed a hand over Amy's hair.

"Alright, sweetie.

Next time you see him, point him out to me, okay?" Amy sighed, defeated.

to Keira, her voice

Daddy is

raising an

it something your sister told her? Could she be fangirling over some actor? You know, like those women who call celebrities their husbands and get

a reality show,

do you think

made up a better story—said her dad was someone else."

The three of them lingered in silence around Amy until she let

her into the bedroom and tucked

drooped, Keira hummed a soft

couldn't help but feel

so much of herself

had been even harsher. Her father had no

basement, Keira would stare out of a

her

found a box of expired crackers,

savoring each piece

then, her only dream was to grow

stable income, Keira compulsively stockpiled food—bags of rice, boxes of

mother, Jodie South, playing with Isla. Unlike Poppy, Jodie had been a source of light, a woman full

Isla had asked her why she dabbled in so many things, and Jodie simply replied, "Because I want to."

have good grades when I was

time, Keira stopped crying when she was hit. Crying didn't

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