Billie's POV
I never thought I'd be the type of person to sit on the floor and try to build a block tower.
But here I was, knees aching, fingers fumbling with bright plastic pieces that refused to click together the way I wanted.
Skylar was watching me, eyes wide and curious, but still a little guarded.
"Like this," I said, forcing a smile and stacking two blocks. "See? Boom. Tower."
She didn't say anything. Just picked up a red block, turning it over and over in her small hands.
After a moment, she reached out and added it to my tower.
It wobbled dangerously.
"Whoa, careful!" I said, my voice softer than usual.
Skylar giggled a tiny, honest laugh that felt like sunlight breaking through a storm.
I wanted to tell her I didn't know what I was doing. That I had no idea how to be any kind of mom or guardian or whatever this was supposed to be.
But I didn't.
Instead, I just kept building blocks with her.
Mackenzie came in, clutching a crumpled drawing she'd made earlier.
"Look," she said, pressing it into my hands. "For you."
It was messy scribbles and colors everywhere, but there was a big smiley face in the middle.
"Thank you," I said, feeling my throat tighten.
For the first time since this all started, I felt like maybe, just maybe, this was okay.
Like maybe these kids these little tornadoes
weren't the problem.
Maybe I was.
And maybe that wasn't so bad.
YOU ARE READING
Unexpected Family
AdventureBillie Eilish doesn't do kids. She doesn't like them, doesn't understand them, and definitely never wanted any of her own. But when her management team sets up a temporary foster care publicity stunt two toddlers, a camera crew, and a whole lot of c...
