“Come on boys,” my mother says, reaching down to take Alvin and Ian’s hands. She shoots Emma a worried look as she does so. “Let’s let the grown-ups talk for a minute, we’ll go outside and see the lake.”
“No.” Victor says, keeping his eyes on my father. “My children will stay with me.”
My eyes flash between Victor and my father. I’m suddenly aware that this was going to be bad. Part of me is pleased by this – despite my happy reunion with my mother and sister, I’m still very pissed that my father took my children from their school today.
Still, this could end in bloodshed. I don’t want my boys to see that.
“Mama,” I say calmly, my eyes on Victor. “It’s time for the boys to go home.”
Alvin and Ian cry out at this – clearly, they’re not done playing. I snap my eyes to them and they
