Jesse let herself into the quiet of her parents’ home and knew even though it was just coming on five, Hector would already be up. He was a landscaper and it meant he got up with the birds to get on the road and to his first job.
He looked up from where he stood in the kitchen and immediately took in her expression. He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight, “what are you doing here Jesse? What’s wrong?”
She immediately broke down in his gentle arms as Cat moved to go wake her mom up. Something about this man who had taken her as his own child always made her feel loved and felt she was in her safe space in his embrace. She was soaking his white undershirt with her tears, and she couldn’t stop as he rubbed her back softly.
Her mom came out of the room, tying he
