Page 211 of Toxic Hearts

Faye stared down at her little hands, quiet.

Melanie leaned closer. “And guess what?”

Faye looked up, eyes hopeful.

“You’ve got something better than most kids. You don’t just have two people who love you. You have four. And Bodie. A brother who’d fight anyone for you. So the next time some punk says something mean…”

Mel’s grin turned wicked.

“…you tell them to shove it.”

“Shove it?” Faye repeated, wrinkling her nose.

“Yeah. Shove it where the sun don’t shine.”

Faye turned to me, wide-eyed. “Your second mom’s kinda crazy.”

I laughed. “Yeah, she is.”

Melanie rolled her eyes, like she always did when she was flattered but pretending not to be.

“But lucky for you, I love crazy.” I pulled them both closer and said it without needing to say it.

You’re home now. You always will be.