Although I felt I'd seen many things in my life, relationships weren't particularly my forte. Seeing as my last real relationships ended over condoms, I'd never made it to the "meet the parents" stage. I barely knew Taylor and was already sleeping at his house, and when I came downstairs on Sunday morning, I found myself being introduced to his parents.

I hadn't bothered with brushing my hair before I came downstairs. Instead, I'd brushed my teeth and threw my hair up into a messy bun before heading downstairs for a cup of coffee and secretly hoping for more stuffed waffles. However, when I stepped into the kitchen, I found Taylor seated at the breakfast nook across from a man and a woman.

"Mika," Taylor smiled. He stood and waved me over. I tucked a stray piece of my red hair behind my ear and walked over to him somewhat reluctantly. "Mika, this my mom, Diana, and my dad, Walker. Mom, dad, this is Mika."

"Hello," Walker said with a nod.

"It's so nice to meet you," Diana said. "Taylor's told us so much about you."

I gave Taylor a withering look before turning back to Diana. I mustered the best smile I could. "I bet whatever he's told you has made for an interesting tale."

Diana smiled sympathetically. "Well, we understand you've been having a rough couple of days. We're so sorry about your friend that passed on, and what happened to you and your siblings, but I believe you made quite an impression on Taylor from day one."

"Mom," Taylor said, looking embarrassed as he shifted his weight from foot to the other. I couldn't help but grin at Taylor's obvious discomfort. Her cheeks were a rosy shade of pink, but it was oh so cute.

"We can certainly see why now," Walker commented with a wink. "I was always partial to redheads myself."

I felt myself blush as Diana scoffed and looked offended. "And what am I? Second best?" she asked, brushing her long blonde hair away from her face.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Di," Walker grinned. "You know I'm an even bigger sucker for blue eyes."

"Then I guess Mika better watch out for you," Diana said, shifting her eyes first to me and then to Taylor. "Looks like you've got some competition, Tay."

"Mom!" Taylor exclaimed, turning pink once again. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Honestly, I thought the whole thing was rather amusing. I thought perhaps his parents were reading a bit too far into things. I didn't think Taylor had any attraction to me whatsoever. After all, I'd been pretty horrible to him, but it was fun to watch him squirm and be embarrassed -at the expense of his parents, no less.

Diana waved her son off dismissively as she looked at me. "Why don't you sit down?" she suggested.

"Yeah, get the lady some coffee," Walker demanded, but I could tell from his tone he was joking.

"I really don't want to intrude," I said, staying rooted in the same spot.

"Nonsense," Diana smiled as Taylor walked over to the cabinets and took out a coffee mug. "We intrude Taylor's house every Sunday. He doesn't mind."

I smiled in resignation as I walked over to the booth and sat down across from Diana. "So this is a weekly tradition?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of sorts," Walker nodded.

I looked from him to Taylor as he sat a mug of coffee down in front of me. "He means they worry about their pathetic, divorced son and feel the need to invade my kitchen on a weekly basis and grill me on my virtually nonexistent social life," he said as he grabbed the box of doughnuts from the center of the table and pushed them toward me. "And, apparently, they also enjoy embarrassing me as much as possible."

"Oh, Jordan Taylor," Diana smiled fondly as I grabbed a doughnut from the box and sunk my teeth into the sweet cream filled pastry. "Must you always insist we have to have ulterior motives just because we're interested in your life?"

"Yes," he nodded. "I grew up in your house. I know how the two of you work."

"I'm offended by such accusations," Walker grinned, his dark eyes sparkling.

I couldn't help but grin. I didn't think I'd ever met anyone like Diana and Walker before. To look at them, they both exuded an air of professionalism, but they both seemed so carefree, playful even. Even though Taylor tried to play it off as though they were being a nuisance, it was also obvious he enjoyed their company. He had to be the first person I'd ever met who actually seemed to like his or her parents. Truthfully, it was hard not to. By the time Layla and Austin wandered into the kitchen, I already had my mind made up that I liked both Diana and Walker.

As Taylor made the introductions and got up to get the kids something to drink, I decided I'd better go check on Brenna. I figured if Layla and Austin were up, she probably would be by now as well. I excused myself and headed upstairs. When I got there, Brenna was standing up in the crib looking around calmly as if waiting for someone to come and retrieve her. I scooped her up and gave her a bunch of sloppy kisses on the face. "Hello, my sunshine," I cooed. "I bet your ready for a new pull up and some breakfast, huh?"

"Breakfast, yeah!" she agreed readily.

I grabbed a new pull up and took her over to the changing table. I couldn't help but think the room was amazing. It was so sad that it had never been used until now. When Taylor told me about Ayanna, it seemed to change something in me. My attitude toward him felt different. Knowing about his hardships and that everything in his life wasn't perfect seemed to knock some common sense into me. Just because his family had money it didn't mean his life was problem free.

I couldn't begin to understand what it must have been like for him the night Ayanna was born. Birth was supposed to be a beautiful, memorable moment filled with joy. His joy was taken away just as quickly as it came. Then to have his marriage fall apart as a result of losing his child felt like an extra slap to the face. I felt for Taylor. I really did, and I seldom bothered to feel sorry for other people. I just knew that if I were ever to lose Brenna, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I suppose my relationship with Brenna was different from my relationships with Austin and Layla. Growing up, Austin, Layla and I were raised together. Sure, I babysat and took care of them on occasion, but it was different with Brenna. I'd basically been her caretaker all of her life. I was the only parent she really knew, and in a way it felt almost as if I'd adopted her as my own child. I loved her like she was mine. I loved Austin and Layla just as much just in a different way.

After I changed Brenna, I carried her downstairs. Austin and Layla were seated in the back corner of the breakfast nook, and Taylor scooted over so Brenna and I could sit beside him. "She's simply adorable," Diana cooed over Brenna.

"She can bit a little hellion when she wants," I commented with a smile.

"They're all like that, believe me," Diana nodded. "Taylor was always into stuff, but it was Zac who really knew how to get into trouble."

"I didn't know you had a brother," I commented, looking at Taylor with a surprised smile.

"Yeah ..." Taylor began. He didn't smile though. He looked somewhat uncomfortable as he glanced at his parents.

"We lost Zac when he was fourteen," Walker explained. "He dived into a pool and his head on the bottom. He didn't recover from the injury."

"Oh." I felt myself pale. "I'm sorry. I -"

"It's okay, sweetie," Diana smiled. There was a bit of sadness in her eyes, and I suddenly felt terrible. Not only had Taylor lost his child, he'd also lost a brother. It was beginning to sound like his luck was just as bad as mine.

Shortly after that Diana and Walker decided they should head out. I was afraid I'd run them off with the talk about their deceased son, but they both seemed in good enough moods. "I'm going to check in with my friends about a family court lawyer," Walker commented. "I'll be sure to call you as soon as I find out something."

"I really appreciate it," I said.

"It's not problem," Walker smiled. "I'm happy to help."

True to his word Walker called back that night. Taylor seemed a little put off when his dad called and instead of talking to him, he found himself passing the phone to me. Taylor went back into the kitchen to tend to dinner. It seemed he was quite the chef. He suggested making lasagna, and Layla seemed to perk up. She loved Italian food, and she offered to help Taylor with dinner.

It was nice to see her interested in something. She'd even typed up her school paper on Taylor's laptop. I was impressed by how well she seemed to be doing. Seemed was the operative word, of course. I couldn't tell if it was just a facade or if she really was just dealing with what happened this well. Either way, I was glad Taylor didn't put her off. The victim's advocate mentioned she might shy away from males, but it seemed as if she felt comfortable around Taylor. I was at least glad for that.

I thought maybe just getting out of the trailer park and into a new setting was also playing into how well she was doing. Taylor's house was comfortable, and there was plenty of room for everyone to have the space they needed. At the trailer, it felt like we were always right on top of each other, and it was next to impossible to be alone.

Walker explained that he talked to an old lawyer friend, and she'd agreed to see me the next morning. I thanked him repeatedly for coming through for me. For someone who'd refused help from other people for so long, it seemed as though I was really starting to come around. Accepting people's help wasn't nearly as hard or humiliating as I once thought.

The next morning I was up by six as usual. I took a shower and got myself ready before waking up Austin. Taylor was already up and showered and working on breakfast, and as soon as Austin heard the word 'breakfast' he was out of bed and headed for the kitchen. I woke up Layla next. I asked her if she wanted to go to school. Even though she'd been doing pretty well, I didn't know if she felt ready to go back to school so soon, but she told me she was.

"I have that paper to turn in anyway," she commented as she sat up.

"Well, I'm sure they'd understand," I said. "I have to call the guidance counselor to tell her about what happened anyway."

"Do you have to?" Layla asked with a frown. "I don't want everyone to know what happened."

"Layla, I have to," I said. "Besides, it's just the guidance counselor. At most, the teachers will know."

"And they'll act weird," she said. "They might start being really nice. It's already weird enough you're acting strange."

"I'm not acting strange," I said, looking offended.

She raised an eyebrow. "You're giving me the option of skipping school," she pointed out. "I'd call that strange."

"I just thought you might need a little more time," I shrugged.

"I'm fine," she said. "Really."

"Okay," I sighed as I stood up. "Don't take too long getting ready. Taylor is going to drop you and Austin off at school."

"What are you doing today?" she asked. "Since you don't have to work today, I mean."

"Taylor's going to take me by to pick up my car before he goes to work," I explained. "Then I have to go meet with the lawyer. I'm not sure how long that will take. I might go back to the trailer and try to straighten things up a bit."

"We're not going back to the trailer tonight, are we?" Layla asked, looking worried.

I shook my head. "I just want to straighten things up a bit, and maybe pack a few more things. Do you need anything else?"

"Just some more clothes, I guess," she replied with a shrug.

"Okay," I nodded. "I'll pick you up after school."

"Okay," Layla nodded. "Was there any lasagna left over last night?"

"I believe so," I replied.

"Do you think Taylor would let me take some for lunch?" she asked.

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure he won't mind," I said as I stood up. "Now get your butt moving."

I headed back upstairs to get Brenna up. She was a bit cranky, but when I took her to the bathroom, she actually used the potty like a big girl. I hurried up and dressed her before taking her downstairs to join everyone for breakfast.

It seemed as Taylor really enjoyed cooking. I'd had some of the best meals of my life in the past couple of days. It seemed he really did enjoy having his house full of people. I suppose I could understand to an extent. It had to be extremely lonely living in such a large house all alone. Considering what sounded like a really bad year, I thought it was a wonder Taylor wasn't clinically depressed.

Instead, he seemed to be in such a good spirits. I wondered where that came from. Maybe it was because he had his parents. They both seemed like such wonderful people. I'd always had the impression that people with money were all snobs, but they really were nice. I didn't feel like they were judging me at all -even after knowing about my current familial issues.

Taylor made French toast with sausage links. Austin gobbled his down as if he were starving. Brenna had a grand time sticking her hands into the syrup and making a mess of herself, but she seemed to like it as well. Layla worked her way through three pieces, but I couldn't say much because so did I. I was beginning to worry we might eat Taylor out of house and home. We'd managed to go through a whole loaf of bread just in one morning. When I voiced my worries, Taylor waved it off and said he'd go by the store after he made sure things were on track with the contractors at work.

After washing Brenna off and making sure Austin had his book bag and shoes tied, we all piled into Taylor's car. We dropped Layla and Austin off at the school before Taylor headed back to the trailer park. He managed to get there by memory, and after we arrived, he held Brenna while I moved her car seat back into my car. I buckled her in and Taylor and I said our goodbyes.

He said, "I'll see you tonight at home" before he left. It felt so odd because in many ways I didn't mind thinking of his house as home. It was cozy, and we'd all become so comfortable there in such a short amount of time. I almost hated the idea of leaving there. I knew we'd have to though. We couldn't just freeload on him forever. After I spoke with the lawyer and figured out what needed to be done, I'd have to sort out what our new living arrangements were going to be.

The lawyer's office was downtown, so I had to contend with traffic, but I made it to her office. Her name was Myra Connors, and she was a lady with short blond hair. She had kind eyes but a no nonsense sort of air to her. She seemed like my kind of woman.

When her secretary ushered Brenna and I into her office and Myra told us to sit down, I had a feeling she was a high priced lawyer. Her office was so lush, and I was sure her retainer fee was probably more than I made in six months. I felt compelled to tell her about my current lack of funds as I sat down. "I don't know how much Walker told you, but I really don't have much money," I explained.

Myra smiled from behind her desk and said, "That's okay. Walker told me as much as he knew. He spoke very highly of you, and your case sounds like it's worth taking."

"But I don't know how I'll pay you -" I began.

"No need to worry about that," she said, waving me off. "From the sound of things, you already have your hands full taking care of three kids. How long have you been taking care of them?"

"A little over two years," I replied.

"And your father?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes at the mention of him. "He's been unemployed more than he's worked for the last few years. He'd give me half of his unemployment checks, though."

Myra nodded as she took some notes. "So, essentially, you've been their primary caregiver?"

"Yes," I answered.

"What about your mother?" she asked.

"She left when Brenna was about four months," I explained. "I'm not sure where she went, and she hasn't been back since she left."

"Okay," Myra sighed. "Well, it seems like this case should be simple enough. They have plenty enough to use to keep your father in jail. If you've been taking care of your siblings for this long, I imagine there shouldn't be any problem with leaving the children in your custody. With your mother out of the picture, they usually like to keep the kids with a blood relative."

I nodded in understanding. It all sounded simple enough, but there had been a question floating around in my mind ever since all of this happened. I hadn't mentioned it to Layla or Austin or anyone else for the matter just because I wasn't sure what was happening, but since Myra seemed knowledgeable about what she was doing, I thought I should ask.

"What if ... what if I didn't want them to just be released into my custody?" I asked as Brenna wiggled around on my lap.

Myra frowned. "You mean you don't want to take care of them?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I do," I said, looking down at Brenna. "What if I wanted to be ... I mean, what if I wanted to have full legal custody? Like sole guardianship? Could I get that?"

"Well, essentially, when they're released into your custody that would mean you would have guardianship over them for as long as you're caring for them," she explained.

"Meaning, if my mom or dad wanted to come back and take custody of them again, they could?" I asked.

"Well, I can't imagine the courts allowing your father to take custody of Layla," she answered. "Although, I suppose it's possible he might be able to get Austin or Brenna."

"I'm asking because ... how can I stop that from happening?" I asked.

"Well," Myra asked, looking thoughtful. "It's possible if they're are willing to give up their rights, meaning they have no legal obligations whatsoever, then you could legally adopt them," she explained. "Is that something you think you might want to do?"

I bit my lip, but I didn't have to think about it. I nodded. "I don't want them to be taken away from me," I answered. "I don't want them to have to go back to the way things were. I'm the only person they've ever been able to depend on. Brenna already thinks I'm her mom, and I can't tell her any different because for all intents and purposes I have been her mother. I only thing missing is my name on her birth certificate."

Myra looked thoughtful again. "I don't know your parents, obviously. Do you think it would be likely for them to give up their rights?" she asked.

"I think ..." I began. "I think my mom would pretty easily. The only problem would be finding her," I answered. "I'm not sure about my dad. I think it's possible, but ... he might want something in return."

"Well, it might be possible to work something out with the district attorney. We might be able to form some sort of a deal with his sentencing in exchange for him signing the papers."

"Bribery then?" I questioned.

"Basically," Myra nodded.

I sighed. "Would he still go to jail for what he did to Layla?" I asked.

"I can't see the DA letting him go without serving some jail time," Myra answered. "They might plea him down to a lesser charge in order for him to serve a shorter sentence to jail in exchange for handing over his rights."

"Okay," I nodded. "Can you do this?"

"If you're certain this is what you want to do," she answered. "Like I said, after they sign off, they will have no legal binding to the children. You can't get money from them or anything of that sort. It will all be your responsibility."

"I understand," I nodded. "But it already is all my responsibility."