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“Bastard,” Carmen hissed.

“When it became clear Molly wouldn’t do as my father wanted, he banished her. Told Molly never to return, otherwise there would be severe consequences.”

“Fuck, what century does he live in?” Carmen barked.

“Carm,” Mateo warned.

“And that was the last anyone heard from her.”

“We’ll find her Faith, I swear it.”

“Carmen, you can’t promise her that. Molly could be anywhere,” Mateo scolded. Tensions were running high. Faith felt awful she’d created such a heated atmosphere. Carmen and Mateo didn’t need her baggage, upsetting their lives. Faith was the one who decided to look for her long-lost aunt. “Thank you, both of you, for welcoming me into your home. I think it best I go though. You guys don’t—”

“Faith, let us help.”

“But you’re getting upset with each other.” Faith looked between Mateo and Carmen, their bodies tense.

Carmen looked at Mateo and softened. “Hey, we’re not fighting.”

Mateo took Carmen’s hand and winked before turning his attention back to Faith. “No, chica, we’re not fighting, we’re just passionate. Carmen is right. We want to help find Molly.”

“Why?” Faith couldn’t understand why they wanted to get involved. This was more than two people wanting to do a good deed.

“I was abandoned at a fire station as a baby,” Carmen began. Faith’s eyes widened with shock. “Mateo was left in a dumpster.”

“Oh my god,” Faith gasped.

“Yeah, not the greatest introduction to life,” Mateo chuckled.

“We ended up in foster care together. There were times we would get sent to different foster families, but we always ended up coming back together.” Carmen gripped Mateo’s hand. Faith could see the unshakable bond between them. Mateo’s comment about being brother and sister in every way but blood made sense now.

“We didn’t go through what you did, Faith, but we understand some of the hardship. Neither of us would have survived without the other,” Carmen continued. “We want to help you because you need someone in your corner. We can be those people until you find your aunt. We learned quickly that family isn’t just the people you are born to. Family can be the people you choose to surround yourself with. Mateo is my brother. I chose him and he chose me. Now I know we don’t know each other well yet, but we’re here and we would like to be your chosen family, even if it’s temporary.”

Faith sat silently. Carmen and Mateo waited patiently for her to respond. The problem was, Faith was sure that the moment she uttered any words, the floodgates would open. For so long, Faith had craved the support and love her parents should have given her. Now, in this unfamiliar house with these two strangers, Faith finally experienced what it was like to be truly seen, supported and, dare she say it loved.

As soon as Mateo squeezed her hand, Faith sobbed.

???

The sky had dulled considerably by the time Faith calmed down. Carmen and Mateo stayed by her side the entire time. Faith cried for her parents’ inability to love her. She cried tears of relief that finally, after so long hiding and being scared, Faith was finally free to be who she wanted to be. And last but not least, she cried for her aunt Molly. Faith knew how fortunate she was to stumble across Carmen and Mateo. God knows if Molly ever found people like them to take her in when she found herself alone at seventeen.

Wiping her nose on one of the tissues Mateo had continually supplied, Faith sat up. “Sorry about that.” Her voice hoarse after so much crying.

“You needed to let it out, honey,” Mateo replied.

“You’ve had a lot to carry around with you,” Carmen added.

“I didn’t mean to disrupt your lives so much,” Faith hiccupped.

“No disruption, chica. Anyway, it stopped me from having to watch Carmen eat Cheez Whiz out of a can and scratch her ass again, so, really, you did me a favor.”

Faith burst out laughing when Mateo received a pillow to the face from Carmen.

“Asshole,” Carmen chuckled. “Hey, how about we get you settled into your room? You can grab a shower and we’ll order some food?”

“Oh, Mateo, you didn’t get to do your fashion show!”

“Relax girl, there is plenty of time for that. Let’s chill tonight, yeah?”