”
Jake answered. “Because we’re dads and granddads. Because we’ve seen too many kids slip through the cracks. Because nobody helped us when we needed it, and we’re not going to do that to someone else.”
Madison started crying again. But this time, they weren’t scared tears. They were relief. “Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”
We loaded the kids into Jake’s extended cab truck. Tyler and Mason climbed into the backseat. Madison sat in the middle with Lily on her lap. I rode my bike alongside them. Bill and Marcus followed behind us. Four other brothers stayed to deal with the abandoned car and run interference in case anyone came looking.
We rode through the night like a convoy protecting precious cargo. Because that’s exactly what we were doing.
We reached Madison’s grandmother’s house just as the sun was coming up. It was a small place on the outskirts of Memphis—white with blue shutters and a porch swing. The moment we pulled into the driveway, the front door flew open.Continue reading…
