The hospital called and said a little boy had listed me as his emergency contact. I laughed nervously and said, “That’s impossible. I’m 32, single, and I don’t have a son.”

seemed to tilt.

Oliver reached for his backpack with his good hand. “She said not to open the letter unless I got scared.”

Maribel looked at me. “We haven’t opened it. We were waiting for a guardian.”

“I’m not his guardian.”

“No,” she said softly. “But right now, you’re the only adult he’ll talk to.”

Oliver held out the envelope. My name was written across continue reading …