I Was 29 and Single When I Fought to Keep Five Siblings Together. The Judge Asked Why, and My Answer Changed Everything.

‘I won’t,’ I said.

‘But thank you.’

I hung up and returned to the kitchen.

Sophie had dumped a box of crayons onto the floor.

Nora was helping gather them.

Lucas sat at the table drawing a picture of the garden beds with five enormous flowers and one small, crooked house.

‘Who’s that in the window?’ I asked, pointing to a stick figure.

‘You,’ he said.