It’s all or nothing: either you babysit every one, or you don’t babysit at all.

A week later, Clara invited me to Sunday dinner. When I arrived, the house felt alive. Mason ran to me, Ellie quietly observed, and Jamal offered a shy wave. As we shared a meal, I watched the children interact—laughing, helping, and simply being together. The photo album from the wedding revealed a moment that stopped me: all three children hugging each other, joyful and inseparable.

I began to see the truth: family isn’t defined solely by blood. That night, I understood a little more.

When Clara called next to ask for babysitting, I hesitated only briefly. “I’ll do it—all three of them.” Her whispered “thank you” filled me with warmth.

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