Only when the sky gets completely dark do we turn back in the direction of our building. We make our way cautiously up the stairs, listening for any voices that shouldn’t be there, and when we reach the third floor, we sneak into our apartment as quickly as possible, trying not to make a sound.

It feels like a second after I turn the lock and do the latch that someone comes knocking on our door.

“Mateo? Sophie? Are you there?”

Even though I know exactly who it is, I still look through the peephole to make sure she’s alone.

“Gracias a Dios que están bien,” says Mrs. Solís when she sees us. She walks into the apartment without an invitation and quickly closes the door behind herself.

“Mrs. Solís, what was that? Who were those people?”

She frowns. “You saw them?”

“We did. We were coming up the stairs, and we heard them asking about us.”

“They said they were from Child Protective Services. I heard them knocking on your door, and when they wouldn’t go away, I stepped out of my apartment to see what they wanted.”

“What else did they tell you?” I ask.

“I couldn’t get much out of them. I’m surprised they even showed up. I’ve seen it happen before—kids being left to their own devices after their parents are detained.” Mrs. Solís swallows hard. “Mateo, I can’t be sure what they came here to do, but if they had tried to take you and your sister away, I could’ve never just stood by and watched. Ending up in the system can’t be much better than—”

“Thank you,” I say. I don’t even want to think of what might’ve happened if we’d been home, or if our neighbor hadn’t been there to lie for us. “Mrs. Solís, thank you so much. You saved us.”

“Mateo,” she replies, “I can’t imagine what you two are going through right now, but… do you really think that being here on your own is the right thing to do? Wouldn’t it be better if there was someone else to take care of the two of you? Someone you trust?” Even as she says that, I can see her eyes wandering toward the kitchen, where the dirty dishes are piling up and the garbage is starting to smell.

“We have nowhere else to go, Mrs. Solís.”

“There is one thing I said to those people that was true—you do have family in the city. Your uncle Jorge? Didn’t he offer to let you stay with him?”

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she knows about this. Word travels quickly in our community.