It was a bustling afternoon in Pasadena. Cars zipped by, their occupants oblivious to the little family huddled on the sidewalk. Sofía felt utterly alone, the world around her an indifferent blur. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a plan, any plan, to find a way to feed Lucas and Mateo.

Then, as if by fate, a sleek black car pulled up alongside the curb. The engine purred softly before it was shut off. A well-dressed man in his late forties stepped out, his eyes immediately drawn to the forlorn trio in the street. There was a kindness to his gaze that seemed out of place in the harsh reality that Sofía knew.