August is a lazy sort of month; everyone has all the time in the world to kick back and soak in some sun.

Well, today was certainly not a lazy day for Mr. Sandman or Li Wei. They had passed the final inspection for adoption, and were about to go and pick up their kids for the first time.

"গতিকে, আপুনি আপোনাৰ দেউতাকক লগ কৰিবলৈ সাজু নেকি?" (So, are you ready to meet your fathers?) Miss Sharma asked as the two kids packed up their things.

"Yes!" Trevor shouted.

"I can't wait to go to our new house," said Callie, zipping up her bag.

Once the two were ready, Miss Sharma led them to the lobby, where Li Wei and Mr. Sandman were waiting for them. The two kids rushed their new dads with big hugs.

"অভিনন্দন, হুইটিয়াৰছ। আপুনি আনুষ্ঠানিকভাৱে এটা পৰিয়াল।" (Congratulations, Whittiers. You're officially a family.) Miss Sharma gave the four of them a warm smile.

"Alright, let's go, kids," said Li Wei, hoisting Trevor up to sit on his shoulders. The four of them bundled into the car and headed home. Before Li Wei and Mr. Sandman had gone to get Callie and Trevor, Li Wei had just taken a batch of cookies made for his baking service out of the oven, and his first idea for father-child bonding time was to decorate them.

"I'm gonna use the pink one," said Callie, picking up the pink icing tube. Li Wei took the white tube, and Trevor, the blue tube. Li Wei had prepared pink, blue, and white icing for the cookies because the order was for a mother who wanted to celebrate with her recently out-of-the-closet son.


The next day, the kids accompanied Mr. Sandman to the arena for a match. "Do any of the other boxers have kids?" Callie asked.

"Yeah," mused Mr. Sandman. "Joey's got a thirteen-year-old, and Beth's got a daughter around your age."

When they got to the arena, they found that Flying Feather had brought in Emma that day as well. "So Mr. Sandman brought you and your brother home yesterday?"

"Uh huh," said Callie, while looking around at everything in the arena.

"That's cool," said Emma, "he and my mum are best friends."

The two of them talked about horses, and addition, and whatever else is on seven year old girls' minds, until they saw Don coming from the locker room. "That's Don Flamenco," said Emma to Callie. "He's going to fight your dad today."

"Well that's dumb," said Callie, "my dad is totally gonna win. Hey! Flamingo man!" She shouted to Don. "My daddy's gonna kick your butt!"

Bald Bull and Super Macho Man, who were leaning against a wall and talking, both burst out laughing at Don. "I can't believe you did that," giggled Emma.

"Alright, kids," said Pierce, herding the two of them into the children's room, "you're gonna stay in here until your parents are done working." He set the two girls, plus Trevor, in the children's room, and left Katrina to babysit them all.

"So your daddy's a boxer too?" Trevor asked Katrina, looking up at her with his big brown eyes.

"Yeah," said Katrina. "He's only at the bottom of the Minor Circuit, but he's been here since before I was born."

"Wow, that's a really long time," said Trevor. Katrina had to suppress her laughter at hearing a five-year-old call her father an old man.


Not much later, Mr. Sandman came back to get his kids. "Did you win, Daddy?"

"Sure did, munchkin," said Mr. Sandman. "Donny boy didn't know what hit him."

"Sé exactamente lo que me golpeó," said Don, coming to stand in the doorway covered in bruises. "¡Tu puño!" (I know exactly what hit me; your fist!)

"たぶん、世界チャンピオンと戦う前に、残りのメジャーサーキットを通過するのが最善でしょう." (Maybe it's best you go through the rest of the Major Circuit before you try fighting the World Champion.) Piston Hondo came up behind Don and put a hand on his shoulder. Don scowled at him, and stalked off.

"You're the coolest," said Callie, wrapping her arms around her father.

Mr. Sandman smirked. "Damn straight, kid. Damn straight."