Free Nobody’s Hero by j. leigh bailey

him, but, bonus, he could hide from the rest of the crowd a little longer. “Where are we going?” he asked her.
    “Come wit’ me.”
    It wasn’t exactly an answer, but he went along with it.
    Brad excused himself as their path led them through the kitchen door and past a woman carrying a basket of buns in various styles. Veronica marched them into the living room and stopped in front of a cabinet. Her chubby hand pulled open the door to stacks of DVDs.
    “Are you supposed to play with these?”
    “Uh-huh.” She nodded while she sorted through the plastic cases.
    There were almost forty people running around outside. How had he ended up alone with a toddler?
    Finally, Veronica pulled a case out and brandished it triumphantly. “Here.”
    Squatting to her level, Brad took the movie.
The Avengers.
“You want to watch a movie?”
    “No,” she said, jabbing a finger at the cover picture. “‘Syou.”
    “Sioux?” Okay, now he was really lost.
    “No.” She was getting impatient now. “‘Syou.”
    Brad shook his head.
    “She said ‘it’s you.’”
    He jumped up and saw Danny leaning in the entranceway between the hall and the living room.
    “What’s me?”
    Danny strolled over. Veronica babbled something at him, making Danny grin and confusing Brad more than ever.
    “She thinks you’re Captain America.”
    “What?” Would he ever not be confused around this family?
    “Cap’in ‘Merca,” Veronica agreed.
    Danny took the DVD case from Brad and looked at it more closely. “You know, I can kind of see it. You’ve got this all-American wholesome look going for you.”
    “Ah...thanks?”
    “And Chris Evans is hot.”
    “I have no idea how to respond to that.”
    Danny shrugged. “No response necessary. It is what it is.”
    Veronica tugged at his hand. “Play?”
    “Veronica,” Danny said, resting his hands on his hips and looking at the pile of DVDs. He was trying to look stern.
    She let out such a put upon sigh Brad had to bite back a grin. She picked up the discarded cases and set them on the shelf. Brad fought the urge to arrange them alphabetically. Veronica slammed the cabinet door when she was done and then grabbed his hand. “Play now?”
    Danny bit his lip. “Vero, I’m sure Brad wants to hang out with people his own age.”
    “Actually,” Brad said before Veronica’s lip could quiver, “I think Veronica should introduce me to all of her brothers and sisters and cousins.” He smiled down at her. “I need someone to show me around.” And more importantly, Veronica wouldn’t ask any uncomfortable questions about his family or try to set him up with a pretty girl.
    She beamed at him and tugged him back to the kitchen. Danny shook his head at Brad as he followed him and Veronica. “You’re in for it now. I think she’s got a crush.”
    “She’s pretty irresistible,” Brad said. When they crossed the threshold into the kitchen, Brad came to a halt. “Oh, hey.” He pulled away from Veronica. “Let me get the door for you.”
    Mrs. Ortega was at the door, one foot propping it open, holding a platter the size of a coffee table piled high with ears of corn.
    “I’ve got it,” Danny said, stepping around Brad. “You can go play with Vero.” He hefted the platter out of his mother’s hands.
    She patted Danny’s cheek. “Thanks,
mi hijo.
” She stepped back and held the door.
    Over the next hour, Brad met a couple dozen more people. Nobody seemed to think it strange that he spent his time with the kids, who all appeared to enjoy playing with him.
    “Argh!” he bellowed in mock outrage as four kids, none of whom came any higher than his hips, tackled him. He allowed himself to tumble to the ground under their combined weight, shifting his knee at the last minute to avoid landing on a tiny hand. “I am defeated!” He groaned and flung his arms above his head. “I surrender!”
    “Here I come to save the day!”
    Brad peeked through a gap in the wall of children to see