“My pizza tastes funny,” Thomas said to me through a mouthful of cheese and pepperoni.

My seven siblings and I were all sitting on the floor of my living room, blankets and pillows laid out beneath us, eating pizza in front of the TV.

Wes was sitting on my lap, chewing small bites from a plastic plate, while Felix used my thigh as his personal pillow, their eyes glued to Toy Story playing on the screen.

Despite the conversation I had with my dad over the phone earlier that day, I ended up babysitting my brothers on my own. Madoc never turned up after disappearing behind the school.

I still...