As usual, breakfast went on without Papa, who was still fast asleep. At the dining table sat only Oma, Miss Kristin, Nathan, and Kezia, who was still half-drowsy.
Miss Kristin had just settled down with a cup of hot tea when Nathan poked his spoon toward his plate and spoke bluntly,
"Miss, please tell Papa the lower bed needs a wooden railing. Last night Kezia slept on the floor, I don't even know what time she fell."
Miss Kristin jolted slightly, turning toward Kezia, who was lazily stirring her chocolate milk.
"You fell?" she asked, worried.
Kezia nodded sleepily. "But it didn't hurt. Just cold."
Oma sighed. "Poor child. That trundle bed doesn't have any guardrails. Your brother's right, it needs some wood added."
Miss Kristin looked at Nathan, a little impressed. "You actually thought that far ahead."
Nathan shrugged, half indifferent. "I just don't want Kezia waking up on the floor every morning. It's a hassle."
Inside, though, he felt guilty. But on the outside, he kept up his act, the tough, indifferent big brother.
---
By the time Nathan entered middle school, he developed a new habit: pondering the future. Especially on weekends, when Papa was usually home, not busy with projects, not asleep all day. The perfect time for serious conversations.
One Saturday afternoon, on the back porch with glasses of Oma's iced tea in hand, Nathan broke the silence.
"Pa, can I study abroad for college? I'll apply for scholarships too."
Papa turned his head slowly, a bit surprised. "You're only in seventh grade, and already thinking about college?"
Nathan nodded firmly. "Because I know, if I don't prepare now, I might fall behind. And… I don't want Papa to pay for everything. You've got a lot of kids to take care of," he added softly.
Papa paused, then let out a short laugh. "You… your voice hasn't even cracked yet, and you're already talking about scholarships."
But Nathan caught something behind that laugh, a flicker of pride Papa was trying to hide.
"If you're truly serious," Papa continued, "I'll support you. But don't just say it now. Prove it later, with your grades and your hard work."
Nathan smiled faintly. "Okay. Deal."
From that moment, weekends were no longer just about relaxing. Sometimes they turned into discussions. Sometimes they were quiet hours spent reading side by side. But Nathan knew: little by little, he was laying the path toward his dream.
He hugged Papa tightly. "Thanks, Pa," he whispered.
Papa returned the hug, patting his son's back gently, then looked him in the eye. "One day, you'll run Papa's business the right way, okay?"
Nathan frowned. The words stuck in his mind. "Business? The right way?"
In all his twelve years, since the womb until now, he had never really known what Papa did for a living.
All he knew was that Papa often traveled out of town, sometimes overseas. He often took long naps when at home. He was often on the phone, sometimes laughing loudly, sometimes speaking in a sharp, negotiating tone. But what was his actual work? Where was his office? What was his company called? Nathan had never been told.
That evening, as the golden light of sunset streamed through the kitchen roof tiles, Nathan tucked away another quiet note in his heart: Someday, I'll find out what kind of business Papa really means.
---
Nathan was in his senior year of high school. His acceptance to a university in Germany had just been confirmed. The mood at home was a mix of pride, emotion, and an odd surge of enthusiasm for room renovations.
The moment the announcement came out and Papa nodded in agreement to cover the tickets and visa arrangements, Priscilla leapt with joy as if she had just won the lottery.
"Hooray!" she squealed, dancing around the living room. "Once you leave, Kezia can move back into your room, and this room will finally be mine!"
She hopped onto the sofa, then somersaulted onto the carpet.
Nathan only shook his head. "Then help me pack my stuff into storage, so Kezia can move her things into my room."
"Okay, Kaka!" Priscilla shot up straight like a soldier at roll call.
"And don't you dare take my books to play house with your dolls."
Priscilla grinned. "If I find something written in weird languages, I'll put it back, promise!"
"If you even understand a single page, that'll already be a miracle," Kezia quipped, appearing from the kitchen with a glass of milk.
Nathan chuckled. Amidst the racket and exhaustion of living with two noisy younger sisters, the day somehow felt light. Maybe it was because his dream was finally taking shape. Or maybe because, soon… he would be leaving.
—
That evening, while Nathan busied himself folding clothes and stuffing them into a large gray suitcase, Kezia sat quietly in the corner of the bed. Her arms wrapped around her knees, her chin resting on them. From time to time, her eyes flicked toward Nathan and Priscilla, who were bickering over which books should be stored away and which were worthy of the trip.
"I'll help, Ka!" Priscilla shouted, dragging a pile of notebooks.
"Careful with those, Cil. Don't just dump them like that," Nathan replied gently.
Kezia lowered her gaze. Her lips trembled slightly.
And then, without warning, tears slipped down her cheeks in silence. She didn't make a sound, but her chest rose and fell in sharp little bursts as she tried to stifle her sobs. All this time, even with all the fights she had with Priscilla, Kezia always felt Nathan was on her side. Even when she threw tantrums about not being able to sleep alone, it was Nathan who willingly shared his room with her.
And now… Nathan was leaving. Kezia felt abandoned. Not just by a brother, but by the only ally she had in the house.
She rose quietly and slipped out of the room without a sound.
When Nathan finally glanced toward the bed, he froze.
"Eh… where's Kezia?" he murmured.
Priscilla shrugged. "She was just sitting in the corner."
Nathan stepped out of the room, calling softly.
"Kez…?"
No answer. But Nathan already knew exactly where to look.
Kezia's room was dark, lit only by the soft glow of dusk slipping through the thin curtains. Nathan peeked in quietly and found her sitting with her arms wrapped around the old brown stuffed dog Oma had given her. Her shoulders rose and fell gently, her breath hitched with sobs.
Nathan entered without a sound. He sat beside her, then pulled Kezia into a warm embrace.
"Don't be naughty, okay?" he whispered softly into her ear.
Kezia didn't reply. But her arms instinctively circled his waist. Her tears broke loose again, quieter than before. She buried her face in Nathan's chest, just like she had back in kindergarten when she was too afraid to sleep alone.
"You're leaving me, aren't you?" she murmured.
"I'm not leaving, Kez. I'm just going to study. So one day I can succeed, and we can have a bigger house. Don't you want your own room?"
Kezia shook her head quickly. "I don't want my own room. I just want you."
Nathan smiled bitterly. "I love you too. But you're older now. You can take care of yourself, help Mama, and look after Priscilla as well."
Kezia didn't say anything more, but her hug grew tighter. And Nathan let her be. Because that night, his little sister's embrace felt like the truest goodbye he had ever known.
---