10/26/2025
"“Don’t Worry, James… I Won’t Let Mom Send Us Away.”
Every morning at six, Michael’s door would click open. The eight-year-old dressed himself in the soft hallway light, tiptoed to the nursery, and—carefully, reverently—lifted his sleeping baby brother from the crib. No stumbling. No noise. No hesitation. He carried James to his own bed, tucked him beneath his chin, and disappeared behind a closed door.
Children love routines, yes. But this was something else entirely. Six o’clock—precisely. Not 5:58, not 6:02. Weekdays, weekends, holidays—it didn’t matter. Michael rose, lifted, carried, hushed. The house seemed to hold its breath.
And with every morning, Sarah’s unease grew.
On a quiet Tuesday, exhausted and worried, Sarah stood in the hallway, invisible and still. At six, the ritual began: the soft creak of the door, the small hands, the steady carry. She followed him, silent, to the threshold of his room and peeked inside.
Michael lay back on his bed, James resting on his chest. He cupped his brother’s tiny head with both hands and whispered, words so soft they sounded like a prayer:
“It’s okay, James. I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Then, in a voice barely above a breath, he added:
“Mom’s really tired. I heard her tell Grandma she wishes she could just send us both away so she could sleep.”
Sarah’s hand flew to her mouth. Her heart shattered.✅ Full details in the first comment ⤵"