Imre sifted through Harvey's luggage to find a more formal set of attire. It was the third day since they had arrived and registered on Garden, and his interview with the Dean of his future school was in two hours. Finding the slacks and dress shirt that Harvey had worn to their mother's wedding, Imre brought it with him to the bathroom.
"I'm not the one who's going to an interview. Why do I have to wear this?" Harvey's face scrunched up in disgust.
"We're going to visit your teacher after my interview."
Harvey huffed in irritation and accepted the clothes.
"I'm happy that we're going to the same school, even if you're in secondary on the other side of the campus."
Without any warning, Imre pulled Harvey into a rib-cracking hug, the pile of clothes and a hairbrush crushed between them. Harvey just stood still and let Imre get it out of his system. Feeling the almost undetectable tremors of Imre's shoulders, Harvey tilted his head back and kissed his brother's chin.
"We'll get through this together."
Imre shook his head. "I can do this without you or dad."
Harvey didn't refute his brother's claim and replied with a simple, "Okay."
"I will get to know new people and become a stronger person.
"Okay." Harvey awkwardly patted his brother's back, unable to move anything but his left-hand fingers.
Taking the brush from Harvey's other hand, Imre released his younger brother and started brushing the knots out of his shoulder-length hair, the imperceptible tremoring of his shoulders eventually relaxing.
Holding the dress shirt by a corner of the collar and stretching his arm as far away from himself as possible, Harvey persistently begged his brother to wear other clothes. With a sigh, Imre put down his brush and went back to their room to bring the shirt that was folded neatly on his bed. He had known that Harvey would not want to wear the dress shirt and had already prepared a compromise; not because he thought it to be uncomfortable but because their mother had bought it for Harvey to wear at her wedding. When he returned, he saw Harvey sitting on the toilet lid smiling an endearing little grin as he glanced furtively at the sink. Imre had noticed, even without Harvey's conspicuous hints, the row of small intricate peonies constructed from mecha stone wire the moment he had entered the cramped bathroom. The peonies were the size of his thumb's nail with hooks designed to secure them in his hair. They were a clear indication of Harvey's immense skill at crafting, especially with such a material that didn't lend itself to these sorts of intricate projects.
As the boys were packing up their toiletries, Imre having finished his french braid crown decorated with the pins and Harvey given up with the cuffs of his pants, their father knocked on the bathroom door.
"You're both ready?"
His wavy black hair that looked like a bird's nest made Harvey burst into laughter. It had been a year since he had seen his father's dishevelled morning image. Even if almost everything about his life had changed, his dad would not. Glancing at his older brother, Harvey noticed that Imre's shoulders were no longer tense and he was now genuinely smiling.
"I made porridge for breakfast. When you're done in the bathroom, join us in the kitchen."
Theodore moved away from the doorway to let his sons out of the bathroom.
"You should have woken me up instead of cooking by yourself."
"Dad, consider these three days off as a rest for yourself as well. Don't think Harvey and I haven't noticed that you look exhausted."
"Plus, you'll be no help in the kitchen. Imre can do it by himself."
Theodore lightly knocked his youngest son's forehead with his knuckles. "You scoundrel. Don't sound so self-righteous when you're just as bad as me with cooking."
Theodore walked into the kitchen to see Harvey stuffing yoghurt topped with berries into his mouth.
"Where's your brother?"
He heard a muffled reply which he interpreted to be, "In the study."
Before Theodore could get up from his seat, Harvey held his arm and pulled him back down.
"Imre said you can't go anywhere until you've eaten."
Huffing in exasperation, Theodore pulled out one of the three stools that were kept under the tall bench they used as a dining table. Harvey only spared his father a glance before continuing to devour his breakfast, noting that Theodore's eyes were curved into crescent moons, that were nearly slits on his face, from joy. Pushed up against a wall next to the small kitchen area and cooling cabinet, the bench table was situated under a window that overlooked the quiet streets. If one were to lift the curtain that separated the kitchen and dining half of the space, they would see the living room half consisting of a couch, armchair, bookcase and rug.
"What's your brother doing in the study?"
"Unpacking. It'll give him a sense of certainty to have his belongings in the apartment."
Theodore's spoon paused in his bowl of porridge. Turning his head to look at his youngest son, who was pretending to be unaware of his stare, Theodore's hands shook and the spoon clattered against the bowl.
"I'm sorry." The faint whisper broke Harvey's relentless shovelling of food.
"It's not me you have to make up to."
"But if you're angry at me then there is something that I need to be forgiven for."
"I don't have the right to be angry when it's nothing compared to Imre's pain."
"There's no right in feeling angry or hurt. It doesn't belong to anyone more than anyone else, Harvey."
"Don't. I don't need my father right now."
Imre suddenly came running into the living room, throwing open the curtains and staring intensely at his father and brother.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." That one word sounded choked, forced from his throat out of brewing tears.
"It's not nothing. I can feel it."
No one answered Imre and the three fell into a suffocating silence.
"Harvey."
"What?"
"Harvey."
Swallowing thickly, Theodore waved his hand limply in the air. "Get ready to leave. I'm nearly done eating."
"Harvey."
"We'll be late at this point."
"Harvey."
"Why couldn't dad fight for mum to stay?! Why did mum leave us?! Are we not good enough for either of them? Mum forgot us and went to live with her new, rich husband and dad ran away because he couldn't cope. What about us?! I don't know how to cope without both my parents! It's not fair they could just run and hide!"