Nolan drew an old but clean handkerchief over his father's forehead and smiled at him, the boy got up from the only chair in the small hut and picked up a clay bowl.
The surroundings of the house were silent and dark, and there was no light or hope except for the sound of old appliances.
A middle-aged man, whose hair was all white from the hardships of his life, was lying on the bed and was staring at the ceiling all the time.
Nolan took the loaf of fresh bread that he had bought with difficulty and began to crumble it into the water with a smile. At the same time, he would tell his father about the events outside the hut from time to time.
"Father, I saw today that they are hiring workers for the Balor family mansion. If I can go to work with them, our lives will change."
He kept quiet for a while and while pounding the soft bread into the bowl of water, he continued:
"Did you know that yesterday was cousin William's wedding, we were also invited, but I only wished them well and I respectfully declined. I heard that their bride is very beautiful, even her family has a shop in the main market, think about it."
Nolan took the bowl to his father and slowly began to feed him with a small spoon, the man's screeching was the only thing that answered his little boy of almost twelve or thirteen at this moment.
Seeing his father's tears, the boy put down the bowl and kissed his father's cheek: "I'm going to go, dad, why are you crying, don't do this, otherwise I'll be very upset."
After the meal was over the man stared at Nolan, without even being able to speak the boy knew what he meant.
"Daddy, don't worry, your son is here like a lion. I just kept a bigger loaf of bread for myself. Sleep well tonight, if possible, I will bring you a more delicious meal tomorrow." I haven't seen the fake princess for a while, I don't know when she will come back..."
Nolan crawled into a corner on some straw and out of his father's sight, then he picked up a piece of dry bread and began to chew it hard, although he tried his best to make his eating sound less loud, but it still didn't help.
The man on the bed was crying hard and blaming the world for its cruelty.
The boy was crying quietly and silently, he was tired, he hugged his legs in the cold air and with the passage of time he lost even a bit of consciousness.
...
The sun had not yet risen when Nolan left the hut, it was still cold outside and the wind made his little body shiver, the slums were full of small huts that were barely built with wood and stone, and there were few people. He sheltered the wealth of the city.
Nolan kept his usual smile and went to the city market. The boy was small and that's why no one took him seriously, but he still tried his luck, if he was entrusted with a job in the market, even a laborer for a day would earn more than working alone.
As Nolan got closer to the center of the city, life took on a more beautiful color and face, he gradually heard people's voices, some of them laughing and starting to work.
He arrived in front of the blacksmith shop and said hello like every day.
"Sir, don't you want to work?"
The tall man with tanned skin looked at the boy from head to toe and made a gesture with his hand as if he was swatting away a fly.
"Go ahead, don't bother me, kid."
Nolan was not disappointed and said:
"Don't look at my body, I'm doing well, if you're not satisfied, you don't want to pay me at all."
In response, the tall man frowned at Nolan, which caused him to run away: "Okay, okay, I understand." You don't want to work anymore! Why are you frowning first thing in the morning..."
He passed the shops one by one and finally came to the place where the laborer for the Balor family was employed, a fat but tidy man sitting behind a desk carefully arranging papers.
Nolan went to him and said:
"Excuse me, sir, I heard that you are hiring workers for the Balor family, I wanted to know if you would give me a job or not?"
The fat man named Thomas looked at Nolan and shook the round glasses on his eyes, then he carefully stared at Nolan's small body and after sighing he answered:
"It's not a problem, the work starts next week, be at the building first thing in the morning, you insist, if you arrive late, there will be no work."
Nolan smiled after hearing Thomas' words and bowed several times.
"Thank you sir, I will definitely come. I will Definitely come."
"Alright go, I've still got a lot to do, boy, I hope you're doing well."
"Thank you sir, you are a man of character."
Thomas grinned and buried his head between the sheets of paper again.