Julian sighed, his chest heavy with a quiet frustration. Every afternoon, his brothers would drift off to sleep, leaving him with nothing but the empty silence of the house. He often kept himself busy, cleaning, organizing, and occasionally chatting with Angeline's husbands but today, even those small distractions felt insufficient.
With nothing else to occupy his hands, Julian decided to sit down with his notebooks. He recited the alphabet to himself, writing out new words to expand his vocabulary. When the stillness became too much, he stepped outside with a broom to sweep the areas around their home, the rhythmic swish of bristles against stone a small comfort.
Just as he was finishing, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Julian..."
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he turned to see Levi standing there, a sly expression on his face.
