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He tells me about Edna and how she takes great care of him, helps him with his homework and in return he tries to take care of her by taking out the trash, helping with the dishes. I feel like I should pat myself on the back for raising a respectful and loving child.

By the time we finish up here, it's now dark outside. I finish wiping the sticky residue from my fingers with a paper napkin as I unlock the car.

“Pizza for dinner?” I ask, peering over the roof of the car, looking at him.

“Perfect, sissy,” he shrieks and we both get into the car.

We stopped by Tony’s on the way home. By the time we get back, the boxes are still warm in my hands. I balance them against my hip as I unlock the front door.

Of course, Milo darts inside without turning on a single light. I sigh, shut the door behind us and trail my hand along the wall until I find the light switch.

“Wash your hands first,” I yell towards him as he quickly removes his coat and shoes and puts them away.

He always lines his shoes up beside mine.

Dad likes everything in its place.

I don’t know if it’s habit or fear anymore, but I silently thank whatever entity out there, that my little brother notices the little things.

I set the pizza boxes and keys on the dining table, slipping off my jacket and shoes, placing them next to Milo's things.

He kneels on the dining chair, stretching across the table to get his pizza and I watch him quietly. “Sissy, can I have a slice of yours?”

I laugh, sitting down next to him. “Of course you can.” I remove a slice from my side, placing it over to his side. “Here baby,”

“This is…” Milo says in between bites. “So good!”

I hide my smile behind my pizza as we tuck into our meal.

Blue has claimed the chair beside me. I reach over and brush my fingers along his head, and he immediately melts into my touch.

He’s been good at knowing when I need him.

For a while, the world feels quieter. We laugh over nothing, argue about the last slice and I forget about the itch that has followed me all week.

Later, I’m in his bedroom, getting everything ready for bedtime. Our routine mixed a very excited cat.

I fluff Milo’s pillows, tucking the corners of his duvet beneath the mattress as he plays with Blue.

I’m exhausted but I want him to have this. His sister taking care of him, nothing changing when we see each other again.

After a few minutes, Milo throws himself onto the bed, laughing as the mattress sends him bouncing back up. Blue appears at my feet just after, flopping onto his back, with his paws stretched toward the ceiling. His fur is slightly messy, his eyes half-lidded, he looks tired and spent.

“Alright demon, calm down now.” I tease Milo as I tuck him into his bed, giving him his favorite plushy to hold. A little smiling star I had when I was a kid.

“Tomorrow, dad is coming back…” I tell him and I almost wince as I watch his shoulders grow tight. “We’ll try to stay out of his way, okay? Remember, what happens during the week is our secret.”

He nods, and I lean down to kiss his cheek, closing my eyes for a few seconds.

“I love you.” I whisper to him as I tip toe out of it, closing his door gently behind me as I make my way into my own room.

Blue follows me, and sits down on my bed, grooming himself and looking up at me.

I sit on the edge of the mattress, staring at the space beside me.

Tomorrow is waiting.

Blue’s purring next to my head and it is calming, so I focus on everything. I count each breath, each heartbeat of mine, each second passing.