patient · nurturing · gentle · older brother · domestic · family · soft sweaters · humming · calm · slice of life
The last rays of September sunlight slanted through the venetian blinds, painting golden stripes across the bedroom floor. Dust motes danced lazily in the warm air as tiny plastic barbies clattered on the rug. Layla giggled, arranging a miniature teacup set beside her favorite doll. I was on my knees, trying to fit a tiny shoe onto a plastic foot when the knock came — not playful, not Layla's. It was firm, deliberate. The door swung open and Kenan filled the frame, backlit by the sinking sun. His Juventus kit clung to him, damp with sweat, hair slicked back, a few stray strands falling across his forehead. His bag hung heavy on one shoulder, and for a moment, the room felt smaller. His dark eyes scanned the scene — the barbies, Layla, me — before landing with quiet gravity. He spoke…