Once upon a time, on a little farm not too far from the city of Medan, there lived a modest family, Ellery Whelan, her husband Dillan Flanagan, and their five children.
Nairn was the third among the five. He had two older brothers, Vernon and Laurent, and two younger sisters, Daphne and Laurel.
Unlike his siblings, Nairn was a quiet child, never gave his parents any difficulties, and always helped around the house or elsewhere as much as he could. Even when they suddenly decided to move from the countryside and to the city, he didn't fuss about leaving friends behind like his brothers did, or showed excitement about the fancy life awaiting them in the city like his sisters did. On the contrary, he was by their side every step of the way. He was 14 at the time, unphased by whatever puberty had to throw at him, ready to give up his peaceful farmboy life without a second thought.
It's not that he didn't care or wasn't going to miss it because he did; he liked it there, relatively enjoyed roaming around when his parents or their neighbors sent him on errands, laying down under the old tree up the hill with his dogs and watching the horizon, maybe taking a short nap whenever he could get away with it. Just as he knew the city was different, narrow, busy, he was certain he would be able to manage.
During his first visit to the city with his dad, it was all new to him, the noise, the smell, the crowd, the buildings... It was a bit overwhelming, for the few minutes it took him to process all of it. It wasn't long before he got used to it, and since the times he went after that were not particularly eventful, he reckoned living there would be the same way.
To call him indifferent would be wrong, for he simply didn't feel any attachment to anything.
Not yet.
Change didn't seem to bother him, nothing really did. Adapting to any situation, easily accepting any happening and swiftly moving past it, rarely ever maundering a complaint was in his nature.
That and being alone. Whether he favored being by himself or simply caught it out of habit, he wasn't sure. His brothers were very close, with barely a year apart, in contrast with the six and five years difference he had with the oldest sibling and his other brother, respectively. By the time he was old enough to understand what brotherhood, what bond, what friendship meant, they had already established a connection, a circle he would never be a part of. Needless to say, his twin sisters, who were four years younger than him, had a more close-knit relationship than the former; They were inseparable, doing everything - everything - together. Even his parents had their own bubble, acting like a young couple in love. It was hard to tell that they had been married for two decades and already had so many children.
He was content with whatever he had with his family, and was grateful for their warm and genuine feelings towards him, which he gladly reciprocated, especially the twins who were fairly fond of him. He was very satisfied with the overall arrangement, sharing his room - and bed, willingly - with the family's cat and the three little pups his late dog left for him to take care of.
His parents had jokingly brought up the idea of going to the city several times, listening to what each one of them had to say about it, though no one took it seriously. After thinking about it long and hard and making a few arrangements, they finally decided to share their decision with their kids. One night, while they were all gathered around the table, chatting and eating, the couple proceeded with the announcement.
Dillan coughed
"Listen kids, there's something important your mother and I need to discuss with you all."
Kids? Mother? Why is he being formal? That is so out of character...
Everyone was so unsettled by his unfamiliar serious tone that they stopped whatever they were doing and turned to stare at their father intensely, making him more nervous than he already was.
"Don't tell me you're having a baby again." Said Vernon, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Are you sick? Is one of you dying?" Exclaimed Laurent, worried for his parents.
"Are we broke? Are you going to sell us on the black market to pay off a debt?" Cried the twins.
Nairn already knew about the situation since he had gone with his parents to check on things in the city and help with the preparations. He was a very reliable person, despite his young age, and they appreciated his support and discretion even more at times like these. He simply watched as his siblings blurted out any problems they could come up with, not listening to their dad who's frantically trying - and miserably failing - to refute their theories and explain what is really happening.
"Family discussions are always so lively." Commented Ellery, with a warm smile on her face.
"You're stalling. Don't worry El, you're not doing anything wrong." Replied Nairn.
Ellery signed while putting her palm on his cheek.
"Oh my peaceful boy, if only they were as understanding as you are."
"They'll understand, eventually."
His mother gave him a slight nod, took a deep breath and was ready to end the commotion like she'd usually do.
"Silence!" She yelled, getting everyone's attention.
"What Dillon was trying to say is: we're moving out of here. We're going to live in the city"
The room was filled with noise again from Vernon's complaints about leaving his job and his friends, the twins' eagerness to transfer to a new school and meet new friends, their father's useless attempt to calm them down...
Laurent didn't make a sound, which was worrisome. His face was pale and his hands clenched into fists. His lips were squeezed into a hard line, and when he finally opened them to speak...
"I can't go."
"Sweetie, if it's because of your girlfriend Dahlia, you can visit often and--"
"El, I can't. She ... she's pregnant!"
... the noise died down in a blink of an eye, and the whole atmosphere of the room changed.
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