No help as always

Kian

It felt strange, walking through the aisles of the store with my mam, picking up things for Emi. Strange, but in the best way. For the first time in ages, it felt like there was a bit of hope, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

I grabbed a small stuffed animal, something soft and fuzzy, and handed it to my mam. She smiled, her eyes glimmering with something close to excitement, but there was an undercurrent of worry too. I could see it in the way she kept glancing at the items we were picking out—like she was afraid to get too hopeful in case it all fell apart.

"You think she'd like this?" I asked, holding up the toy.

My mam looked at it, a soft sigh escaping her lips before she nodded. "It's perfect, Ki. She'll love it."

It felt surreal, standing here with her, planning for Emi to come home. It had been months since she'd been taken away, and every day without her had been like a slow burn. But now, with everything falling into place, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. The thought of having my little sister back, of hearing her laugh and seeing her face again—it made everything seem worth it.

"She'll have a proper room this time, won't she?" I asked quietly, glancing at my mam as she carefully placed items in the cart.

She stopped for a moment, looking down at the clothes we had chosen—little dresses, shoes, and blankets—and then back at me. "Of course, Kian. This time, it'll be different. I'll make sure she has everything she needs."

I felt a strange mix of emotions—relief, happiness, and even a little bit of nervousness. What if it didn't work out? What if she didn't adjust the way we hoped?

"Do you think she'll be okay, though?" I asked, the doubt creeping in.

Mam took a deep breath, and for a moment, she just stood there, looking at the items we'd picked out. "It'll take time, Ki. But we'll make sure she feels loved. She'll have you, and you'll make sure she knows she's safe."

I nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. I would protect her. I would be there for her, no matter what.

We finished picking out a few more things—some books, a new backpack, a few stuffed animals, and some toys—and headed to the checkout. As my mam paid, I glanced around the store, seeing families picking out things for their kids, chatting and laughing, and I couldn't help but wish for a normal life. For Emi to have a stable home, for everything to just work out.

When we got back to the car, my mam glanced over at me as she put the bags in the trunk.

"You're doing good, Ki," she said quietly. "I know it's hard, but you're helping keep this family together. I see the way you look out for your sister, for all of us."

I looked at her, not quite sure how to respond. I didn't think of it as something I was doing for credit. I was just doing what had to be done.

"I'm just trying to make sure she's safe," I said, shrugging. "She deserves that. We all do."

She gave me a soft smile, her voice almost a whisper. "I know, love. And I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the man you're becoming."

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of everything pressing on us both. But there was also this quiet hope between us—hope that things could get better, that things could heal, that Emi would finally come home and things would feel right again.

I knew there was still a long road ahead, but today, for the first time in a while, it felt like maybe it was all going to be okay.

We walked in through the front door, bags of clothes and toys in hand, the sound of the door shutting behind us filling the otherwise quiet house. Da's voice came from the living room almost immediately, loud and gruff.

"Oi, what's all this, then?"

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, knowing dad would have some snide comment, but my mam didn't seem phased. She set the bags down on the kitchen counter with a heavy sigh, and I glanced over at her before answering him.

"It's for Emi," I said, my voice low but steady. "Stuff for when she comes home."

For a moment, there was silence from the living room. Then I heard him grunt, and he appeared in the doorway, his eyes flicking over the bags. His face was unreadable, but the way he stood there—hands in his pockets, brow furrowed—told me he wasn't exactly pleased.

"Stuff for Emi, huh?" he muttered, then gave a dry laugh. "You sure that's all she needs? A few clothes, some toys... You're actin' like she's just gonna waltz right back in here like nothin' happened. Like it's all gonna be some big happy family reunion."

I bristled at his words. That wasn't how it was supposed to be. This was about giving her a fresh start, a proper home, a chance to feel safe again. And here was da, making it sound like we were wasting our time.

"She deserves this," I snapped, trying to keep my cool. "She deserves better than whatever bullshit you've been dishing out."

Dad took a step toward me, narrowing his eyes. "Watch your mouth, Kian."

"I'm serious," I said, feeling the anger rise. "She's just a kid, and we're finally getting her back. You're gonna act like this is some stupid game?"

He took a step closer, and I held my ground, ready for him to throw another one of his cheap shots at me. But instead, he just scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, son. The court's still got its say in all this, don't it? Don't go thinkin' everything's gonna be fine just because you picked up a few toys."

I didn't want to get into a full-blown argument with him, not now, not with everything else going on. But it pissed me off—his indifference, his inability to see past his own bitterness.

"Let me just do what I'm doing, yeah?" I said, trying to keep my voice calm, trying not to let him get under my skin. "I'm gonna help get her home, and I'm gonna make sure she's okay. You just stay out of it."

"Watch how you talk to me, Kian," he warned, his voice lower now, the tension in the room thickening.

But mam stepped in before anything could escalate further, her voice cutting through the heaviness of the moment. "Enough, Shane. Let it go."

I looked at her, surprised that she was stepping in, but I didn't argue. She turned to face him, and for a second, there was this quiet strength in her eyes that I didn't see often.

"We're doing this for Emi," she said firmly. "Not for you, not for anyone else. She needs us. She's coming home, Shane. So just... stop."

For a second, dad seemed like he might argue, but then he just huffed and walked back into the living room, muttering something under his breath. I didn't care to hear it.

I glanced at mam, offering her a small, grateful smile.

"Thanks," I said, my voice soft.

She gave me a small nod, then looked back at the bags we'd just brought in, the weight of everything that was happening settling in again.

"We'll make sure she's okay, Ki," she said quietly. "I'm doing everything I can to make it right. For Emi. For all of us."

I nodded. "I know, Mam. I know."

And as much as I hated to admit it, part of me still feared that things wouldn't go smoothly. That even after all this effort, we wouldn't be able to give Emi the life she deserved. But hearing my mam's words, feeling her quiet confidence—it made me believe for a second that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change.

For the first time in a while, I let myself feel a flicker of hope.