The room fell silent. The mother, standing in the dim light of the early morning, could hardly breathe as she waited for her eldest son to explain. Her heart raced, pounding like a drum, as she watched him hold his brother with such protection and tenderness.
Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, the boy said, “I have to protect him, Mom. They told me he might be taken away.”
The mother’s mind spun, trying to grasp the weight of his words. “Who told you this?” she asked, her voice trembling, unsure if she was prepared to hear the answer.
