Chapter 13
“Lessie, you’re amazing. Karen smiled softly, her eyes shining with genuine pride X
Alessia tucked her phone away, lips curling in a quiet smirk.
“Instead of worrying about tuition, why don’t you let me handle the paperwork to update my legal name and registration? No need for you both to make a special trip–just give me the family documents and I’ll take care of it.
“Are you sure you can do it alone? Maybe I should go with you” Brendan said, his tone concerned but trusting.
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
Unable to change her mind, Karen fetched the folder with their family records and handed it over. To their surprise, Alessia had everything sorted by the end of the aftemoon.
That evening, Zachary came home. The ceiling fan spun lazily overhead as Karen and Brendan recapped their lunchtime conversation for him.”
“Every day at rush hour, there are food stalls lined up outside our school. Even the ones that aren’t that great have crowds, and Mom, your cooking is incredible. I think this could really work.“)
Zachary had inherited Karen’s gentle and thoughtful nature–a true gentleman, the kind you’d imagine stepping out of a classic novel.
“But we’ll need a cart to set up a stall…
“We don’t need—“”
“That’s not a problem, Zachary interrupted, his voice soft but cut off by a sudden fit of coughing
Everyone turned toward him. Alessia noticed the pallor in his face and frowned slightly, though no one else seemed to catch it.
“Take your time, no rush” Karen said, giving his back a reassuring rub, while Brendan handed him a glass of water!
“The restaurant where I work part–time has an old food cart just sitting in the back. The owner bought it years ago, but they never use it anymore. Il message him now and see if he’s willing to let us have it.”
No one in this f
family seemed to believe in waiting around. Once they set their sights on something, they moved fast–making plans and putting them into action without delay.
Zachary’s boss apparently liked him, because within minutes he replied: he’d been planning to get rid of the cart anyway, and they could take it off his hands if they wanted.
Everyone was in high spirits, immediately launching into calculations about ingredients, supplies, and labor. The discussion carried on until midnight–much later than Karen and Brendan’s usual ten o’clock bedtime.
Seeing everyone still wide awake, Alessia hesitated, then decided to share her own thoughts.
וי
was thinking of reorganizing the bedrooms tomorrow. Is that okay?”
All three paused. “Are you not sleeping well?” B Brendan asked.
Alessia shook her head. “I looked at all three rooms this afternoon. Mine gets the most sunlight, then yours, and Zachary’s room is the smaliest and barely gets any light.”
She continued, “I think you and Dad should take my room. The other one, I could divide into two spaces–one for me and one for Ivan He’s always hunched over his desk lamp drawing, and his eyesight will suffer if he keeps it up, Zachary is hardly home anyway, and young guys can handle it. At least it won’t be so cramped.”
Her words were honest and practical. The lively mood faded, replaced by a quiet hush as the evening deepened.
“Lessie, before you came, Ileana used to stay in that room. There’s no reason for you to move now,” Karen said, looking away, her smile gone!
“I agree with your mom. When things were good, you never got to enjoy any of it, and now that we’re struggling, we shouldn’t let you be the one to make sacrifices. It may not be much, but we want to give you the best we can, Brendan added firmly.
Alessia hadn’t expected this reaction. She glanced at Zachary, but he avoided her gaze–clearly siding with their parents.
She sighed, uncertain what she was feeling.
In that case, at least let Ivan move in with me. fi split the room in two. He’s still young, and sunlight’s important for growing up. I’ll talk it over with him tomorrow–can the two of us decide?“%.
