We got home when the moon was three quarters in the sky.

I was carrying Alvin in my arms, and a little high on brown tea.

I guess that’s why I didn’t understood why Alice lost the color in her face when she saw us getting home. She should have expected for us to get a little later on his birthday.

But our child doesn’t need to sleep, so she must have thought something happened to him.

It’s good Jacen was with me, so he pulled on her frills and I snapped out of it.

“Oh, right, he is just sleeping.”

It’s difficult to believe. Both of us had noticed once or twice that he doesn’t need to sleep at all.

Still, he does sleep sometimes.

Mainly when he is sad.

We don’t know what to do.

Why is he reacting to his little sister’s birth like this?

“Maybe it’s because Ann is gone. He may be lonely.”

Alice has a point.

Alvin used to spend his days training with his older sister. Now he just helps with the chores and trains alone.

The kid is only five. It must be tough for him.

“So, what do we do?”

“Uff… I don’t know…”

She is seated by my side in the bed. Soon her head rests in my shoulder.

“Maybe we should let he go and live with your mother.”

“I don’t think that would be good for him.”

Alice is right. Marie may be able to teach him properly, but she is also too wild and strict on making others act like she wants them to.

“Well, tomorrow he will be going out for himself. Maybe he will make some new friends.”

“Can´t you take him with you?”

I held the hand she had put on my leg.

“It would be bad if he stayed at my side forever. Besides, my work is pretty boring most days.”

Alice grabbed my hand.

“Is he really going to be okay?”

… I don’t know.

“He is a strong and smart kid. He will be fine.”

“But he is so lonely! What if he never makes any friends?”

“Don’t worry about that. Let’s give time to time. Ann did fine by herself after all.”

“Uhm.”

We went to sleep.