The boy shook his head and held his brother even tighter:

— I just wanted you to rest. So that little brother wouldn’t bother you in the mornings. That’s why I took him to my room. Please, don’t put us in an orphanage…

The mother felt her breath catch from guilt and bitterness. She fell to her knees, hugged both sons at once, and repeated in a trembling voice:

— Forgive me, forgive me, my dear… I will never, ever give you away.

At that moment, she realized that children hear and feel much more than adults think. And sometimes, one careless word can forever plant in a child’s heart the fear of losing what is most precious.