24TH DECEMBER, 2023
It was a cold wintry evening. Framton Johnson was sat upon his brown leather swivel chair. His heart was heavy as a glass of cold aromatic whisky sat on his table. He takes a sip of the whiskey, closing his eyes to see visions of his lovely family once upon a time.
Everything was so perfect.
[FLASHBACK…]
“Papa!” He remembers Cassandra was so frail and weak. Her strength were her brothers and no one else all until she grew up so wonderfully. The life of Johnson Family was the little girl, at the moment smiling and holding her hand out at him.
She drags him to show the newly built beach castle. But it was long gone, buried under Louis’s feet as they built a new big one.
“Papa!!” The eight year old girl begins crying holding her father. Framton laughs as the boys looked as confused as ever.
“We- we were only trying to build a new better sandcastle for you, Cassie…” Nick says, instead of his brothers.
“I told you guys not to step on her castle. Now face it-” Alex spoke against his brothers, none bothered about their activities as he built his own sand castle.
Framton crouches to the girl’s height. She was adopted only a few months ago, yet she’s gotten so close to their hearts. Holding her bony shoulders, he adores her puckered lips and red nose as her eyes held tears.
“I made that for you, papa. But they k-killed my castle.” She says.
“They didn’t kill your castle, princess. Aren’t you our best girl? You’re their princess. You’re my princess. Your brothers only built you a better one because you deserve it. Won’t you appreciate them? A little thank you maybe?” Says Framton.
The girl, still sad about her ‘dead’ castle approaches her brothers. They all stood beside each other in a line as they awaited her words. They understood that she was a nervous girl, more likely to be introverted unlike all of them who loved talking to people.
“I’m sorry for shouting at m-my brothers.” Unsure if she was right, she turns around and looks at Framton. The middle aged man gives her a nod of approval, saying she was doing good.
“It’s alright, baby sister. We love you too!” Zayn, the brightest boy in the family at the age of ten hugs his sister. Soon, all the brothers join the hug to crush their adorable little sister.
[FLASHBACK ENDS…]
Oh how quickly does the time pass by.
Framton opens the French desk, a photo of his children taken at the beach they visited again after years. They’ve grown so tall and healthy in that picture. They were merely kids back then.
Placing the glass down, he stands up with the picture delicately held in his hold.
Slowly, he kisses each of his children’s faces.
The pad of his fingers slightly graze over their bright smiles.
He’d observed, that Zayn was standing beside Cassandra.
The two were exceptionally close.
Given Zayn who was the brightest and the calmest of the brothers, he also was the most understanding brother of all. Maybe that’s why Cassandra selected her favorite brother.
And maybe… Cassandra also accepted him as her lover.
Not just for this lifetime, but for the remaining lifetimes of theirs as well.
Framton gleams at the memories he closed his eyes and recollected by himself. He was reminiscing his beautiful family.
Once upon a time, he too had a lover.
The woman cheated on him, and left him at the end of the day.
How could he forget about Jenna?
His first and last love.
He’s sworn to the Gods above. That if he ever fell in love again, he would rather die alone.
However, he began loving children. Adopting Louis was the best, greatest decision he ever made in his life. The boy was only seven when Framton adopted him. He was the sweetest.
Then Alex.
Then Nick.
Then Dan and Zayn together.
And at last… his beloved daughter.
He still remembers their first, unprecedented encounter.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Little Cassandra was given a day off from the Kohlman house, her orphanage center. She wandered off to a park and couldn’t find her way back.
Framton had brought his kids upon their request to the park, to let them have their youth blossom. Nick points to a crying girl sitting on the ground beside a tree. Framton could not make out her actions until they approached her as a whole unit of boys.
“Hey, little lady.” Cassandra gasps. She sees the warmth of the sunlight disappeared behind shadows of five boys and a middle aged man. Her lips turned downwards instantly.
Defensively, Framton brings his hands up.
“We are not here to harm you, little girl. Boys, give her some space. We’re too close.” Says the father as they all move back. Cassandra stands up and wipes her tears. She was intimidated by the boys towering over her.
Suddenly, she hears her name being yelled.
“There you are!” The boys move as the woman rushes towards them. She was her warden.
“Come on now.”
“U-uh… excuse me? But who are you?” Observing how the warden was in uniform, Framton asks.
“Oh, hello sir. I am her warden at the orphanage nearby. While I was engaged with everyone, this little lady managed to slip away.” Says the warden.
“What’s that in your hand, Cassandra? Drop it!” It turns out, Dan and Nick quietly slipped her a little toy of their own. Framton recognises right away.
At night, the boys arrive at his room as he was working on a project.
“Dad…” Says Nick. Behind him were all his brothers. Louis was busy with Framton as he was learning trade and business little by little with his father.
“Papa… we want that girl to be our sister.” They asked.
How could Framton dismiss their sweet request?
The next day morning, he rushes out of the house early and reaches the orphanage.
He adopts the girl, assuring he was a rich businessman with a legal right over five other lovely boys.
That morning, Cassandra was welcomed warmly by the five brothers.
It was as if overnight an angel granted them a wish.
And their wish was to have a baby sister.