Elijah was visibly worried as he overheard the n, "Evan pretending to be me and going home with Dad, will that work?"


    It seemed like a stretch, but there didn''t appear to be a better option avable.


    Elliot, not wanting Elijah to stress further, reassured him, "It''ll work out, don''t worry. But since Evan''s already gone with Tarquin, you''ll have toe back to preschool with me. Can you handle that?"


    Given Elijah''s anxiety issues and his limited interactions with strangers, Elliot was understandably concerned.


    Elijah furrowed his brow, a determined look on his face, "Yeah! I won''t hold you back."


    Elliot''s eyes softened with affection, "I''ve got your back, little bro. Once we get to preschool, if you don''t feel like talking, just keep quiet. I''ll cover for you. Plus, it''ll be a good chance for you to get a glimpse into the life we lead. Let''s sneak out before Mom notices and head back."


    "Okay! But, what about Mom if we both leave?" Elijah asked, concerncing his voice.


    "Don''t worry about her. Mom''s a grown-up; she''ll find her way home," Elliot reassured. With a nod of agreement, Elijah followed Elliot, feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement. This was his first time venturing out without Dad, stepping into a world of strangers. Yet, the anticipation of getting to know his brothers and Mom''s everyday life was thrilling! Soon enough, Elliot and Elijah made their way out of the yground and back to preschool.


    As they approached their ssroom, they were greeted by their teacher who looked concerned, "Elliot, Evan, why were you guys in the restroom for so long? Are you feeling okay?"


    Elijah tensed up, his small brow furrowed as he looked at the teacher with a mix of wariness and distance.


    Elliot nudged him gently, signaling not to worry, and addressed the teacher, "Just a bit of a stomach bug, but we''re fine now."


    "Stomach trouble, huh? Did you eat something bad?"


    "Yeah, had some spicy chips," Elliot confessed.


    The teacher immediately responded, "See, I''ve told you time and again. Spicy chips are junk food. They''ll upset your stomach. Do you believe me now? No more eating them, okay?"


    "Okay."


    Then, the teacher''s gaze shifted to Elijah, "Wait a minute, I don''t recall Evan wearing those clothes earlier?"


    Elijah''s heart skipped a beat, his anxiety spiking!


    However, Elliot remained cool, "He had an ident, so we changed him into spare clothes."


    It wasmon practice for kids to carry a change of clothes in their backpacks to preschool, considering how easily they could get dirty or have idents.


    The teacher, assuming Elijah''s nervousness was due to embarrassment, smiled reassuringly, "It''s okay to have idents at your age. Just be more careful next time. You should head back to ss now; snack time is almost over, and then it''s time to go home. And next time, you don''t need to go far for the restroom; we have one right in our ssroom."


    Most preschool ssrooms are equipped with their own restrooms.


    Elliot remarked, "The ssroom restroom doesn''t have a proper door, and I''d rather not use it."


    This was true; Elliot had never used the ssroom restroom since starting preschool, always preferring the ones outside.


    The teacher, thinking nothing of it,ughed, "Elliot, already so modest at your age. Alright, off you go back to ss." "Bye, teacher."


    After sessfully sidestepping the teacher''s suspicions, Elliot led Elijah back to the ssroom.


    Elijah took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. This was his first time interacting so closely with someone he didn''t know. He was grateful for his brother''s support, unsure how he would''ve managed on his own.