I Let My Son Live With My Abusive Cousin

"Thank you, Uncle," Nathan responded politely, his voice calm and composed, as though he had long grown used to my cousin's blatant favoritism.

Beside Nathan, Rowan hesitated, fidgeting nervously. His thin fingers clutched the frayed edges of his shirt as he summoned the courage to speak. "Dad," he stammered, "tomorrow is my birthday too. Could you… could you get me a new pair of shoes?"

His words hung in the air, fragile and hopeful.

My gaze fell to Rowan's feet, clad in sandals so worn out that they barely held together. The thin straps had frayed and the soles were almost completely eroded. I remembered they were Nathan's discarded sandals from last year, passed down to Rowan when my cousin declared that Nathan deserved new things while Rowan was only fit for hand-me-downs. Those sandals had endured rain, heat and now the biting chill of winter, leaving Rowan's small feet covered in red chilblains.

The room fell silent for a beat, but the hope in Rowan's eyes was quickly extinguished. My cousin's expression contorted with fury and he exploded. "You filthy brat! You're only good for wearing trash!"

His voice thundered, filling the room. Without warning, he raised his hand and struck Rowan across the face. The sharp slap echoed, leaving a red imprint on the boy's pale cheek.

"A birthday? Do you think you deserve that?!" My cousin's words were venomous and with each syllable, his fists found their mark.

"Stop it, please! He's just a child!" Hana cried, rushing forward to intervene.

Even Nathan dropped his toy and grabbed his father's arm, pleading, "Uncle, don't hurt him! Please stop!"

Perhaps fearing that his outburst would upset Nathan further, my cousin dragged Rowan by the arm, hauling him out of the house. The door slammed shut behind them, cutting off the boy's faint cries of pain as the winter wind swallowed him.

***

The next morning was Rowan and Nathan's birthday. It should have been a day of joy, a double celebration of life. But when my cousin arrived at the door, bearing an extravagant cake and brightly wrapped gifts, only Nathan's name was on his lips.

Hana, noticing the absence of Rowan, furrowed her brows. "Where's Rowan? It's his birthday too. Why isn't he here?"

My cousin waved off her concern with a nonchalant chuckle, as though the question were absurd. "Oh, him? I broke his leg last night. He's still unconscious."

He delivered the news with such casual detachment that it took a moment for the weight of his words to sink in. Hana's eyes widened in horror. "You what?"

Ignoring her, my cousin strode inside and placed the cake and gifts on the table in front of Nathan, his face softening into an indulgent smile. "Nathan, my dear boy, today is your special day. I won't let anything ruin it for you."

Nathan hesitated, his small hands reaching for the gift but pausing as though conflicted. His sleeves slipped back slightly, revealing a faint cut on the back of his hand.

My cousin's expression darkened instantly. "What is this?" he demanded, grabbing Nathan's wrist to examine the injury.

"It's just a small scratch," Nathan murmured, pulling his hand back.

My cousin spun on me, his face a mask of outrage. "Jimmy, what the hell is wrong with you? How could you let Nathan hurt his hand?!"

I met his furious gaze with calm indifference. "It's normal for kids to get a few scrapes. Your son is covered in injuries all the time, isn't he?"

The room seemed to freeze. My cousin's face turned red with rage as my words sunk in. "How dare you compare that worthless brat to Nathan?" he snarled. "Nathan is—"

Realizing he was losing control, he stopped mid-sentence. He took a deep breath and smoothed his expression before continuing in a more measured tone. "What I mean is, Nathan has been raised with care and deserves better treatment than that useless kid of mine. You need to take better care of him!"

Hana, who had been quietly fuming, finally spoke up. "How dare you! If you hadn't beaten your son yesterday, leaving a mess of blood, Nathan wouldn't have been forced to clean it up and hurt himself!"

My cousin turned to Nathan, his face softening once more. "Nathan, is that true?"

Nathan nodded solemnly. "Yes, I just wanted to help out Mom and Dad."

His words moved my cousin. "Sometimes, you don't have to be so considerate. Leave the hard and dirty work to your dad. Your just need to enjoy life, got it?"

Nathan nodded quietly, but I could see the guilt flickering in his eyes.

My cousin busied himself with the preparations for Nathan's birthday celebration. He took over the kitchen, barking orders at Hana while arranging decorations. By the time everything was ready, the table was laden with food and the room glowed with festive lights.

After dinner, as the candles on the cake flickered, my cousin leaned forward, his voice full of eager anticipation. "Nathan, tell me, do you have any wishes? I will make them come true."

Nathan didn't hesitate. His young eyes sparkled with determination. "I want to get into Newman University!"