Evie, the youngest of six sisters, was only three years old when her father passed away, leaving her mother, Mary, to care for a large family while pregnant with Evie’s younger brother. After her brother’s birth, Mary took on a demanding job to support her children, often working long hours and coming home late at night. Unable to be present for them, Mary made the difficult decision to have all her children live with their grandmother.

Their grandmother, a kind but firm woman, became their anchor in the storm. One night, as Evie sat on her grandmother’s lap, she looked up with wide, innocent eyes and asked, “Nenek, why doesn’t Mama stay with us anymore?”

Her grandmother sighed, stroking Evie’s hair gently. “Sayang, Mama is working hard to make sure you and your siblings have everything you need. She loves you very much, even if she can’t be here all the time.”

“Do you think Papa would be proud of us?” Evie whispered.

Her grandmother smiled softly, a tear glistening in her eye. “Oh, Evie, he would be so proud. You’re all his greatest treasures.”

At that moment, Evie felt a warm sense of comfort, knowing her family’s love was always with her, even in their absence.

Evie was known for her playful, mischievous nature, balanced by her tender affection for her mother. Though she sometimes got into trouble with her sisters, she was her mother’s little darling, always finding a way to melt her heart. Every night, as the family gathered in the living room, Evie would sit close to her grandmother, watching her favorite cartoons. But her real focus wasn’t the television—it was the clock.

She knew her mother would arrive home at 11 pm, exhausted but always with a warm smile for her children. Evie had her own special routine. She would pretend to fall asleep on the couch, knowing her mother would gently carry her to bed. It was her way of staying close to Mary, even if they didn’t have much time together during the day.

One evening, as her grandmother switched off the TV, Evie peeked through half-closed eyes and whispered to her sister, “Don’t tell Mama I’m awake, okay?”

Her sister giggled but nodded. “You’re so spoiled, Evie.”

When Mary finally walked through the door, Evie felt her mother’s soft hands lifting her. She couldn’t help but nuzzle into her mother’s neck, whispering, “Mama, I missed you.”

Mary smiled, her voice gentle but weary. “I missed you too, sayang. Sleep now, my little angel.”

Life took a big turn for Evie when Mary remarried. Her new stepfather, a kind man from City B, quickly won Evie’s trust. She loved following him and her mother to the river, splashing in the cool water and laughing as her stepfather taught her how to skip stones.

“Look, Ayah!” Evie exclaimed one day, holding up a small fish she’d managed to catch with her bare hands.

Her stepfather chuckled, patting her head. “You’re going to be a great fisher one day, Evie.”

Evie grinned proudly and ran to show her mother. “Mama, look what I caught!”

Mary clapped her hands, pretending to be amazed. “Wah, my little Evie is so clever!”

A month later, the family faced another big change. Mary and her new husband decided to move to City B to find better job opportunities. It broke Mary’s heart to leave Evie behind, but she trusted Evie’s grandmother to care for her while she started school.

On the morning of their departure, Evie clung to her mother tightly. “Mama, do you have to go?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Mary knelt down and cupped Evie’s face. “Sayang, I promise I’ll come back to visit as often as I can. And you can come to City B to see me, okay? Be a good girl for Nenek.”

“Okay, Mama,” Evie whispered, wiping her tears.

When Evie visited City B a month later, she was filled with excitement. But nothing prepared her for the surprise awaiting her. As she walked into the house, she saw a little boy peeking shyly from behind Mary’s leg.

“Evie, meet your stepbrother,” Mary said with a warm smile. “This is Adam.”

Evie’s eyes widened. “He’s so adorable!” she exclaimed, crouching down to his level.

Adam giggled and reached out to grab her hand. “Kakak?” he asked softly.

Evie grinned, nodding. “Yes, I’m Kakak Evie. Do you want to play?”

Adam nodded eagerly, and the two were soon chasing each other around the house, their laughter filling the air. That night, as Evie cuddled beside her mother, she whispered, “Mama, I like Adam. Can I bring him back to Nenek’s house?”

Mary chuckled, pulling Evie close. “Not yet, sayang. But you can visit us anytime you want.”

Though life continued to change, Evie’s vibrant personality and her family’s unwavering love gave her the strength to adapt and thrive. With her stepbrother by her side and her mother’s love as her anchor, Evie’s world felt brighter than ever.

At five years old, Evie began school, excited to start a new chapter of her life. The school wasn’t far from her grandmother’s house, so every morning, she would walk there on her own, her tiny legs carrying her briskly along the familiar dirt path. Her bag was always slightly oversized, bouncing with every step, but her bright smile never wavered.

Evie quickly made friends, her cheerful and imaginative nature drawing people to her. During recess, she would gather a group of her classmates and tell them stories from her “imagination world,” weaving magical tales of enchanted forests, talking animals, and brave princesses.

“And then,” Evie said one day, her voice filled with excitement, “the dragon gave me a crown! He said, ‘You are the queen of the skies now!’”

One of her friends, Nadia, clapped her hands. “I want to meet the dragon too!”

Evie giggled. “You have to visit my imagination world first!”

Despite her playful and sometimes mischievous personality, Evie worked hard in school. She struggled to remember the alphabet at first, but she refused to give up. Her teacher, noticing her determination, often praised her. One afternoon, the teacher called Evie to her desk.

“Evie, you’ve done such a good job learning your letters,” the teacher said, smiling. “Can you help Nadia with hers before you go home today?”

Evie’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can be the teacher?”

“Yes, you can,” the teacher replied with a laugh.

Evie proudly sat beside Nadia, pointing at the letters on the board. “This is A, and it’s for apple. Can you say apple?”

Nadia repeated after her, and Evie beamed with pride.

A year later, Evie turned seven. She had grown a little taller but was still the same vibrant girl. However, she started to experience frequent nosebleeds and nausea, which worried her grandmother. Though her mother, Mary, was busy working in City B, Evie never complained.

One evening, while sitting on her grandmother’s lap, Evie whispered, “Nenek, do you think Mama misses me?”

Her grandmother stroked her hair gently. “Of course she does, sayang. She’s working hard to make life better for all of you.”

“I know, Nenek,” Evie said with a small smile. “I’ll be patient. Mama will come home soon.”

But as time went on, Evie’s family faced more challenges. Her eldest sister, Aria, fell seriously ill and had to leave for City C with their Uncle Mal to focus on her treatment. Her second sister, Arin, dropped out of school to work, while her third sister, Annie, did the same. Only her fourth and fifth sisters, Elis and Elisha, continued their studies.

Evie missed her sisters deeply but found joy in teasing her cousin Emil during holidays. Emil, terrified of ghosts and the color black, was often Evie’s target for playful pranks.

One evening, as Emil sat alone in a dimly lit room, Evie crept up behind him, draped in a black sheet. “Boo!” she shouted, making him scream and run out of the room.

“Evie!” her grandmother scolded when she found out. “Why are you always scaring Emil?”

Evie pouted. “It’s just for fun, Nenek.”

“Fun for you, but not for him,” her grandmother replied sternly.

Evie nodded, though she couldn’t hide her mischievous grin.

Life wasn’t always playful. One day, Evie returned home late from school because her friend had asked her to wait. Her grandmother, worried and upset, scolded her harshly.

“Why are you so late? I thought something happened to you!” her grandmother yelled.

“I’m sorry, Nenek,” Evie said, tears streaming down her face. “My friend needed me.”

Her grandmother’s anger boiled over, and in the heat of the moment, she accidentally struck Evie, causing one of her front teeth to fall out. Crying, Evie ran to an empty house nearby, clutching her tooth.

Once there, she dug a small hole in the ground and buried it, whispering, “I’m sorry, Nenek. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

As the years passed, Evie grew more accustomed to her new family structure. She referred to her stepfather as "Uncle," a term her grandmother insisted on. While she didn’t fully understand the complexities of adult relationships, she noticed the tension whenever her grandmother mentioned her stepfather.

At ten, Evie’s second aunt offered to take her in, and her grandmother agreed. Living with her aunt brought new experiences, including learning to cook. However, Evie began to withdraw, fearing judgment from others. Even at school, she only spoke to her best friend.

One day, during her cousin’s birthday party, Evie suddenly burst into tears.

“What’s wrong, Evie?” her aunt asked. “Do you want a party too?”

Evie shook her head. “What’s a birthday party?”

Her aunt’s heart broke. “You’ve never had one?”

Evie shook her head again. “No, Auntie.”

Determined to make it special, her aunt planned a simple celebration for Evie’s birthday that July. When the day came, Evie couldn’t stop smiling as everyone sang for her.

“Thank you, Auntie,” she whispered, hugging her tightly. “This is the best day ever.”

Two years later, Evie asked her grandmother to let her return home. “I miss my sisters,” she said softly.

Her grandmother agreed, and soon Evie was reunited with her family. By then, Aria was married with two children, Lala and Nick. Though Evie was happy to be back, she still struggled with her fear of socializing.

One evening, as she sat with her sisters, Evie whispered, “Do you think I’ll ever be brave like you, Aria?”

Aria smiled, placing a hand on Evie’s shoulder. “You’re already brave, Evie. You’ve been through so much, and you’re still standing. That’s courage.”

Evie smiled, feeling a small flicker of hope. With her family’s love and support, she knew she could face anything.