At Age 5, My Two Older Siblings and I Became Orphans but Promised Each Other to Fulfill Our Parents’ Dream

When our parents died, our world shattered, losing the laughter and warmth of home. Orphans in an institution, nine-year-old Liam became our protector, sacrificing meals and promising to reclaim our parents’ café. Through foster homes, we stayed united—Liam worked nights, Emma waited tables, and I pitched in. Every paycheck fueled our dream to restore the café. Eight years

later, we signed the papers, reviving the dusty, peeling space with love and resilience, serving coffee and memories to a new generation. Eventually, we reclaimed our childhood home, too. Every Sunday, we gather there—three siblings and our families—filling it with laughter and life. Liam’s toast, “Only in unity can a family overcome anything,” echoes our parents’ belief, now fully lived.