After breakfast, Mr. Philip stood up, grabbed his keys from the counter, and looked at them with a warm smile.
"All right," he said, "how about we get you some clothes that actually fit?"
Josh jumped up, nearly knocking over his chair.
"Can I get shoes that light up?" he asked, eyes wide.
"You can get whatever you like," Mr. Philip chuckled.
Anne hesitated, glancing down at her worn dress. "Are you sure?"
"I'm very sure," he said gently. "Let me do this for you."
They all piled into Mr. Philip's car, the first time Emily and Josh had ever ridden in something so smooth and quiet. The drive was filled with excited chatter and Josh pointing out every dog, bus, and tree he saw.
At the mall, the children wandered through rows of colorful clothes, their eyes wide as if they'd stepped into another world. Anne watched them try on little jackets and sneakers, seeing them giggle in front of mirrors, twirl, and run from rack to rack. She didn't realize how long it had been since she'd seen them act like children.
Mr. Philip helped Anne pick out a soft blue blouse and jeans that actually fit her. "You deserve to feel good too," he told her. She nodded, barely holding back tears.
Once they were done, shopping bags in hand, Mr. Philip drove them around the neighborhood. The streets were clean and quiet, lined with trimmed hedges, wide sidewalks, and children riding bikes. Josh and Emily pressed their faces to the window, watching everything like it was magic.
They stopped at a small park, and the kids ran off to climb and swing while Anne and Mr. Philip sat on a bench under the shade of a tree.
"They're smiling again," Anne said softly.
"They should never have stopped," he replied.
Anne looked around the peaceful neighborhood and took a deep breath.
For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like they were just surviving.
They were starting to live.
The following week, Mr. Philip took it upon himself to handle something Anne hadn't dared dream about—school.
"This isn't just about shelter and food," he said gently one morning. "You deserve a future too. All of you."
He spent hours researching, making calls, and driving them to visit some of the best schools in the city—schools Anne had only ever seen from the outside, their gates towering and polished, the uniforms crisp, the students smiling without worry.
He made sure they were treated with dignity, walking beside them into every meeting like they belonged there—and under his care, they did.
Josh, being only four, was enrolled in Brightstone Academy's Early Years Program, a luxurious preschool with vibrant classrooms, nature walks, and teachers who knelt to speak to children eye-to-eye. His classroom had a reading tent, a mini indoor slide, and more crayons than he'd ever seen in his life.
Emily, at eight, was placed in Willowcrest International School, entering Grade 3. She received a backpack, brand-new books, and a tablet. Her smile widened when she saw the music room and the art wing—places her old life never even hinted at.
Anne, though 18, had lost years of proper education. But Mr. Philip didn't hesitate. He registered her into Ridgeview Girls College, a high-end private secondary school known for accepting older students with special cases. After an entrance evaluation, they placed her in Senior Year (Grade 12) with a tailored support system to help her catch up. Her uniform fit perfectly. For the first time, she looked like a student with a future.
When the tuition fees came up, Mr. Philip didn't flinch.
"I'll take care of everything," he said, signing the paperwork. "You just show up. Learn. Grow."
Anne sat quietly that evening, watching her siblings laugh with their school bags packed beside them, excitement glowing on their faces.
She blinked away tears.
For the first time in years, they weren't just surviving.
They were becoming something more.