When the daylight has faded

Message from Elisa

It had been a long day. I loosened my tie, picked up the photograph I had placed in the hall two weeks ago and sent the beautiful lady with the infectious grin in it a kiss up to heaven. My new nightly ritual.

I was just about to grab a quick beer before hitting the covers, knowing that my alarm clock would kick me out of bed again in less than four hours, when the doorbell rang.

I sighed, then groaned when I saw who had come calling at this late hour. Why hadn't I checked the security cams?

"Trey! How much do you need this time?"

Trey pushed past me.

"I don't need anything! I'm here to offer support."

I laughed.

"Support me how, Trey? By turning up now when you should know that I'll have to be up again before the crack of dawn? Oh, I forgot, as a drug addict who has never had a steady job, you wouldn't know about these things."

Trey clenched his hands.

"Former drug addict, Ben! I've been clean for four years now and been working in the same firm ever since. Haven't missed a day. As my brother you should know that. Oh, I forgot, as the CEO of EN Electronics, family matters are inconsequential to you. I wonder if Elisa remembered what you looked like when she died."

Trey's last sentence blew my fuse and sent my fist straight into his big old honker.

His eyes watered immediately, but to my surprise he whispered, "I didn't come here to fight, Ben, and I shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

I deflated.

"No, Trey, I apologise! I don't know what I was thinking. I haven't broken your nose, have I?"

Guilt swamped me. He was my little brother. I was supposed to protect him, not beat him, no matter what.

Trey grinned.

"Wouldn't have been my first time. Look at the crooked thing. An addict's life is not conducive to maintaining a majestic, straight nose."

"Your nose was never straight, let alone majestic!" I joked, then sobered. "I'm sorry I cut you out of my life, Trey!"

"Don't blame you, man. It isn't your fault that you exceeded all of Dad's dreams, while I managed to fall short of even the lowest expectations he had of me."

"Trey..."

"Let's have this conversation later, bro. I'm here for this," my brother cut in, pulling a letter from his jacket pocket.

My breath hitched when I saw the handwriting on the envelope.

"Elisa left this with me a few months ago," Trey said softly. "She instructed me to give this to you after her death but to make sure we'd break the seal together."

He handed me one side of the letter, our fingers touching to break the ornate wax seal. The letter opened, revealing one simple sentence.

"Give each other a man hug already, then have a beer together!"

Elisa! Looking out for me even now.

I slapped Trey on the shoulder and whipped two beers out of the fridge.

"Get comfortable on the settee, man! I'm staying home tomorrow."

The noise of Trey's bum hitting the cushions was the most beautiful sound I had heard since Elisa's death.