The Lullaby Nights

♥ 9

ASHER

When I returned from work, Harley wasn't home. I didn't have to question where my brother had gone. Since Nina got diagnosed with leukaemia, the hospital had become his second home. I couldn't blame him for wanting to stay by her side twenty-four-seven. She was such a lovely soul.

I still remembered the day he brought her to our flat and introduced her to me. She had a bubbly personality. No wonder she had charmed my little brother. It devastated me when Harley told me about the cancer. Over the years, Nina had become part of the family, which, sadly, comprised only me and my brother.

Home alone, I got on with cooking dinner. I was about to finish peeling potatoes as I heard the front door open. I wiped my hands and turned off the radio. 'Hungry?'

The lack of response concerned me. I switched off the cooker and sauntered into a tiny den, which we had got into the habit of calling it our living room.

My eyes fell upon a hunched figure, standing at the threshold. The figure was sad. The figure was crying. I couldn't recall the last time I'd seen Harley shed a tear in my presence. Something must've happened.

I darted towards him and gently pulled him inside. 'Hey, what's wrong?' My voice was soft. I enveloped him in my arms.

He sobbed into my T-shirt.

'She...' He pulled away and swallowed hard. 'She's dying.' His voice grew brittle, so the last word came out as a wail. 'They gave her nine days, and that's if she's lucky.' he whimpered, his pale hands shielded his face.

I froze, and so did my breath. I knew Nina was weak, but this? This was a shock. I couldn't possibly imagine how Harley must've felt. He loved that girl more than anything in this world, including me. He couldn't lose her. Was it not enough that our parents died? What was wrong with this damn universe!?

I felt angry and devastated. I felt sorry for him and myself, but mostly for Nina. She was only eighteen. She should start living her life, not dealing with the fact that it was ending.

I scooped Harley back into my embrace. He must've needed it because he held onto me as if I was a promise of never-ending solace.

'The chief physician agreed to the Lullaby Nights.' His whisper felt warm against my shoulder. 'I'm going to do it.'

'The Lullaby Nights?' I furrowed in bemusement.

Harley rushed with explanations. I didn't know our mother had come up with such a fair idea. It made me smile.

I offered him my help. I was twenty-six and worked full-time as a plumber, so I could afford whatever my brother needed to purchase. It might've meant I'd have to dig into my savings, but Nina was like a sister to me. Money didn't matter. Not this time. What mattered, though, was Harley and his beautiful idea for the Lullaby Nights.

We were going to make it happen.