I Still Miss You 💔. By A.ZChaudhry

Chapter 3

XANDROS

I was in the gym when I got a call. Looking at the caller ID, it was home's phone number when I knew it was Toby. Putting the weights down and wiping the sweat off of my forehead, I attended the call, "Yes Toby?"

His voice sounded very squeaky and light, as if he had been crying, "Biggie?"

I scrunched up my face in confusion, bells of alarms ringing loudly inside my ear, disturbing my ear drum as hell and allowing fear to claw up my insides, "Tobs? What happened?"

His voice quivered when I heard a sniffle, "Can you come home?"

I immediately started packing my things up, "Yes tobs, I am on my way. Tell me, what happened, baby?"

"Mum was sick so dad took her to the hospital and the Shahs are fighting again, I am scared, biggie." His voice wavered when I closed my eyes. The Shahs were our neighbours and have been fighting since the day they got married which has been nothing but a sick scene to witness and hear daily. I secretly prayed for them to either get a divorce or move out as it was seriously annoying everyone in the neighbourhood.

"I am coming, don't open the doors, don't attend any unknown call and stay in your room. Turn on the air conditioning and watch some movie, I'll be back in around-" I checked my watch, "ten minutes. Okay, Tobs?"

"Okie okie."

I was about to end the call when his small voice drifted again, "Biggie?"

I chuckled, loving my little brother a lot, "Yes love?"

"Can you get me an Oreo Shake and some brownies or cupcakes on your way home?"

I nodded, "I'll get you all three. Now tuck yourself inside the covers. I'm on my way."

He sounded happy when he shrieked, "Okieeee! Bayeeeee."

I chuckled, "Bye."

*

Toby was two and a half years old, sitting on dad's lap and drawing onto his white, favourite shirt with as many markers as he could get his hands on as dad worked on his computer, completing his office work. Mum was in the kitchen, making her special lasagne for us when as soon as the smell wafted into our noses, our stomachs churned due to hunger, wanting to do nothing but just dive into it already. The thought had just crossed my mind when mum called us, "Boys! Dinner's ready!"

And hence, we all walked together, with Toby clinging onto dad, still drawing on his white shirt, hanging over him like a monkey.

*

Toby was five and we sat in the car together to go to the grocery store as mum needed eggs and butter. I inserted the key and turned on the ignition when I heard a weird sound of some clicking. It wasn't of the clicking of the seatbelt when I looked sideways at Toby to find myself forming my lips in a thin line, "Really, Toby?"

He grinned and nodded, "Yesh."

"Take it off."

"Nopes."

"Tobs-"

"Nopesies nopsies."

I warned him, "Tobias-"

"SAFETY FIRST!"

I grimaced in an unsuccessful protest and started the car when I felt like an idiot on the road. Tobias was wearing a helmet. In the car. For safety. I mean....... Yes, I have had an accident a number of times, if to recall properly, I started driving two months ago and had hit my car around less than twenty-five times by now, so not much, but him wearing a helmet in the night in the car was stupid. Hell stupid. Huh.