Allegro con fuoco

XLV

God, how Eddy wished she wasn't leaving already. He didn't think he had ever spent as much time with his sister as he had these last few days, eating take out or Todd's food while chatting to her every evening as the world outside darkened, not even really practising very much at all just so he could be with her. He had even gone shopping with her one afternoon, skipping music history, waiting outside of a changing room while she tried on dresses for some party she was going to with this guy she liked, commenting on every dress as she flew in and out. 
I mean, how's that for a guy showing a girl that you love her? That you're grateful to her?
He thought back, as he looked out of the bus window, on how they had eaten at their mum's, together, last night. And it had been fucking awkward, really, because his mum never mentioned anything about what had happened, but at least she was normal. Calm. Pleasant. 
And of course her kung pao chicken could never be rivaled by anyone in the world, ever. So in the end it had felt good. It felt like he belonged there again, and he knew it was all because he didn't have to go there alone. 
How could he ever show his sister what her visit had meant to him? 
"You excited to get back?" he asked her as he pulled his mind back to the present moment. 
"Yeah." she said. "I've missed a few classes, so I'll have some catching up to do. But I wouldn't have missed this for the world."
Eddy smiled. 
"I have about fifteen hours of practise to catch up on, I'm going to be destroyed in my lesson tomorrow. But I don't care. Having you here... especially yesterday... it's been the best."
She put her arm around him and pulled him in. 
"I'll miss you. Please come visit in Sydney? We can go to the opera house if you want?"
"Absolutely." he said as images of that time when Todd had taken them all to see that Mahler symphony there flashed through his brain.
Happy days. Sad days too. Back when they were hiding from everyone but Todd and Ian. 
"That's a big sigh." his sister commented soberly, and he smiled at her again. 
"Yeah, just thinking back on how it used to be. It's better now."
She nodded. 
"Yeah. I get that. Anyway, we're here."

He'd been to this train station many times, hell, he'd had to have his mum rush around to fetch his violin for him once when he had forgotten it, like the little idiot he was. And yet it had never felt quite like this. 
Had he ever been closer to his sister than now? 
They walked in together and at the gate he hugged her tight. 
"Don't be a stranger, yeah?" he whispered in her ear. 
"No. I'll text when I'm there. Hey. Why you sad?"
He shrugged. 
"I don't know. I just... this has been so nice. Sydney's so far."
"I know, little bro. But it's just one more year, yeah? I'll be back."
"Yeah. Be safe, yeah?"
She chuckled. 
"I'll tell the train driver. I really don't think I have very much say over it."
"Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean."

She didn't reply, she just nodded and disappeared into the station. Then, right before he wouldn't be able to see her anymore, she turned around and waved. 
A small, Asian girl in a sea of people, yet she was the most radiant of them all. 
"Bye!" he called too loudly, and he thought he saw her smile just before she turned around again and vanished.