𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒐 𝒀𝑯𝑾𝑯

𝑿𝑰𝑰

My mother sat on the couch staring blankly at nothing while my father had his head in his palm. The tension felt thicker than when he announced to us the shameless act he had done. He lifted his head, his eyes turned to meet mine when anger padlocked my heart like a cage. Surrounding that cage was a huge wall of unforgiveness. To me I no longer saw a father-that illusion evaporating as well as any other hope I had in him-I saw a man selfish to live his life as though he didn't have any priorities and now it has cost him, and us.

He opened his mouth to say my name but was cut short when I stomped away, marching straight to my room and slamming the door with extra force than needed.

"My ear," I startled seeing the figure sitting behind my desk, rummaging through my endless list of papers.

His hair had grown longer with the sides shaved in a low fade, those dark orbs of his scanned through my tight face squeezed with suppressed emotions. I could see on his face how he wanted to tell me to talk, to open up and not bottle away all my feelings thinking that it would make them subside.

"Don't," I raised my finger pointedly at him. The barrier that I had built up slowly started to crumble, before I could start crying my brother engulfed me in his arms. He stood a feet taller than I remembered but his scent that always made me feel safe still remained. He held me tight as if the sight of me crying was a pain to him, I immediately knew what he was thinking but I didn't have the strength to be giving comfort.

"H... How could he d...do this to us?" my voice cracked.

Ike rubbed my back to sooth me, his actions had a tense nature to it. "I don't know Binu, I shouldn't have left, maybe I would've-"

"You couldn't have prevented this so don't start loathing yourself over it," I pulled myself away from him to look at him with my red eyes. We were each other's strength growing up, it made us close so when he left I felt a chip of my shoulder break.

Ikenna ran his hands through his hair, pacing as he did so. "I could have Binu! I knew how dad was and you don't understand how much I've thought... thought about you and Ify," he said, referring to Leal by her traditional name. "Sometimes my mind makes me think of the day when he'll actually hit you or worse," Ike looked me in the eye to convey his deepest thoughts, I grasped it immediately.

"No. He wouldn't have done something like that to us."

"You don't know that! It gave me sleepless nights. Why did I have to go to school somewhere far away? You guys needed me as your brother."

I held his arm. "You did what was best for yourself."

Ike took his arm away. "I should've stayed."

"Why are you back now?"

Ikenna dropped his hand. "Mom called me so I decided to come stay. I don't know how long, maybe a week but you guys need me here. I can make up for the classes I'll miss later."