A shot at Love

Chapter 04

I grab my phone from the drawer as I am done with the food and open up the contacts to see if there's anyone I should call. But then the nurse enters the room, 'It's time for the second IV shot,' she says. I simply nod and let her do her work.

'I should call him.' I think to myself. My brother and I have always been close but in a strange way. When I was very little, we used to play a lot. He used to do those lovely gestures that elder brothers usually do. Of course, he did later on too but stopped showing me love and grew distant but we used to fight a lot. More like him beating the shit out of me as he is six years older and is obviously stronger. Years we spent hating each other then one day when I was sixteen, I woke up and suddenly realized that he's my safe place.

I guess it was the same for him because one day he started to tickle me again like he used to. Tug at my hair and make random jocks about me.

There was a time I used to think he did this stuff to piss me off and no joke, it worked. I hated it. But once I got out of my shitty new teenage phase, I realized it was his way of expressing his love for me. Duh!

We've been a little distant since I got married. It was new for me and no doubt for him too. I mean it feels so strange when you don't see your siblings who you've been living with forever.

I contemplate for a few minutes before calling him and then just do it because he's the only person who'd understand me the most and tell me the best thing to do.

The call rings for a few times and then I hear his cheerful voice, 'YO! A! Salam-alikum!'

Oh, God. Tears fill my eyes. But I shoo them away.

'Alikum-salam. Yo! A! how you doing?' I saw still a little affected by sadness. I have always loved how our parents named us with the same initials... Ali and Aya.

I miss him so much.

'Yea, I am doing great. What about you? Huh? I guess you're too happy. Dude you hardly ever call.'

'I am sorry for that. I've been busy.'

'You're lying. What is it?'

Its always caught me off guard, whenever I lie to him, he knows it and he doesn't let go. I remember crying once because I was hurt; my mother was rude to me. He came to my room and I was on my bed crying with my hair all over my face, my glasses in my hands. My eyes tightly shut. He asked me what happened and I couldn't say anything just cried with my eyes closed while he sat next to me. He tickled me and said jokes so I would stop crying and talked to me teasingly as people do to babies.

He got me stop crying and quietly got me tell him why I was crying. He's always been my hero.

'Yes. Maybe I am lying. Can you come see me?'

I know he's caught off guard. 'Yea. For sure. Everything's good?'

'It's fine. Just come. I'll text you a location meet me there. Don't come to the house.'

Ugh! I hate it.

'We're out.' I tell him so he doesn't worry while he travels.

'Yea. Yeah. Sure. Let's have a good time.'

'Yay.' I say feeling sad as I know very well, we won't be having fun. 'So, when will you come?' I say.

'Oooh, somebody's missing their brother. Huh?' he teases me and I chuckle at his comment.

'Hey! tell me when. Please.'

'I'll book a ticket right now and let you know. How's that sound?'

'Great. See you then.' I say and hang up as I am unable to handle my tears.

.

.

.

I put the phone back and lie on the bed, leaving my veil and abaya on, so I can get some sleep. I feel too tired.