Myocardium

Part 44

"Rafael, how long will you stay with us?" my little sister asks the person sitting next to me obliviously, looking at him with sparkling eyes. Both her and Sasha are very fond of this new addition I have spontaneously and temporarily made to our household. Rafael gives her a sweet, genuine smile, then answers truthfully,
"I'm not sure yet, Daisy. A few days, if your brother doesn't mind. Of course, only if that is okay with you too."

"Yes please!!" my sister screeches and folds her hands in front of her, grinning widely while looking back and forth between Raf and me with shiny eyes. Wordlessly, she asks me if we could keep this one. 

"It'd be a pleasure to have you stay," I answer her subconscious request, dedicating my words rather towards Raf than my little, overly excited sister. The scene I find myself in lifts my spirit a bit, I feel a bit relieved hearing Rafael's heartful laughter. The four of us, with me being the one who is instructed to do the least due to my condition, clean up the dining table and kitchen in no time and sit down on the sofa for a round of Uno.

The first and second landslide victories go to Sasha, who's been deemed the 'King of Uno' among the three of us ever since we were younger. After the third round, which I win narrowly against Daisy, Rafael looks at me apologetically and interrupts our card-game-session.
"Hey, I'll just clear this up really quickly, okay? I'll be back."

Without any verbal response, I nod reassuringly, my eyes follow him as he gets up and makes his way out of the apartment's door, still in his socks, just to have some more privacy.

"Eli, can we pleeeease play Monopoly?" Daisy asks, frustrated by the defeat she suffered. Affectionately, I pat her head and snicker fretfully,
"Of course, princess. Rafael can join one of us when he's back."

While talking, I pull the box out from the narrow shelf under the coffee-table, opening it and setting up a game. Even though I chose the hat as my playing figurine, I know more than well that my head is one door away, right where Rafael has been caught up for quite some time now. Radio silence. Not a single noise coming from out there, it worries me.

Not until I hear the main door open again. The sight I'm revealed to reignites the tension in my chest that makes me want to cry. Yes, it's Rafael who steps back into the flat, but he's not the same as before. On his face, there is this distinct expression of a mixture between fury, guilt and deep sadness. 

Without a word or distinct look at us, Rafael walks past us into my room, coming out only moments later. His clothes are not the same anymore, he is now wearing his coat. What is he wearing his coat for? He's not leaving, is he? The tears that begin shooting into my eyes, I struggle blinking them away for the sake of my siblings.

Only now, Rafael walks over to us, his furrowed brows not seeming to move an inch.
"Is everything alr-...," I set to ask Rafael the question to which the answer is rather obvious already, but he doesn't even let me finish before his harsh words ring painfully in my ears,
"I need to catch some fresh air. I'll be back soon, okay?"

Even though his words are spoken sharply, his voice trembles and breaks on the last note. Before anyone could notice the tears dwelling in his eyes and before I could make any move to stop him from leaving, Rafael is already out the door, after grabbing the key off the hallway cabinet. I jump up from where I'm sitting, but whatever I planned on shouting after him is pointless anyway, as the entrance door already slams shut in front of me. 

What have I done wrong?

For a moment, I stand there, with my torso turned towards the door and my heart physically aching. The two children exchange confused expressions, but soon, Sasha plays my little hero and overplays the seriousness of the situation by using the air plane figurine to make our sister laugh.