A promise.
It seems like the simplest thing in the world to keep. But so often, they're broken, empty and hollow.
They seem like the easiest thing in the world to believe, but after the words are left out to bleed, after they leave you waiting and...
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Siah stretched, getting out of his bed on a Friday morning. The shop was closed from today, Thursday, to Monday, much to his delight. Mr. Frank had some renovations getting done and he was thankful for the day off regardless.
He'd been increasingly tired lately—and not just because of work. He was emotionally drained around this time of year. He had been for a while, but he hated to talk about it. The only person who could truly understand was his father, but he knew his dad was probably just getting over the emotional hump as well.
December was when it usually started. His mothers birthday was on New Years Eve. He left Texas early this year, but he still left her flowers like he did every year since she passed. He spent her birthday happily this year—a part of him was still carrying guilt for that, but he tried to let it go.
February, the third specifically, was the day she died and also they day Marlei was born. And around last week, on March sixth was the day Marlei passed away.
He took Marlei's death especially hard because he wasn't even there when she died. He was at school, he remembered the day like it was yesterday. He was only 11, in the sixth grade when his teacher got the call for early dismissal.
He went to the office, actually excited to see Marlei and his dad, since after losing his mom, they were what kept him grounded. But when he arrived, he saw his principal comforting his grandfather, who was trying not to cry. His eyes were red and he looked so sad, he'd never forget it.
"Kasiah. Listen to me son, your little sister passed away this afternoon," was what his grandfather told him when they got in the car. He recalled nothing for a few minutes—as his grandfather told him, he was completely silent and fainted after receiving the news.
Once he got to the hospital, he ran. He knew where Marlei's room was, he'd been there enough times, and once he got there he bursted in to see his dad holding her and sobbing. His grandmother stood by him, wiping away her own tears and he was frozen to his spot until his dad looked up at him.
"M-Marlei?" was what he said, and it seemed everyone around him cried even more at that. "Daddy sh-she—" he couldn't even finish before he started crying himself. He walked over to his dad, to see her and she looked so peaceful.
Marlei was sickly—she never really slept well or ate well but everyone was hoping she'd pull through. She cried a lot, she was fussy and now, she looked so at peace and to this day Kasiah knew that was the only reason he didn't have a fit in that hospital room, she wasn't hurting anymore and even at such a young age it brought him some semblance of comfort.
But after, Siah wasn't okay. He never got to say goodbye to his sister, he didn't get to let her hear that he loved her with his whole heart before she too was taken away from him, and it haunted him for years on end. Even now when he visited her tombstone he felt the urge to apologize for not saying goodbye.
