Elias and Amber were not your typical half- siblings. For one, they liked each other. There was none of the standard inter-family jealousy. They were best friends, confiding in each other when it felt like the rest of the world would never understand. It was said that if Elias had the flu, Amber could be counted on to run his fever. Also, they had zero family resemblance. Rather than looking like Richard, their shared father, they each favored their own matriarchal lineage. Amber was 5'3" 180 lbs, brunette, and stacked. Her globular DDD's proceeded her cautious but solid gait a good 6 inches from her chest. Elias was 6'2", rail thin and very obviously native as evidenced by his periodontal nightmare of a smile and perpetual teenaged pizza faced acne. However, his swift wit, and disarming charm made him a well loved and attractive man despite his physical features. At 23 and 21 respectively, they were well versed in the complications of early adulthood and balancing a sense of moral responsibility with an even remotely fulfilling social life.
Even as close as these siblings were, they had yet to discover the depth of their trust for each other.
Richard, never in the best health to begin with had started slamming the bottle even harder than usual during his separation from Amber's petite, and gorgeous, but utterly batshit mother. So by the time the siblings were in high school cirrhosis had well established its hold in their father's liver. That being said, it wasn't much of a surprise when they got the call saying they needed to come home and be there for their father's operation. With 75% of his liver needing to go, the heart -wrenching success rate of 10% even seemed like a just lottery.
As the operation date approached, brother and sister could often be found whispering and crying together with anxiety and fear of impending free fall.
As sometimes happens in life, we don't get the happy ending, and that was the result in this case. Richard passed away at 9:43 AM on Tuesday morning.
That night, still in shock, Amber knocked on Elias door, like she had so many times in high school; seeking the warmth and kindness of her baby brother.
Elias sat at the edge of his bed, hunched over playing his Nintendo 64. It was like being thrown backwards in time. Amber's heart paused painfully, her breath caught. In an instant all she could see was all the hurt and comfort they had gotten through together. Knowing that the passing of their father could possibly change them irrevocably was something she could not allow to happen. She leapt on him shaking and sobbing. Seeing her broken like that, Elias knew he had a duty to his beloved sister to right what was so wrong for her.
He held her tight and silently let her cry until her sobs were just dry heaves of pain. As she lie there, with her brother's arms enfolded around her, she knew she was more home then, than she would ever be again.