Dear Brother
Suddenly, tiny spots of lights began to freckle the constantly black view from her window seat. Almost home, she sighed. She made her way to the lavatory to smooth away the fallen, wispy kohl under her dark eyes. After fluffing her limp hair, she looked in the mirror and smiled, remembering how her older brother berated her when her eyes were too smoky. “Erzulie,” he would say, “Why do you put all that junk on your eyes! You look like Nefertiti! Remove some of it before you go out. You don’t even need that much!” She would huff and puff, stamp her feet as she pouted to her mother who would return her complaints with a long stare before nodding to him, acknowledging his righteousness. It was not long before she realized that he wanted the best for her, that his criticisms did not sprout from heartlessness but rather, love itself.
She plopped down in her wrinkled seat, adjusting her modest top. She enjoyed a silent chuckle; whenever she sported jeans and a fitting shirt; her brother would literally stop in his tracks and ask, “Where are you going dressed like that?” She would reply coolly, “To my friend’s house.” He looked at her again with a relaxed, unworried expression, “Ahhh…okay then. If you need me to drive you just call me.” And he was always available and there for her, whether it was a problem concerning school, friends, or even an unexplained blue feeling. Surprisingly, their bond grew even stronger since she departed overseas for school; their jokes were more sarcastic, comments more personal. He would advise her on friends, classes, and mostly, spending habits as he is not too fond of her “I’m broke” text messages.
Standing by the conveyor belt with eyes fixated on the flimsy flaps that popped out a variety of overstuffed bags, she anxiously looked over her shoulder at the sliding doors, in hopes of catching an early glimpse of him. Finally, she pranced excitedly on the arrival’s catwalk, scanning the sea of tanned faces. Her brief quest came to an end; she smiled gleefully as he approached and embraced her caringly. She eagerly bounced by him as he seized her luggage and ushered her protectively between the screeching herd of cars outside. Her enthusiasm simmered down a notch as she observed him carefully heaving her weighty luggage. If royal titles were based on morality and virtue rather than loose inheritance, she thought, he’d surely be King.
PS Fitzgerald - Blue Skies...
PPS Davis - 7 Steps to Heaven
at 7:28 AM
20 Comments
Hello erzulie. i like your blog!
This is very nice, what you have between you and your brother.
Alla y5leelich iyah :)
Erzulie,
This piece got to me not only because it's written so beautifully it makes me wanna pick your brain, but also because I feel I'm no longer friends with my younger brother.. and I miss him.
Welcome home :*
UZF: You're welcome here anytime :) And thank you...
Shurouq: Heh thanks! But why pick my brain! And I'll be back home in a week...inshallah...
Shurouq: Hmm...well, how young is he? Sometimes adolescents pull away from their family members. Personally, I find it very hard to tell someone I love them, no matter how close they are; I show it through the way I talk (I become more open, more myself ie more wacky & outrageous). My younger brother is still in his single digits and sometimes I wander into his room as he's trying to fall asleep and I just stroke his head and tell him how much I love him *crap I'm choking up here* but yeah, it's very hard to reach out...
Beautiful :) Allah ykhaleekom l-ba3th. (I was about to say 7amdilla 3la al-salama :P I thought you were back)
Good stuff mashallah, Allah ye5aleekum lba3ath.
As for me..I'm the eldest, and also the anti-social weasel of the house. "If royal titles were based on morality and virtue rather than loose inheritance," I'd be a peasant.
hi, that was sweet, brothers tend to be underrated .. I think I'll call my brother just to say hi :)
allah ykhaleekum 7ag ba3ath
:)
o 7amdella 3la salama
Sedna: Allah esalmich :) One week...one week...tick tock...
DNA: Wow! I am beyond flattered! Well my sisters and I are close; I love it when I come back and we spend the nightly hours in my mom's room talking (ie gossiping) and my mom finally kicks us out because we get too loud and well, we tend to chat beyond her bedtime :P
7tenths: Ya know...I read your post about your friends "special lingo" and I comprehended most of it except this blay chest!
Sami: Heh, I doubt it; you never know how your family and siblings treasure you...it may not show now, but during rough times, you may be the only one to talk to...
i the beholder: :)
Kila Ma6goog: Allah isalmik...inshallah ill be home in a week...
Erzulie..
Very nice.
Plane rides home are the oddest experiences for me. I just wrote a post about it a couple of weeks ago. It's either things finally fall into place, or they completely fall apart heh..
I grew closer with my siblings after I moved away. Better late than never eh.
Leeno: Thanks :) Yeah, I've had the weirdest plane rides as well...I hope this one doesn't turn out as...uncomfortable :P
walla welne3em
Temetwir: Thanks :)
DNA: I've discovered that guys gossip as much as girls and they're little chats are much more factual. What I mean by my 'gossip' with my sisters is something like who got married, who transformed into twiggy, etc...you get the gist :P~
Dear Erzulie,
What a beautifully written post.
7amdella 3ala salamtech.
truly,
Misguided
P.S. This was a very touching post. He is lucky to have a great sister like you.
Erzulie, you know what I'm starting to love about your blog?
It's so consistent.. you post every other day, and I can be sure to drop by and read something randomly interesting and well written..
There's an ego inflator for you ;)
Welcome home, hope you have a good time with your brother and family.
DNA: Hehe, my fellow, dreamy Taurean :P
Misguided: I just woke up and I have the silliest, sleepiest smile on :) Thanks...I just have more final to go oo inshallah I'll be home. And I'm the one who's lucky to have such a princely brother.
Leeno: Ego inflator and challenge! Now I know I cannot slack off! But thanks dear :)
Don_Veto: Merci :)
DNA: He was a Leo actually :) That was a beautiful and slightly fervid quote. I actually camped at the site where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed (Wadi Rum, Jordan). It was amazing experience but not showering for three days drove me up the wall. PS: Why don't you have a blog? Is it in making? :) Tc...
DNA: I'm flattered :) And your comments are wonderful as well :) Tc...
Erzulie 7ayati that was beautiful. You made me get all teary and emotional. My brother, sister and cousin are all abroad and far away from me. I miss them so much. I feel they are grwoing up far away from me, I'm there older sister. I understand how your older brother feels.
I don't know how I missed this post.
If royal titles were based on morality and virtue rather than loose inheritance, she thought, he’d surely be King.
Amazing line. :*
Thank you for sharing that.
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