Remember When?

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

We had come home after three years. Amid college, jobs, and our own lives, we couldn’t make time for each other. That’s not to say that our relationship is great. Leo moved out (actually ran away) when I was ten. Lived at his friend’s house. I was left alone- and never forgave my big brother. Many of my friends had older brothers, and they were always saying how great they were. My brother was nonexistent. Leo came back when I was eighteen, and he was ready to leave for college. Didn’t even glance at me. And neither did I. 

“Leo! Leah! Help me set the table!” Mom calls. We get up without saying a word to each other. I make sure to sit as far away from Leo as possible. Mom never got around to accepting Leo was gone. She would set his place at dinner in hopes that he would come back. She made his bed every day and cooked his favorite egg-avocado sandwich for breakfast. Every single day that he was gone. When he showed up, it was like nothing had changed. He stayed at home for a couple of days, mom and dad helped him settle into his dorm, and that was that. I don’t even have his phone number. He never cared enough to ask me for mine. 

“May I be excused, please? Sorry guys. The food was great,” I get up and walk upstairs to my childhood bedroom. The same lilac purple paint is still on the walls. My sheets are polka-dotted, just as they used to be when I was a kid. I sit down on my bed and take in another world. Someone knocks. 

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Leo comes in. “Can I sit down?” 

“Yeah, sure. You gonna leave in ten seconds?” I numbly scroll through my Instagram. Leo gently pulls my phone from my hands and sets it down on my nightstand. “What do you want?” I ask. His expression is hard to understand. 

“Lea, you remember when you were eight and I was ten? The huge storm?” Leo asks in a voice that’s way too comfortable for him. Duh, I remember the storm. Our basement flooded. There were workers in our house for weeks afterward. 

“Yeah, dude. I remember. You were there for that one.” I give a sad chuckle. Leo reminisces.

“That day, you had just come home from school. Mom gave us celery sticks with ranch- your favorite, and I was throwing a fit because I didn’t get peanut butter. Just as she was getting the jar out of the fridge, dad called. Asked us to turn on the TV,” he smiles to himself. 

“Leo, what’s your point? That I didn’t need you after that day?”

“Exactly the opposite. That night you couldn’t sleep. I remember ‘cause I kept checking on you. When you started crying, you asked if we could sleep together. I brought my blanket over and we somehow slept on your twin-sized bed. I woke up extremely groggy that morning- but it was okay because you weren’t crying anymore. The storm passed,” Leo’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Lea- Lea, I’m sorry. The next storm, it was mom. Should’ve been me,” he wiped his eyes with his sweatshirt sleeve. 

“Why did you run away?” I mutter. I look down at my lap. “You didn’t even come to see us.”

“The first day was fine. The second day was okay. The third day I regretted it. But even at that age, I couldn’t bear to face you and mom and dad again, so I decided I wouldn’t come back. I still don’t know why I did it though. I missed you guys every single day,” Leo stops fiddling with his fingers and meets my eyes. “I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Hey. Look at me.” Tears are slowly making their way down his face, and my eyes are full. 

 “Leo, I’m sorry too. I should’ve asked you to come home, or talked to you when you did. Heck, I didn’t even talk to you until you came into my room. Part of it is my fault, too,” I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. “Remember when your best friend came over one day, and you hadn’t seen him in forever? And I got so angry because you didn’t play with me when he was at our house?” I sniffle and laugh. “I promised myself that I wouldn’t play with you when my friends came over, but I was never rude enough to leave you out. I guess my older brother set a good example. Most of the time, at least,” I smile at Leo.

“I’m sorry, Lea. I promise I won’t leave again.”

“And I promise that I will talk to you.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Leo hugged me and gave me a quick kiss on my forehead. “I love you, Leo.”

“Love ya, Lea.”

Leo got up and left, closing the door behind him. I remember the day that Leo left. His bed was empty. I ran downstairs, expecting to find him at the kitchen table stuffing himself with pancakes. When I sat down, I realized that Leo wasn’t home. I asked dad where Leo was. He said he was at a friend’s house. After that day, I didn’t see him for the next eight years, and then only for a brief moment. Maybe our story will be different now. For eleven years my brother and I have been distant. We even go to the same college, just different campuses. We’ve never talked. Today has brought us just a bit closer, hopefully. I walk to Leo’s room. 

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Wanna go binge-watch Stranger Things?”

“Yeah. Stranger Things with my best friend. What more do I need?” he smiles. 

The both of us bound downstairs. 

“It’s good to see you kids hanging out again,” dad smiles. “Just like it used to be. Stranger Things?”

“Stranger Things,” we say in unison. 

“Mom and I are joining you! You can’t leave us out like that!” our parents laugh and head into the basement. Leo and I smile at each other. 

“I’ve missed you, Lea,” Leo says. I hug him tight. “Me too, dude.”