Somebody to Love

I was 7 when my brother was 21. When I was younger everything revolved around Matt. Anything he told me was truth, and I never doubted what he said. Growing up my brother filled in the spots of a Mom and Dad. In Matt’s third year of college Mom and Dad died in a car accident. Everything changed in that year. Matt and I ended up moving in with Grandma Lucy, all doing are best to get used to her tight fit apartment. As older brother and roleplay parent, Matt did the grocery shopping And the back to school nights. To finish school , Matt also started taking night classes to get his degree and still spend time with me during the day. I always looked forward to being around him, always the first child picked up after school. On the Fridays he picked me up, I would jump into the front of Grandma Lucy’s bright yellow punch bug, listening happily with Matt to christian music and the blues. “Let’s go get ice cream, Ivy. We can tell Grandma we had our dairy for the day.” Matt would often remark, his chestnut curls falling over his eyes. I would always grin up at him, hoping that one day I would look like him with his glinting green eyes and heartfelt smile. “Extra creamy? With whipped cream and caramel and fudge and sprinkles?” I would always say. “All of that, V.” My brother would reply, grinning back. Then every time he said that, I would lean back in the leather seats with the windows down, eating my Dairy Queen sundae in bliss with the happy memory of my brother calling me V. Every time, thinking that my brother and I had nothing better in the world than each other. I was wrong. I never realized it at first, but Grandma did. On the Sunday mornings at church my brother’s eyes would follow the newly wed couples, as if longing for something he didn’t have. During the long hours at home he would get antsy, restless. Often enough I would come home to see Grandma’s rugs worn down by my brother pacing, Caesar‘s Pizza molding on the table, a football game on, and one of those million piece puzzles. “Your brother needs more spice in life,” Grandma Lucy said on more than more one occasion. “He needs to travel, meet with friends, perhaps find someone. He’ll never do it staying in this boring apartment.” Like always, Grandma was right. As my brother neared his senior year of college, I did everything I could to cheer him up. One day I made a cake, seeming like such a great idea until I realized I made it with salt, not sugar. Another time I tried buying my brother a balloon, because Matt told me one year that balloons help finish off a big smile. When I went to buy it though, I realized I was broke. On a third desperate attempt, I tried taking my brother ice skating. That never worked out, considering Matt never decided to drive to the ice rink. I was on my last straw. I decided to ask Grandma, since her word was as good as Matt’s. ”Grandma,” I‘d asked curiously in the kitchen while she was making dinner, “Why is Matt sad? What makes him so upset?” Grandma Lucy had stopped kneading bread, and glanced down at me in surprise. “Many things can make somebody sad I suppose. Your brother Matt though, he has a different kind of sadness.” “College?” I had questioned, sure that all my brother’s stress came from that horrible thing. Grandma had just shaken her head. “No, it’s more than that. I think your brother is lonely, in a sad kind of way.” “Lonely? But he has us, doesn’t he?” I couldn’t imagine my brother being lonely. The word sounded too rechid for my brother to have it. Grandma nodded, hesitating somewhat. “Your brother needs somebody to love honey. He has us always. But Matt, he wants something more. He wants a future wife, somebody who loves him as much as he loves her. He wants a someday family, children of his own one day to raise and teach.” I didn’t understand it. Weren’t Grandma and I his family? “Aren’t we enough for him?“ I’d whispered, sad that Matt might not want me anymore. Grandma didn’t answer, but just pulled me too her. Her words echoed in my ears. Somebody to love, hmmm, maybe I could just make my brother happy. ......................................................................... My Grandma had mentioned a future wife. I thought day in and out of who would be right for Matt. On a day my brother was home for the weekend I’d started the Wife Type Survey. With a list of questions in my hands, I’d approached Matt while he sat on the couch eating almonds. “Matt, if you had a wife what would she be like?” He just had stared at me for a moment, as if he couldn’t believe I was asking a question like that. “Well V, I don’t know.” He gazed off as if dazed, deliberating how to answer. “I guess she’d be pretty, like mom. She wouldn’t mind listening to blues music or having pizza for dinner three nights a week. She’d love having ice cream, and bike riding to the park. She would be sweet like you, and love kids. She’d be one of those people easy to talk with, and who wouldn’t be afraid to stand up for what she believes. But most of all, she’d believe in God like us. She’d be one of those people who love singing Christian rock music, and who would have the same faith as I do.” I was silent for a moment. My brother had high expectations, and I thought perhaps he was in love with love. Nonetheless, I was certain to track him down a wife. ......................................................................... I prayed that night to God for the right wife for my brother. Even after I had left the room he had been dazed, as if still in deep thought of the matter. When I told Grandma Lucy of my plan the next morning she’d wished me luck. “You just go find a good one, Ivy.” She had given me her most vibrant smile. “We can only find the best for our Matt.” “Yes Grandma!” I agreed, as I had run out the door. In preparation the night before, I’d made a list of all the available girls. Most of them were from are church, while a few from the neighborhood. My main plan though, was to get Sarah. She was my Sunday School teacher from church, and always brought chocolate chip cookies to service. Her house was only a few blocks from our apartment, close by enough I could still make it to school on time. Running to her address, I’d made it right on time. Before I even made it to the sidewalk she was walking over to me, holding a glass of lemonade in one hand and outstretched cookies in another. “Morning Ivy! What brings you here today?” Her voice was crystal clear and sweet, ringing in my ears. “I’m looking for a wife for Matt. I thought you’d make a good girlfriend because you’re so nice and Matt likes you.” I saw a smile on Sarah’s lips, as if me asking her to be my brother‘s girlfriend was a normal occurrence. She shook her head nodding, and I thought it oddly strange, as if she was trying to keep her face straight from laughing. “Did your brother say that?” She asked, curiously. I wondered if she liked him. “Well, no.” I admitted sheepishly, “But Matt told me you looked pretty one day after church and I just thought you matched his description of a girlfriend really accurately. You loooovvveee icecream like he does and blues music.” “True,” She’d shrugged. “But that doesn’t quite make us right for each other you know. Marriage is a lot more than likes and dislikes. A person could be very different in personality but be similar in religion and what they believe.” “I gueessss but can’t you and Matt figure it out on a date?” Sarah suppressed a smile. I wasn’t going to give up easily. ”Alright,” She acknowledged. ”But no more trying to get us together after one. No more dates if either of us say so. Got it?” “Yep!” I handed her a movie ticket. “Matt will see you at the movie theatre at 7. Be there or be square!“ As I ran away, she’d given me a bewildered face, probably wondering if I planned this all long. ......................................................................... I couldn’t wait that night for Matt’s date. After an early dinner, Grandma Lucy had whisked him away to his room to find nicer clothes to wear. “Go get on your tie, Matteo. Ivy and I have a date to get you to.“. “A date?” I can still see his shock, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. “When did this happen, V?” “Today.“ I’d replied matter-a-factly, steering him toward his bedroom door. “Now go get your clothes on, Matt. Sarah will be waiting! You got to be there at 7. You always tell me we got to be on time to appointments.” “Ok, ok.” He’d surrendered. In a huge hurry, we had barely made it to the movie theatre. Already waiting outside, Sarah stood in a black dress, her hair in a fancy hair style. Matt was already grinning as he hurried out the door. “Thanks, V.” I could hear him murmur, as he opened his life to a new adventure. ......................................................................... Sarah and Matt’s date went surprisingly well that first night. A few nights later they’d went to Pizza Hut, with Matt’s heartfelt smile fully in place. At their next outing Grandma had been incredibly happy. “You did a good job finding her Ivy, I’m already planning a wedding.” Grandma was wrong of course, that first time. Only God could have helped me find Sarah. He gave me an answer to all those prayers. “Do you think they‘ll end up in love with each other?” I asked Grandma. She smiled, clicking on the radio. “Yes. In time.” The next song drifted from the speakers catching my ears. “Somebody to loveeee, mmmhh, somebody, mmhhmmm, somebody....” I quoted the verse singing and swaying to the music with Grandma. I sat there thinking to myself that day, one day I’ll want somebody to love too. Maybe, just maybe, with God’s help and my brother’s, I could find my future husband too......