The Late Truth: A Short Story

5 years make the difference between their ages. He was 20 and she was 15. He has just graduated from university, while she was still in high school. Although they loved each other so much, they did not express their affection in the same way. Like any brother and sister, they argued constantly. But, they shared something in common. They have always looked after each other.

Their relationship when they were young was not very good. They used to quarrel and fight all the time. They did not care for each other and did not share anything except that they lived in the same home. He wanted to live his life on his own without any responsibilities towards his sister. She needed her brother’s attention. Yet when she did, they fought on very simple things.

When they grew up, they saw each other differently. They began to understand and consider the importance of having a brother or a sister. They have also understood the responsibility that they had towards each other. They were flexible in their relationship with each other. He saw that he is the bigger brother, so he had to protect and take care of his younger sister. She looked to her brother as someone who is caring and loving to her.

One day, he was getting married. The wedding party was amazing and beautiful. Everyone was there. His friends, family and close ones. He was busy entertaining the crowd who came to see him getting married. However, his sister came close to him. She was wearing an attractive silver dress which he bought for her a day before the wedding party. She said “I want to talk to you.” He responded “Is there something wrong, my dear?” She said “No, but it is something important and we need to discuss it now, please.” He looked confused. Yet, he said “Ok dear,” and he followed her into a nearby room.

He was very curious. He was interested in what she was about to say to him. It was not of her nature to discuss anything with him. She felt very shy and confused. She said “Brother, I want to tell you something, something that I have been hesitant to say to you.” “What dear?” He was worried when he asked her. She said “I would like to apologise to you.” He asked again “For what?” She said “On not being a good sister to you, or at least not to your expectations.” He felt surprising and sudden relief taking him over and finally exclaimed “So am I my dear.”

She was puzzled. She was the one to make the confession. She was the one to apologise without any response back. On the other hand, he felt an obligation to say that he was sorry too. They were both willing in expressing their feelings. She said “Why are you apologising? You did nothing wrong.” He responded back by saying “No! There were things that I could have done better towards you as my sister.” She said “So tell me then.”

He continued “Well for example, I was not there when you wanted to talk to me when we were young. I know you needed me as a big brother, but I was too selfish and self-involved. All I ever wanted was to play around and have fun. But I should have taken care of you, dear.”

She looked shocked, but then said “Well.. You are right. I needed your help when we were young. But that is the past and it cannot be changed. Besides, when we grew up you have been beside me all the time giving me advice.” He responded by saying “I had to my dear. Our father had passed away when I was 16. So I felt committed to be your role model, especially that our mother could not help us due to her illness.” She said “So what you are saying is that you felt obligated to help me? That you were forced to?” He rapidly said “You do not understand. I...” She quickly interrupted him and said “Well that is what you are saying right now. Had our father been alive, you would still be distant from me without any relationship combining us. But as we are siblings, you were forced to."

He finally sighed and said “What did you expect? I was a professional football player playing in the greatest clubs of the country. I was going to be a star. But when my father died, all of my dreams were gone. I had to take care of you and our mother” She looked amazed when she exclaimed “What do you mean? You preferred to stay in your career rather than looking after your own family? I cannot believe what you have just said”. Before she began this conversation with her brother, she thought it would end in a different manner. A moment of silence had passed before he continued “Look dear. All I wanted was for everything to be normal. But I could not do that.”

They kept staring at each other for a long time.  He then said “Are you calmed down now?” She answered back, rather loudly “After all these years you come and say that protecting your family was not your first choice, and you expect me to calm down?” She felt dizzy and weakened after what she had heard from him. She sat on a nearby couch to regain her strength.

He said “My dear, do not be angry. We are brother and sister now like you had hoped. Besides, your final exams are coming soon. It is important for you to be focused.” She then said “How am I supposed to focus on anything after what you have just said? How am I supposed to trust you after what just happened?” He followed by saying “Can’t we just postpone this talk after the wedding party so we can talk freely?” She screamed at him “You prefer to go to your wedding party over solving your responsibility problems towards your sister?” He said “Do not take it this way”. At the precise moment he said those words, she fainted. She fell on the floor. He was shocked by what just happened. He rushed out of the room to bring in a multitude of his guest friends who work as doctors. He hoped that it would not be serious. He then, with the help of his friends, took his sister to the nearest hospital.

He waited outside her room. He was worried about her. His relationship with his sister is not good at all right now. Moreover, her illness might cause difficulty for them to get along well again. He kept waiting for countless hours outside the room, waiting for her to wake up. But he did not know what was wrong with her. After a while, a doctor approached him. The doctor asked him “Are you a relative?” He responded “Yes. I am her brother.” The doctor said “Well, do not worry. She is fine. She was just very weak and ill and this caused her to faint. Nothing serious.”

He then asked the doctor “When will she be able to get out?” The doctor said “She can go out in one week. She has to take certain medications that are necessary for her recovery.” He then said “Thank you, doctor”. He sat down, thinking about what had happened. It all began when his sister wanted to apologise. But then, he found himself apologising to her. He now feels responsible for what his sister is currently in. His sister did not have to suffer like that. Now it is up to him to make things right again. It was his responsibility to straighten things out between them.

He entered her room slowly so as not to wake her up. He was hurried in his steps yet very quiet. He approached her bed and planted a kiss on her forehead. She then very slowly and tiredly lifted up her eyelids. She looked very sick and weak. He looked at her with brotherly affection and love. She smiled when she saw him next to her. They kept looking at each other for what seemed like forever. He was getting out of the room to let her have some sleep. But then she said “Brother?” He turned around and faced her and said “Yes, dear?” She said “I am sorry for ruining your wedding party”. He came next to her and looked deep in her eyes and said “My love... It would not have been a party without you.” They both smiled.