~❤️~Always Better Together~❤️~

~ 22 ~

I came out of the airport restroom all groggy eyed and tired from lack of sleep. I looked like a disaster. All that I needed in that moment was a chicken salad sandwich and ten hours of sleep.

Thinking about that I was walking outside the airport terminal when I saw Daniel standing there. I stretched my eyes to see clearly. It was my dearest brother Daniel flashing me a welcoming smile. He stretched his hands in a hugging gesture.

Seeing all this love my eyes began to water and I ran into his arms dropping the duffel bag behind.

I hugged him for what seemed like an eternity and cried like a baby in his warm embrace.

Daniel kept on showering words of love and care and concern. When I broke the hug, I looked at him and said, "I have missed you so much. Maybe I should have taken admission in NYU and not left."

"No, you did the right thing. This sadness of yours is just a phase. And I will help you solve your problem once you tell me." he assured me and cupped my face with his hands. "Come on, let's go home. It will be just the two of us. Aairah's visiting her parents. She won't be back before Tuesday. Let's go." Daniel went back to pick up the duffel bag and then held my hand and led me to our car.

We reached home in an hour. I slept the whole ride and woke up when we reached. I got out of the car and walked inside the garden.

The garden that was my mother's third child. She was very fond of gardening. Whenever we failed to find her in the house, she was always found in the garden, watering the plants, mowing the grass, planting new seeds, cutting dead leaves and stuff.

After my mom passed away, Daniel and I took care of the garden and it was still the way I left it seven months ago. The sight of fresh green grass and colourful flowers made me smile. My favourite yellow and pink tulips were blooming in one corner.

Daniel unlocked the main door and let me in. The house still smelt of the familiar smells that it always did. I was glad to know that no matter what happens, your home will always feel like home. It will always have that lovely and welcoming feeling.

"Nothing's changed here." I said looking at the same arrangement of the living room.

Honestly, I had the feeling that Aairah would have changed the whole outlook of the house once she moved in. She loves to decorate and redecorate. But everything is as it was.

"Yeah Aairah didn't redecorate the living room. She was already feeling guilty of taking your room. She said she didn't want to take the memories of living room away from us." Daniel said smiling.

I was really touched at her thought of not taking away our memory. Aairah knows how much this house means to us. We have spent our whole life in this house. Our laughter, our fights, our screams, first birthdays, first and last days of school, family breakfast, lunches and dinners, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New years, Easter, 4th of July, everything happened in this house. Daniel was even born in here. I, on the other hand, in the hospital. Well, this house is our home and will always be.

"That's really sweet of her." I smiled teary eyed and side hugged Daniel.

"Come on go freshen up and I will order your favorite chicken salad sandwich and iced coffee." he said encouraging me to smile.

I smiled and went to our parents bedroom which was now my bedroom since Aairah lives in my old bedroom.

Daniel and I literally slept in this bedroom for a year after our parents death. We couldn't think of anything else to stay close to them. We slept, ate, studied, cried in this very room. We felt their divine presence here until one day our friends dragged us out and talked to us.