The waitress left impressed for more than one reason, or so I liked to think. “Show off,” my sister said.
“I’ll do it again by taking you somewhere I can speak Arabic.”
The food was excellent, and I did savour an imported though slightly expensive beer, rounding the meal off with dessert and then tea. The waitress popped by more than once to chat with us, explaining I’d just returned home after time away. Hearing me call Mum, well, ‘Mum’, we explained briefly why. Mum just said I was her son, and that’s all that mattered.
It wasn’t too late by the time we arrived home, but I was exhausted. Heading straight for the bathroom, I shaved, enjoyed a long soak under hot water, scrubbing myself down, before heading back to my old bedroom. Mum was readying for bed, hugging her for a few minutes before she closed her door, before going to wish my sister goodnight. Not finding her in her room, I found her in mine, already resting under the blankets.
“Can I stay tonight?” she asked.
“Of course. Just, er… you know, male biology and stuff, particularly in the morning.”
She giggled, obviously understanding what I meant. Shutting the door, I slid under the blankets, checking to see she was at least wearing a nightie. Shuffling back to rest against my chest, I relaxed an arm around her waist, hearing and feeling her sigh. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“I’m glad to be home, Hana.”
“You left when I was a rather awkward young girl.”
“You were never awkward, Hana. I’ve always thought the world of you.”
“Thank you, Mark.”
I knew what she was thanking me for. I pulled her a little closer. “I wanted to do it, Hana. If I couldn’t be here to help, I wanted to do at least… do something meaningful for you. I knew when you were five years old you were going to go far. Considering you’re looking at a PhD, I think I’m right there. I’ll have to call you ‘doctor’ soon enough.”
“Hanako-chan. I’ll always be you Hanako-chan.”
I kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, Hanako-chan,” I whispered.
“I love you,” she whispered back.
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
I crashed within seconds, exhausted as I was. Didn’t open my eyes at all until sometime the next morning, only waking up because I felt soft skin caressing my cheek, opening my eyes to see my sister gazing at me rather lovingly. When my eyes met hers, a glorious smile lit up her face, leaning forward to kiss my cheek, before snuggling against me. Caressing her back, I hadn’t felt that content in years. I didn’t feel any regrets, but being apart for that long, I’d missed them all the entire time.
“I don’t have to go back to class for a couple of days,” she explained, “I obviously told them what happened, so I don’t have to attend class again until Monday.”
“I’m on indefinite leave. All I need do is call a number when I’m ready to go back to work and they’ll sort things out for me.”
“From what you were saying, you don’t have to work.”
“Maybe not, but I can’t sit around and do nothing. Dad’s business is outside my area of expertise, though.”
The only reason I got out of bed that morning is the need to pee and fill my stomach with food. Walking out bare-chested, Mum looked up from the table when walking into the kitchen, and she smiled as I obviously had a good tan. “Someone has looked after himself,” she said, “Need to fight off the ladies, Mark?”
I chuckled as I made myself a brew. “No, Mum. At least, not in Saudi. When in Europe…” I glanced as my sister sat down, looking rather interested in my response. “I didn’t always sleep alone. I’ll leave it at that.”
“Keep in contact with others from home?” Hanako asked.
“Tried to. You were always more important, but there are a couple of old mates I might catch up with for a beer once I’m settled.”
“Can I show off my big brother?”
“How so?” I wondered, figuring out what she meant.
“Well, none of my friends have seen you in a decade. Now you’re back looking… like you do.”
“Tell you what, let me know when, and I’ll join you. If it amuses you, so be it.” I glanced at Mum. “Anything you need from me, Mum?”
“Just your support with your father, Mark.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
The next week was about Dad, keeping him company before after his thankfully successful surgery. He had a little recovery time after that, but the doctor’s said he was now out of the woods, and that all being well, he’d be home within a matter of days. Marvels of modern medicine, to be honest. Man had had a heart attack and looked on the verge of death, and would now walk out of the hospital within two weeks. Complete recovery would take far longer, the doctor’s sitting down and explaining what we all needed to do to help.
At home, Mum doted on me, enjoying having her son back home. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was always ready before I even mentioned being hungry, as I barely left home, just enjoying her company. Hanako did return to her classes from the following Monday after my return, though she seemed to practically rush home to be with me again, more than once leaping onto the bed to cuddle me as I lay back reading.
“No interest in television?” she wondered.
“No. TV when near the mines was crap, and TV in Saudi was even worse. Plus, I was generally just too busy to sit down and watch hours of telly. So I kept up with news, a bit of online crap, but generally read as a means of escape.”
The second Saturday after my return, Hanako asked if I’d be willing to join her and some of her friends in the city. I did ask what their interest was, thankful they didn’t want to go to some nightclub. Dance music wasn’t my thing, though I knew the sort of clubs I frequented in certain parts of Europe simply didn’t exist in Sydney. They just didn’t appreciate most aspects of metal.
I dressed in the standard trousers, dress shirt, shaved, pampered, prepped, ready to go. Hanako appeared from her bedroom and was a vision of absolutely beauty. Mum practically gushed at seeing her, while I stood in place, flat-footed. The black dress hugged her body in all the right places, a slit up the side showing a little thigh, bare shoulders. Sensible shoes with only a slight heel, her hair styled to open up her face.
She saw the look on my face and smiled. “I am 22 years old now, Mark. No longer that little girl you remember.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty fucking obvious,” I muttered. Mum gently slapped my shoulder, though she couldn’t hide her smile. “Sorry, Mum. Inner bogan looking to escape.”
Pressing herself into my body, I inhaled her scent, a mixture of soap, perfume and… her. Lifting her eyes to mine, I’m sure her grin broadened even further. “You approve then, big brother?”
“I’m going to be fighting the men off tonight.”
The smile flickered for a second, then she said softly, “I don’t think that will be a problem.”
“How are you getting into the city?” Mum asked.
“Taxi, Mum. Ordered already. Should be here soon. Definitely not driving as we’ll be drinking.”
My sister did her usual thing during the drive into the city, sitting to me as close as possible. I’d always enjoyed how affectionate our relationship had been. She’d always come to her brother as often as her mother or father for that reassuring hug, or if she was upset about something. It was a little different now, but I already loved that we were as close as we’d been before I left.
We conversed quietly in Japanese so the driver couldn’t listen in, though saw his curious glance more than once, and I was left wondering if he thought we were a couple rather than siblings. Paying him upon arriving, I rounded the vehicle to open the door, helping my sister out of the taxi, before taking her hand and leading her inside the bar. I’d already told her that the night was on me as I could afford to treat my sister whenever I chose.
Three of her friends were waiting for us. After compliments flowed between the four of them, eyes turned towards me. It was easy to see them look me up and down approvingly. “So this is the long lost brother?” Katie asked, once I’d been introduced.
“He’s come home,” Hanako replied, cuddling into my side, “And he said he’s home for good, this time.”
“Want a drink, girls?” I asked.
They wandered off to find a table while I bought ordered a couple of bottles of wine and a beer for myself, joining the four, no surprise my sister ensured I sat next to her. Once the drinks arrived, they toasted my return home, and also the fact my father was now out of hospital and slowly getting better. The four girls chatted away happily, listening in and answering any questions in my direction. What I did feel after a little while was Hanako’s hand rest on my thigh. Nothing untoward, but when I rested mine on top of hers and squeezed, she glanced and smiled at me.
“I haven’t seen you this happy in years, Hana,” Samantha stated.
“My brother is home. You have no idea how much I’ve missed him.”
“Oh, we know enough, Hana,” Rebecca replied. I glanced around the table. “You were rather jealous about the fact we all admitted he was hot when we were younger.”
“I still remember those times we watched him in your pool,” Katie added.
“Anytime we managed to see him without a shirt, to be honest,” Rebecca said, the two others nodding.
“We were all a younger then,” my sister retorted, “Behave yourselves.”
“We’ll try, but now he’s returned how he looks, Hana, and we’re more than old enough. We might not be able to control ourselves,” Katie said, winking in my direction. I almost snorted as I assumed they were just being playful. I had a feeling my sister would very quickly warn them off.
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