Tuesday 24th

Thinking about you again today, brother.
And last night too.

I cried before I went to sleep last night. Thinking of you.

I still do not sleep well. My mind still races all the time. The doctors can't seem to find a way to fix either problem.

It's christmas, you know?

I was thinking about going to spend time with M's family tomorrow.
Our mum and father are still JW. The boys are too. It often hurts that I can't do the things with them that everybody else does.
Anyway. I was thinking about it all and I wondered if you would be JW too.
I'm not. But you all knew I never was interested in it.
Our brothers have followed so blindly. They have some ..beliefs that I really don't agree with -and I taught you all better than to be intolerant like that.
I'm sure you would accept everyone without any narrow minded views.

Would you "celebrate" christmas?

It was not long before my mind took me back to when you were alive.
Do you remember getting christmas packs from Child Cancer? Getting presents that Gran had sent down to us? We'd open them up before christmas day or after because of course we weren't allowed to on the day.

Did you know the christmas before you got sick was the last time she ever sent me anything?
Do you remember your last christmas? She sent a card with some vouchers and such to our mum and father, and she sent you boys a card with some money and such in it. Not even a mention of me anywhere.

Did you know that while you were up in Starship, I was looking after the house alone?
I was 16.
You know how I came to visit you? That was the first time anyone had bothered to talk to me about getting me up to see you. I think I got a text from mum saying that the doctors said that I needed to go up there now and that I'd be getting a call from Child Cancer.

I was told that I'd have the half of the row I was sitting in left clear of other passengers.
What ended up happening was an old asian guy ended up sitting next to me, picking his nose and trying to lean over me to look out the window the whole time.
It turns out he wasn't even supposed to be in that seat. Maybe if I'd said something I wouldn't have had to concentrate on looking out the window so that nobody would see me cry.

You know, I think it was the first day I was there.. there was a meeting.
Between us and the doctors.
You know it wasn't good news.
As the meeting went on, everybody was crying. Our aunts and uncle, Gran, mum and our father.
When the doctors got to the part where they had to tell us they were only going to give you about a week to improve before there would be no point on keeping you on life support, even they were crying too.

I wasn't. I couldn't.
I wanted to break down so much. Why was it happening, brother?! You had beat cancer. Twice.
And now this stupid little thing was killing you.
Everyone was looking at me. Waiting for my reaction.
I wanted to cry.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to run.
I didn't know where, I didn't even know the city I was in. I just wanted to get out of there and escape. Escape reality. Escape from all of it.

But I couldn't.
I had to be "strong", brother.
For you. For them. I also had to look after our brothers and cousins at the same time.
Me keeping it together was keeping everybody else from entirely melting down.
They needed someone to lean on. And none of them could be it. The burden was too heavy for them.

It was far too heavy for me too, but I thought at the time I could handle it. I know better now.

When we came out of the meeting, I said probably one of the most stupid things ever, brother -to try and lighten the mood a bit.
But I still didn't deserve the response I got from our aunt.

I spent my 17th birthday alone, with a drink. Thinking about the Monday deadline that was drawing closer every day. Thinking about you. I didn't want to go and be with my friends. I just wanted everything to be better.

And then, that night, I got the text.
I got a group text from our mother saying that you'd been taken off life support and you were gone.
I still hold that against her.

Do you remember how the "family" all came down after you were brought back?
I had to sleep on the floor in our brother's bedroom.
Everybody seemed so determined to take their grief out on me.
I still wonder how the hell I got through that.
I was trying to come to terms with how you weren't here anymore... and how you were here, in your casket in the living room. Like it was no big deal.

I felt you everywhere at home while you were there. I swear I could hear you screaming at our parents because they couldn't hear you. You asking me why I wouldn't tell them that you were there.
I'm sorry. I wanted to. I couldn't. I hope you understand why now.

I will never forget the day when things got worse -I didn't think things could get worse.
Everybody had been pushing me down all day. Our uncle was the only one who looked uncomfortable with what was going on, but he didn't say anything.
I had already been diagnosed with depression around the time you got sick again. Did you know? Probably not I guess.

I went to take my meds that day. Usually I hid it, but I was on the verge of a meltdown so I thought screw it. Maybe if they know that I have to take these, they'd all ease off a bit.

Haha. Nope. More wishful thinking on my part wasn't it, brother?

You know, I went to sort out my things afterwards -I had to because Gran had gone and taken everything I needed out of our brother's bedroom and put it in the garage. Even though I had told her not to touch it. That what was there was all the clothes and medicine and things that I needed.
I had to go through a house full of our relatives in a dressing gown and a towel and go out to the garage just to get dressed.

Anyway. I was organising my things and our Gran and aunt came in.
I thought they were going to apologise for their behaviour. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Did you know that they sat me down on our brother's bed and told me that I shouldn't be taking those pills?
I think back on it now and wonder why on earth you would say that to someone who is obviously drowning in life. Did they want me to disappear? I don't know.
They told me that I needed to stop attention seeking. That this whole thing wasn't about me. It was about them and our brothers and our parents.
If you had been there I am sure you would've told them that I mattered too.

But I guess I didn't matter. What I was going through didn't matter. And to most people it still doesn't.

I don't blame you for any of it, brother.
It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault you got sick. It wasn't your fault that the people that were supposed to help me didn't. It wasn't your fault that our relatives pushed me out into the cold and beat me down. Even after all I'd done for them and you over the years.

I hope you never thought it was you fault. It never was. It still isn't. None of it was your fault. I hope you know that.

I just wish that you were here to help me through it all. To stand up for me. To tell me that I matter.
To tell me about girls and parties and school.

I need you, brother.
I need you to be here.
I need you to help me get better this time.

But you're not.

That's why I cry at night.

✿✿