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"A long life and lasting happiness", that's what Grandma always said.
"What?", Derick asked me with a confused face.
"The sunflowers, grandma said they give us a long life", I was used to explaining everything I said around Derick. Derick was my very inquisitive baby brother, he was just five years old.
"Oh really, so it is true that Grandma really does magic. Do you think she can fix my broken toys with her magic". He asked me looking at me with his eye brows raised like they were about to fly off his face. My grandma looked younger than her age, it was something in her family gene, and my grandmother lived a healthy life. From all the holidays we spent with her, I believed my mom got her healthy life style from her. Anytime Derick asked Grandma why she looked so young she would tell him "it's magic baby". And typical Derick always believed her, I wouldn't blame him, like I said he was a five year old naive little boy.
"No grandma doesn't have any magic she just eats and sleeps well. Now can you and lily please help me with gathering these and not scattering the already gathered"
"Alright lily let's get to work" he said as he chased after lily.
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We came out to gather some sunflowers for grandma. She had a big field of sunflowers, she treasured her field. She said it was a connection to nature. She knew so much about them, she told us they were important in life cause "the road to freedom is bordered with sunflowers" she had so many quotes about sunflowers. When she talked about the flowers the only thing I said was that they absorb much more contaminants than other plants, I was taught that in school. I was doing the gathering while Derick and lily made sure they took their opportunity of being outside. Derick had a strong bond with lily.
Derick took to the liking of dogs when he was two. And when he was three my dad got him lily. They both had the same vibe, like they were meant for each other. They were so energetic.
"You better not get your self injured while running!" I yelled as I saw him trip over while running after lily. I was going to be held responsible for anything that happened to him, even when he didn't listen to me, I was still responsible, I was his big brother. Taking care of him was a duty I was born with.
"Alright it's time to take these back to the house. These are enough",
"We can still pick a little more" he replied me, making a sad face.
"You mean I can still gather more for you and lily to scatter, hurry and come along with lily"
"But I want to stay and play a little more"
"Remember grandma said we shouldn't stay out long. Except you want to get her angry and then she would not make us pudding again. Do you want that?"
"No, I love grandma's pudding. Come on lily let's go" he called lily and then we headed back. Derick indeed loved grandma's pudding, he couldn't imagine visiting grandma without tasting her pudding.
We got to the door. Just then I remembered giving them to Derick, to hold them while I picked the flowers since I didn't have any pockets to keep them.
"Derick, the keys"
"What, what keys?" He looked confused as he searched his pockets
He lost the keys.
"What the hell is wrong with you?", I started fuming.
"It was simple, just put the keys in your damn pocket. And now you lost them".I kept the flowers and stormed off to look for the keys.
It was looking impossible to find the key in the field. It must have fallen off him when he was playing with lily.
"There it is" I felt like jubilating when I found the keys. I was lucky to find them in this large field.
I went back home but Derick wasn't there, neither was lily. I started freaking out immediately.
"Derick!!!, lily!!!" I went looking for them shouting their names.
"Derick!!!" I was going to be in big trouble if I didn't find Derick.
"Ahhh!!!" I jumped out of my skin as I saw lily. I don't know why, but I thought she was a wild animal the moment I set my eyes on her. I hugged her with relief. If she was here, that just meant Derick was close. She started running and I ran after her hoping she would lead me to Derick. We ended up at what looked like an abandoned barn, the place gave me chills. Finally I saw Derick. He was laying in a wheel barrow. He was actually sleeping. I had so many mixed emotions at that moment. I was angry, happy that I found him and felt like laughing seeing him sleeping in that wheel barrow.
I went to him and tapped him " Derick wake up".
He wanted to run away on waking up, but I held him back quickly " it's me Derick, it's me"
"Oh, I am sorry for running away" he said as he hugged me. From the looks of it, he was lost. I was so thankful for lily.
"But why did you run away?" I asked him
"You were angry at me for losing the keys and I was sad you yelled at me. You hate me for losing the keys" he said.
Actually I just realized it was the first time I yelled at him. I was wrong for yelling at him and also giving him the keys without expecting it to get lost. He was just a kid.
"No I can never hate you, you are my only sibling and we will forever remain brothers. I love you", I said as I hugged him.
"Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. Come on let's go home" I didn't really know the meaning of what I said, but grandma always said it. And I felt love in it.
We then started to return to the house.
"Wait" Derick said as he paused. He looked at me, smiled and then hugged me "I love you too".
I looked down at him as he hugged me and smiled too, I could never hate him.
Thank you for visiting my post.
What a beautiful story between siblings and Derick is lucky to have a senior who loves him wholeheartedly.
I was scared he might have gotten into trouble there was no sign of him after the key was found, good thing he was just sleeping in the barn.
Thank you for reading my story.
Brothers, even if they fight or scold each other, there will always be love between them. It was nice to read a story that reaffirms the unconditional love between the family. Greetings
It was actually inspired by the relationship between I and my senior brother. We fight a lot but he always defends me. Thank you for visiting and commenting on my post.
This story is so charming, @menace123. You are a good storyteller. The conflicts that occur with the lost keys and the missing Derick are realistic to the point where a reader might even believe this is a work of nonfiction.
We do have some tips for you, and suggest that over time you work to improve the grammar. There is a free version of a grammar checker at Grammarly.com. You will find that it points out many of your errors. We also have a helpful article in our catalog of fiction writing tips called Help for the Grammatically Challenged. Check it out!
Thank you for sharing your story in The Ink Well, and for reading and commenting on the work of other community members.
Thank you very much for commenting on my post, it is encouraging. And I will do well to check out the grammar checkers to improve my writing. Thank you.