Staring down at her not moving brother, Naina froze. Her mind was playing the worst-case scenario. Eyes searching his face, Naina couldn't help but remember all the memories of her brother, his smile, his laughter. How he got so excited when mum was making his favorite food-sweet potato Mukimo with beef stew. How his eyes lit up when he was telling a story about something that happened during the day.
But one particular memory caught Naina's attention. It was during the holidays, and they were playing with their cousins up a Guava tree. When the brunch that Naina was on broke, she fell down on her back, rendering her immobile.
"Ree!! Are you okay?" He called immediately, racing to her as the others laughed at her for falling.
"Mu.. Mum," she heaved out in pain. So much pain she was unable to even cry.
"Cassy go call mum," he told his younger cousin, who had been watching the rest from the ground. Doing as ordered, the girl raced to where the adults were seated.
"When I fell off the stairs and broke my arm, you would tell me stories to cheer me up. I will now do the same," he said as he sat crossed-legged next to his sister, her pinky finger and his entwined." You and I forever," he added, quoting a cartoon they always watched together after school.
He didn't leave her side, not when she was rushed to the hospital or when she was advised to have bed rest.
He stayed with her all through. And Naina, looking down at his body, couldn't imagine not having her brother with her. She couldn't imagine going on without her day maker there to lighten her day, to tell her stories to keep her occupied when she was stressed about her exams or comforting her when she was having relationship problems. Curse men with her for being assholes. Or give her great massages she has ever received.
Giving his body another once over, she released an ear-piercing cry of anguish as she fell down on her knees next to her brother gripping his arms and rocking him about as she yelled for him to wake up and not leave her alone.
Christian, standing behind her, had no idea about how to help her. He was unsure if hugging her was okay, since he hardly knew the girl.
Going on his knees to offer support to her, he had a clear view of the body, and he could have sworn he saw his chest raise a bit but wasn't sure if it was as a result of Naina rocking him.
Quickly stretching himself, he put a finger on his nose, warm air slowly filtering through his finger. Letting his hand fall on Nixon's wrist, he felt a pulse. A small and unsteady pulse, but still a pulse nonetheless. A grin taking over his face he turned to the wailing lady beside him.
"He has a pulse," he announced, gaining her attention.
With red-rimmed eyes she just turned towards him, ready to yell at him for playing such a cruel joke on her while she was holding him and couldn't feel a thing.
"He must have had an overdose and the guy, not knowing what to do, ran away leaving him," he added, not giving her a chance to speak.
"Call 999," he ordered.
Naina, still shocked in a frozen state, could only stare at him as if he was some alien of some sort, unable to understand his language.
"Call 999," he yelled, getting Naina to move past her shock.
Racing downstairs to where she dropped her bag to retrieve her phone, dialing the phone as she went back to the room.
"999, what is your emergency," a voice filtered through.
"My..my brother," she began before having another breakdown.
"Miss. Please tell us your emergency so that we can help," the voice advised.
Trying again, she could only choke on her words.
Grabbing the phone, Christian answered," Drug overdose. He is currently unconscious and barely breathing."
"What is your location?"
"Juju, Amboseli estate house number 59,"
"An ambulance will be there in 10 minutes. Please try to remain calm in the meantime,"
At that, he handed the phone over to Naina.
Still speaking calming words to her and questioning about the state of her brother, Naina hung up the phone, not wanting to shout at the poor soul on the other line.
"What are you doing?" She asked, when she saw Christian trying to move him.
"Putting him in a recovery position," he said as he removed the Ying silver chain from his neck, throwing it on the bed before putting him in a recovery position as he sat by him to check his pulse sporadically as they waited.
"Oh," Naina replied, her mind focused on the chain. Instinctively, Naina hand went to hold her own replica of the necklace.
The Ying-Yang, a couple necklace that they had bought for my 18th birthday, and they always had it on. Moving to the necklace, she held it close to her heart as she sat there watching Christian check his pulse.
An ambulance arrived, and the paramedics quickly put Nixon on a stretcher and into the ambulance, putting him on oxygen.
"Only family can come with him," one of the two paramedics said.
"I will be right behind you," Christain said as he went to his car while Naina boarded the ambulance.
"I called Lily, she will be here in a while," Christian said to Naina. Whose gaze was transfixed in a hospital room where a doctor was running tests on her brother.
Absentmindedly she nodded. Her thoughts still lingered on the fact she would have lost her brother today.
Tears pricking her eyes, she wiped them away before turning to Christian.
"I don't know how to thank you for saving my brother, West," She sniffed.
" You don't have to," he gave her a light smile. "He will be okay," he added, reaching out and rubbing her back soothingly.
"Naina," Lily called, racing to her.
Quickly stepping away from Naina, he cleared his throat as he stood by Rick watching the two girls hug each other.
"I am so, so sorry I wasn't there with you," Lily said into the hug.
"It's okay," Naina mumbled, holding her tighter as she tried to keep her tears at bay.
They only separated when the doctor came out," How's my brother?" Naina immediately asked.
"He is as okay as he can get being addicted. You were lucky to have rushed him here, otherwise the story would be different. Please try to enroll him into those drug addiction programs. It will be really helpful for him," the doctor remarked.
"Can we see him?" Lily asked.
"Yes. He is already awake but –," without waiting for him to finish, Naina rushed into the room, and into her brother's waiting arms, having another breakdown.
"Damn… If this is how you will be greeting me, then I should be getting myself admitted every other day," Nicky joked, laughing as he hugged her tighter.
He was so scared, he thought he would never see her again. He thought he would never see his parents again. Despite the fact they don't get along, he could imagine leaving them. He didn't want to leave so early, he wanted to see her graduate. He wanted to see himself graduate. He wanted to have love and kids and grow old and gray.
Stepping away from the hug, Naina gave him a slap," Are you joking, right now? After all that, You know how scared I was," she said, embracing him again.
"Am sorry,"