Sibling Bonds

So remember way back when I was still living in the house with Duckie and there was the huge ass drama on New Year’s that ended up with me asking him to leave the house for the weekend and he came back and I told him it was over? Remember how my brother, the biggest ass and one of the alternately worst and best husbands I’ve ever seen, lectured me on fighting for my marriage? Well ever since then he hasn’t spoken to me. Not one single solitary word.

It’s not that I’ve not spoken to him or we haven’t been in close proximity, he has just chosen not to acknowledge my presence….ever. He came to Leo’s birthday party but didn’t speak to me. When I moved out, his wife came to help me but he didn’t show up. He didn’t even bother coming to Ladybug’s birthday party. At the few family events we’ve managed to scrape together he’s kept an icy hard wall up between us. I’ve sent him a few text and Facebook wall messages but he’s never responded. He didn’t even tell me Happy Birthday via Facebook. Whatever.

He’s never been the best brother. I can say that because I will fully admit I’ve not been the best sister. But I show up for all the important events. I remember birthdays and anniversaries. I stay in tune with big changes and do my best to ask about them and follow up on what’s going on in his life. I try at least.

I used to think he was this surly, awkward guy all the time but a few times that I hung out with him and his friends in college he was a totally different person. Engaging, hilarious, witty, emotional, like the coolest person ever. I’ve never been able to figure out why he’s so different around the family. (I have this theory that in sibling groups of three there is always one that is a little off; one that something is wrong with. Think about it, it’s true.)

Anyways, today we randomly ran into each other at a softball manager’s meeting. I said hey and sat down with the kids. Immediately after the meeting he came over and sat down and started just chatting. He played with the kids a little and then walked out with us. We talked about his car and some random chit chat. It was very weird. I mean 7 months of absolutely silence, practically denying my existence and now he’s all chatty?

It really caught me off guard and at first made me happy but then made me feel really sad. There are so many things I needed him for during this time but he wasn’t there for me in any capacity. Not even by sending an occasional email letting me know he was thinking about me.

I’ve been forgiving him for being an asshole for years mostly hanging on to the few rare shining moments of great brotherhood; like when I was in 8th grade and a guy broke up with me (actually Josie’s husband lol) and he offered to go beat him up for me. But I’m afraid he may have irrevocable broken our sibling bond this time…

Miranda