The Brother Who Left Me Twice

Summary

I was hooked up to an IV drip for acute gastroenteritis, and it took Tom nearly three hours to finally show up.

He reeked of stale cigarette smoke, a chill following him like a persistent shadow.

"What happened to you?" He frowned, glancing at the IV bag. "How much longer will this take? Kyle and I were in a crucial match online; your call forced me to abandon the game."

My left hand, with the needle still in, felt cold, but my heart was colder.

"Could you go to the front desk and top up my deposit? I didn't bring enough cash earlier," my voice was weak.