Monday, 12.29.2014 - 5:08 pm.
I'm anxious. Andrew is back in the capital city, this time with this parents. I haven't heard from him for hours. They were supposed to receive his brother's body in the morning. Past noon, they had not been called. Per Andrew's request, I booked them a flight back home that will take off in a couple of hours, and I'm afraid they'll miss it.
This is cruel. Andrew's brother died last wednesday morning and he's still in legal services. All that bureaucracy of death, it's too much. I know it was the holidays, I know there is an investigation going on, but supposedly all the paperwork was done and ready on friday, and can someone please, please just let Andrew and his family put his brother to rest?
Andrew returned on Christmas' Eve, on the very last flight available. Nephew #2 and I went to the airport to pick him up. He brought his brother's treasure, a guitar. He put me up to date with everything: his brother fell from his apartment on the 17th floor, most likely intentionally. A week before, an ex-girlfriend he dated for eight years had died by throwing herself at a car. And a bunch of other major details, which make up a story that I know is not mine to tell, but I had to tell at least a little because I alone can't bear with it.
We've spent the days going back and forth. I mean, alternating, good times and bad times. Andrew is carrying most of the burden of the death, and me, by extension. We run errands, we pay for everything, we support the family. Andrew does it for his family, I do it for him. I'm grateful that my nephew is here, too. He's been a great companion in this, either helping somehow or distracting me, us.
In fact, we celebrated christmas nonetheless. On the evening of the 24th, Andrew got off the plane and went to tell his family what he knew so far. We spent the evening with them and at midnight we were on our way home, he, my nephew and I. We ate chips and opened presents. It was an oasis of joy. Andrew had gotten me stuff, I'd gotten him stuff, and still he gave me something else: a Nintendo 3DS ( bought before tragedy struck).
In a nutshell, we tried to maintain a sense of normalcy among the chaos and the heartbreak. There was not much else to do. There came the 25th and then the weekend, when nothing gets done. Andrew tried to take his mind off this. We met with friends, they came over with food or we went out for coffee or a drink. No point in dwelling if it wasn't going to solve anything. I know he is like that. He won't feel free to grieve until his brother's body is in town.
And still waiting.
I was hoping he'd call as I was writing this. No such luck.
EDIT, 5:26 pm: they'll make it to the flight. Thank God.
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