Symphony | ✓

Chapter 40

"Stop, stop!" Esterphina said, making Al stop in his tracks. He had been about to walk into the sofa. Esterphina sighed in relief, walking over to her brother. She helped him around the long sofa before helping settle down into it. She walked back into the small kitchenette attached to the living room, standing behind the counter as she looked on at her brother.

"Gosh, maybe I shouldn't have moved the furniture," she said. Alejandro had been having a hard time learning the new positions of the living room furniture. And it's not like Al agreed to use his walking stick in the apartment. Yes, he was that stubborn.

Ester took out leftovers from before and decided to reheat them in a pot. When she closed the pot, she went to sit beside her brother, smiling before resting her head on his shoulder.

"How have you been?" she asked feeling like doing a bit of catching up. Leo had Al with him most of the time, and it's been a while since she'd had a proper conversation with her brother. She couldn't believe Al was on his way to graduate. That meant that she would still be in college while Al was in France with the orchestra that had signed him. The thought was a little scary. They had both been each other's emotional support since they started living together without their family.

"I can't believe you'll be gone in less than a year—a few months," she muttered, feeling her brother wrap his hand around her shoulders to give her a side hug. She opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it, not wanting to speak anymore. She didn't want to sound like she was on the verge of tears. Graduating was a good thing. Al graduating and leaving was a good thing, so she decided to keep her thoughts of disappointment at bay.

"Don't forget me, alright?" she pleaded, trying to hide her desperate tone in a small laugh.

"Of course, I won't," Al said, resting his head on top of his sister's. He hadn't really thought of the fact that he would have to leave her so soon. He felt a little guilty that he would have to leave her by herself for a year plus. They hadn't been around any other family member but themselves for years. This was their home now, and Al was leaving it for another one in a few months.

"I'll call often," he promised, and Ester nodded in his shoulder. The living room went quiet. Ester sniffed a bit, and after a while, she got up and went to check up on their dinner that was still getting defrosted.

Ester had doubled as Al's caretaker and sister for the past few years, and Al was grateful to her. He listed as Easter spoke to him from across the room. He could hear the sound of pots and utensils. Al tried his best to guess what they were having for dinner from the smell alone, but he couldn't figure it out and Ester chuckled.

"About Leonardo." Al Ester's voice ask. "Is he going to be alright staying with you alone? You're not going to be having the same tours, so you'll have to heir a caretaker to help him out, right?" Ester asked, making Al's mouth hang open for a bit.

He closed his mouth, biting down on his bottom lip. He had never thought about that. He did need a caretaker, but it hadn't crossed his mind that Ester wouldn't be there to do the things she helped him with. Al was starting to get a little nervous. Leo never complained about helping him, but he wasn't sure if it would be a different case when they would be together for days and weeks at a time when they weren't on tour.

Yes, he could get a caretaker. He needed one while he was on tour, but he was used to family members pulling that weight, and the idea of surrendering himself to a complete stranger made him uncomfortable.

"Alejandro?" The man turned his head towards his sister's voice. "Is something wrong?" she asked, making AL sigh before looking away and shaking his head. He muttered a small 'no' before the room went silent. Esterphina broke the silence, piercing the tension with her loud tone.

"What do you mean by no?" she asked, sighing before running a hand through her dark hair. "Come on. I'm sure you don't want to keep secrets now," she said, walking out of the kitchenette before approaching Al who was still sitting on the sofa. Al felt the weight of his sister sink the sofa's cushion. He stayed still, afraid that he might become a sobbing mess of nerves if he started talking too soon.

"Come on, tell me," Esterphina urged making Al sigh before deciding that he would tell her. He was a bit nervous, so he kept balling and unbaling his fists until he felt his sister take one of his hands in hers. She gave it a squeeze. The room was quiet again, and the sound of the span spinning above sounded a lot louder than it was.

"Sometimes, I get really scared of how happy I am," Al started, and Ester squeezed his hand again. "And my brain starts to knit pick every possible thing that looks like a reason why he would leave me, a reason for why my happiness will be taken away," he sighed, rearranging his bangs with his free hand before laying back on the headrest of the sofa. "I know Leo's great. I know he loves me, but I can't stop myself from thinking irrationally. I can't stop myself from feeling afraid," he continued before pausing. A bit of time passed, and Ester too that as a sign that Al was done talking. She hummed, letting go of his hand before sitting up straight and looking out into the living room.

"Leo loves you. He really does," she said. "When you're in love with somebody difficult things feel less difficult—less like chores, you know?" she said, and Al nodded. "Stop worrying about how difficult you'll be for him. I'm sure Leo doesn't think that way, and you're a human being, not a chore, stop thinking you're a burden on him, okay?"

Ester got up from the sofa. "You're not a burden to anyone that matters, okay? You have a support network, and we all love you, don't listen to the voices in your head," she said before heading over to the kitchenette. Al listened for her footsteps, and the sound of metal echoed through the room when they stopped.

"We're having croquette. How many do you want?" Ester asked, changing the subject. Al smiled, knowing what she was doing, but he answered her anyway. His sister meant the world to him, and his advice calmed his nerves.

He wasn't a burden.

He had to internalize that.