Stand By Me Darling

"Will you let me be and leave?" Arthur clenched his jaws. This big brother he admired a lot to the point of idolising, told him cruelly to his face that he is not his brother. And he dared to split Iris and him. "And take down that cheesy video you posted without my consent. Or else you’ll have to talk to my lawyers for infringing-"

Why is he bothering me now if he’s not my brother?

"Why can’t I post the cute video of my baby brother I recorded in my home while he was babysitting my kids?" Roderick had a sly smile as he leaned on the wall.

He thinks he can win against me after all these years?

"Cute? Baby brother?" Arthur’s eyebrows twitched and his anger level got dangerously high. "I thought dad went through surgery. Are you on something?"

"Why? You are my baby brother. I remember meeting you in the hospital when you were just born. Dad picked me up from school that day and brought me straight to the hospital. I was so excited to meet you. When I saw you for the first time, you were red as you were screaming from the top of your lungs. With your bald head with just few hairs and with your crying, you looked like a sweet potato. Apparently Ray had hit you and you didn’t stop screaming. Mum who was already tired was pretty worried not knowing how to stop your cry. But then when I got you from her arms and held you...," Roderick made the gesture of holding a baby.

Arthur wanted to interject him as his story seemed made up. He even dared to call him a sweet potato. But looking at his brother smiling as he was looking at his arms as if he was reminiscing that day, he held back. He cannot deny the fact that his brother indeed loves him. And Rod loves sweet potatoes, so that comparison can be forgotten.

Roderick continued, "Like it was magic, you stopped crying and you ended up sleeping in my arms. It was not just that day... You were always more attached to me as you grew up to the point of mum getting jealous of me..." he took in a deep breath. "Mum..." he wetted his lips and looked at Arthur. "Artie, you were too young to remember. But before mum passed, we visited her in the hospital. Ray wasn’t there, and you were squirmy as you never liked hospitals and I remember you hiding behind my back. Mum sat with difficulty and she petted your hair as she told me that she was not worried about leaving such a young child behind, since she knew I’d take care of you. ’I’m glad he grew up attached to you,’ she said and..." Roderick gulped as his throat closed remembering that day.

’Take care of your brothers for me, dear Rody’, she kissed his cheek and her eyes were misty. He remembered wiping off a teardrop that rolled down her cheek. She then gave him a tight hug. ’I’m devastated thinking that I can’t watch you grow, Rod. But I’m glad you are my son. Just live a happy life and make me proud. You don’t have to be great or successful. I just want you to be happy. Let your brothers know that I want the same for them too. And one more thing,’ she had a playful smile and pulled him closer, ’Among all my sons, you are my favourite. Don’t tell anyone I ever said that, okay?’