He was always there
when she was younger
and as they grew
out of childhood story books
and into R-rated movies
as they stopped camping in their backyard
and grew out of their bunk bed 
she thought he always would be
she knew eventually, they would part
as everyone does in the end
but didn’t feel the need to spend every weekend with him
or tell him that she loved him every night
she would help him on his homework,
but make fun of his goofy hair
tell her friends about his annoying jokes
and sometimes, she wished he wasn’t always there
but as they grew
out of pigtails
and into bleached hair
less interested in lego spaceships
and more into learning how to drive,
drive away
she didn’t go out of her way to say hi to him at school
or bring him back lollipops every time she went to the doctor
she would tell him about the gossip in her class
but yell at him when she was angry
roll her eyes when he asked stupid questions
and complain when he talked late into the night
and somedays, she got tired of him always being there
and then one day he was gone

and she wished that she could spend every weekend with him
tell him that she loved him every night
suddenly she didn’t care about his hair or jokes
she didn’t mind his questions
and regretted yelling at him
she missed telling him the school gossip
and helping him with his homework
she longed for the time when they were still at the same school
and when she would get him lollipops from the doctors
and missed him talking late into the night
but most of all she wanted him to be by her side
and she would do anything to once again, have him always there