I’m sure we all have at least one person in our life with an unexplainable attachment to. We care for them, love them, sometimes even become overprotective about them. There is nothing weird about caring about a person to such an extent, it’s odd though when this person is not someone you meet on a daily basis. You might even talk to once every year or two. Yet that bond doesn’t change. Faisal, known as Anoosh to his family, is one of them.
Anoosh is my best friend’s youngest brother. I still remember the day after he was born. My best friend, Fatma (or Fatoom as we call her), came to school with a bag filled with Patchi chocolate individually wrapped in blue and silver. She walked around giving each student in the class a piece of chocolate with a genuine smile, reflecting the love she has to the newest member of her family. We were 11 at the time, and I grew up with Fatoom loving Anoosh more and more as time passes. Her love to him, her care and protection, how she always remembers him in the tiny details around us probably rubbed into me. Anoosh, 13 years old now, became a part of my life before he even realised who I was.
My earliest memory of him was during our school’s annual bazaar. He was probably 2 or 3 at the time. We took him to get his face painted as a Spider-man and Fatoom bought him a fish. Fatoom being the eldest sister is like a second mother to him. You could tell he loves her from the way he holds on to her, the way he hugs her and the way he speaks about her. Fast forward 11 years and it’s still the same. Last weekend Fatoom came to my place for a sleepover and I could tell how much he loves her when he asked me why I’m taking his sister away. She was to leave them for less than 12 hours as we had plans to meet them all the next day. Their relationship is special.
Anoosh calls me Super-Mario, he always called me that. He laughed about it the first time he did and since then he stuck with it. Ever since, Super-Mario has always reminded me of him. I remember once going to their house and he ran to his father telling him Super-Mario is here. As embarrassing as it felt when it happened, I found it adorable. It’s the little things he says and does that makes him even more special.
Last night I went out for dinner with Fatoom’s family. I joined them as they made fun of each other like any siblings will do, I laughed till tears ran down my face and joined them as we documented the day with photos. While last night will always have a place in my heart, it won’t be just because of that. I was happy when he walked into the restaurant and said he wanted to sit next to me, when he recommended a dish and agreed to share a piece of his lasagna. I smiled and my soul smiled when their mother told me how he mentions me a lot. I held back my tears with a smile when he said he has 5 sisters and he mentioned me as one of them. He has 2 biological sisters, the other 3 are his cousins and I. I felt the love when his mother told me how one day he’ll walk me down the aisle and his reply was that he’ll make sure he knows the guy well before that.
Fatoom, Anoosh and their family will always have a special place in my heart. I’m indebted to their Aunt who taught me how to read and write. I’m indebted to their mother that always treated me like a daughter and for bringing such a wonderful family to this life. I’m indebted to Fatoom, for all the memories we’ve had and memories we’ll create. And I’m indebted to Anoosh for always saying the right thing at the right time. May they all live a long, healthy and happy life. Because seriously, each and everyone of them deserves it.
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