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"Ok," Marco said as he looked at the clock. "Repeat to me what I just said."
"Stay in the library until you get back at 2 PM and don't talk with strangers," Nicky replied. "And don't tell mama and papa, that I was alone. If they ask we had a fun day together."
Marco handed Nicky 5 dollars.
"Good," Marco said. "You got my number if there's anything."
And with that Marco was gone on his skateboard leaving his baby brother all alone. If you asked Marco, he had been perfectly happy as an only child so why did his parents decide to get another child after 8 years was a mystery to Marco. And if his parents had to give him a little brother, why couldn't it be a cool one? Not a nerdy one who kept on telling facts about all kinds of things nobody asked for?
Nicky made his way over to one of his favourite sections of the library: the one with all the comics. He had started to read comics instead of the usual science books in the hope Marco would like him better, and maybe take him to the skateboard park once again.
"Cazzo," A voice shouted. "Sorry, Mrs Henderson."
Nicky saw Mrs Henderson smile at someone, Nicky couldn't see but since the voice had said something in Italic so maybe it was another Italian. When he came around the corner, he saw a boy with curly hair and not looking like an Italian at all. The boy was sitting in a wheelchair and was reaching for a comic he had dropped on the floor.
"Mrs Henderson?" The boy asked. "Could I ask for some help? You know still spastically paralyzed."
Nicky peaked around the corner but before the boy could look at him, he quickly hide behind the shelf.
"I don't bite," The boy said in a friendly tone. "My entire family are vegetarians. It was my mother's idea, not my father's if you ask him."
Nicky had always been a shy child, so he didn't know why he dared walk over to the boy.
"Hi I'm Joe," Joe said. "Could I ask you to pick up the comic for me?"
Nicky just nodded and picked up the comic. It was with "Asterix" something he had hoped to read today. He handed the comic to Joe and decided to go somewhere else.
"Don't go," Joe said. "There's place enough for us both."
Nicky nodded again and took the first comic he saw before sitting down on a chair.
"Do you always read your comics upside down?" Joe wanted to know.
Nicky shook his head and hide behind the comic after turning it around.
"Don't you speak?" Joe wanted to know. "Because I don't think I can do sign language with my hands."
"I can speak," Nicky replied. "I just... I was told not to talk with strangers."
"You also got dumped by your sibling," Joe said. "My big sister decided it wasn't cool to take your handicapped brother to the skateboard park."
"My big brother also wanted to go to the skateboard park," Nicky said. "He doesn't like me."
"His loss not yours," Joe said. "And between us, I think that being dumped in the library is better than the skateboard park."
"Why?" Nicky wanted to know.
"Because there are worlds in here waiting to be discovered," Joe replied. "Do you want to go with me?"
Nicky thought for a moment before he nodded.
"You chose first where we should go," Joe said with a smile.
"Ok, I love flamingos," Nicky replied. "So, Africa?"
"Great choice," Joe replied. "As long I don't get eaten by a lion."
"If we see a lion, we could imagine your wheelchair has jetpacks. That way we can get away in a hurry," Nicky suggested. "Sorry, that was a bad idea."
"No it wasn't," Joe replied. "That was a brilliant idea. And you just jump up in my wheelchair and I'll get us out of there in a hurry."
Marco never said Nicky got brilliant ideas. The last time Nicky suggested they could go to the cinema together, Marco said he didn't have the time for children's movies.
"I'm Nicky," Nicky said. "Just so you remember me if a lion eats me."
"I would never leave you behind, Nicky," Joe promised. "We're adventures now. And they look after each other."
For the next many hours, they kept on travelling the world together. They went to Africa, China, Canada, and even Atlantis. When they got hungry they went to the small cafe that lay on the top floor with a view over the entire city.
"I only got five dollars," Nicky said. "It's enough for a sandwich and a juice box."
"I also got five dollars," Joe said. "If we put the money together, we can have pancakes with ice cream and still get two juice boxes."
"I like that idea," Nicky replied. "Let's do that."
They ordered pancakes and found a table at the window.
"Did you know that in Denmark, they got an entire day dedicated to pancakes?" Nicky asked but regretted being nerdy immediately. "Sorry."
"For what?" Joe wanted to know. "I love it when you tell those funny things. And we should find a book with Denmark when we have eaten."
Nicky nodded. He had never tried spending time with someone for so many hours at once.
"Cazzo," Joe said when he dropped the fork. "Could you help me, Nicky? I need help with hitting my mouth or else there will be food all over the table."
"I can do that," Nicky replied. "But how do I do it?"
"Just cut it into small pieces and give it to me," Joe replied. Nicky cut the pancakes and fed Joe a piece. "Thanks. You're the first one who has done it outside my family and my carer. I mean fed me. That means you're my friend."
"You want me as a friend?" Nicky asked with disbelief in his voice.
"Yes, because you're funny, kind, and great company," Joe replied. "So friends?"
"I would love that. And I can only say the same things about you, Joe. That you're funny, kind, and great company," Nicky replied. "But how come you speak Italian? I heard you saying "Cazzo" twice today?"
"It has to do with that I'm not allowed to swear at home," Joe replied. "So, I looked up swear words in other languages. You know a loophole."
"That's brilliant," Nicky said. "Maybe I should do that too."
After eating, they continued their journey around the world. They had just left Nepal when Nicky saw his mother running towards him.
"Nicolò!!" Guila said as she hugged her little boy. "I was so worried about you."
"I'm fine, mama," Nicky replied. "I had a fun day."
Nicky saw what he suspected was Joe's mother running toward Joe, who also got a hug.
"Yusuf!" Farrah said as she hugged her little boy. "I was so worried about you."
"I'm fine, mom," Joe replied. "I had a fun day."
Both boys looked at each other with a smile. They had a fun day together.
"It has been a long while, Farrah," Guila said. "When did you move back here?"
Both boys looked surprised at each other. They didn't know that their mothers knew each other.
"3 weeks ago," Farrah replied. "I had planned on calling you once we had moved in, so Yusuf could play with his best friend again."
"But I don't know Nicky at all," Joe said. "Not before today."
"Yes, you do," Farrah replied. "For the first two years of your life, Nicky was your best friend. You played together every day until your father got a new job in England."
"That picture of you and a curly-haired boy in the crib that hangs on your wall. That is Joe and you," Guila said. "In fact, it was you who called Joe for Joe first because you couldn't say, Yusuf."
"And you ended up calling Nicolò for Nicky because you couldn't say his name," Farah said. "Let's call each other tonight, Guila, so we can plan the next play date. Right now, I got a teenager who needs to be told it's not ok to dump your little brother at the library."
"I also got to do the same thing," Guila replied. "Do you still have the same phone number?"
20 years later:
"Nicky and I owe Marco and Ofra everything," Joe had just told every guest at Marco and Ofra's wedding about how they as children were dumped in the library by their older siblings. "Without them, we had to wait more days until we saw each other again."
Marco looked over at Nicky with a sorry look on his face. Marco had never forgotten how angry his parents were for dumping his little brother in the library. After that event, Marco and Nicky's relationship only grew stronger, and now they were best friends. It was the same thing with Ofra and Joe.
"We wish them the best luck in the world," Joe said as Nicky placed his hand on Joe's hand with the wedding ring. They had been married for the last decade. Ever since Nicky turned 18. At first, their parents had thought they were too young to get married, but when both Joe and Nicky said they would elope, they had gotten their parents' blessing. "To Ofra and Marco."
They all raised their glasses for Ofra and Marco.
"You just couldn't resist telling that story," Nicky said.
"Well, we're the annoying siblings," Joe replied with a smirk. "It's our right to make them embarrassed."
Nicky laughed before kissing Joe.
"Now, I want to dance with you as I did on our wedding day," Joe said as he made a sign Nicky should sit in his lap.
"I would love that," Nicky replied as he did it. "After all it has jetpacks on it, so it can take us anywhere we want."
"Do you have a place in mind?" Joe wanted to know.
"I was thinking the stars," Nicky replied. "It has been a while since we last were there."
"True," Joe replied. "You lead the way and I'll drive us there."
Joe started to spin his wheelchair around in circles, which made them both laugh. They still had the best adventures together.