What if Superman had a younger brother and therefore, not an only child?
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After going through a devastating pandemic that swept across the globe and having lost his father to a heart attack, Omar Khaled Kent, secretly decides to be a vigilante al...
After having had a lovely dinner and spending time together as a family, we went outside and created a bonfire and started roasting a couple of marshmallows. We then started playing our cultural instruments – the Tar and the Oud – both native to my country, Lebanon, and in other parts of the Levant.
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I was adept at playing both, as were my Baba and Clark. My mom didn't play any of the instruments but simply enjoyed listening to us play and sing.
"This is great" said Clark. "Spending time together as a family."
"We're so happy you're here with us, son" my mom hugged and gave Clark a peck on the cheek.
"Always mama, baba" he said, looking at our parents. "I'm happy to be here and to also be with my baby brother."
"Heck yeah" I said. "Despite this horrible pandemic we're all facing, as long as we're together as a family, I know we'll make it through all of this."
"That's the spirit" Clark tapped my shoulder. "It's why I've always been so proud of you baby brother, you always look at the bright side of things."
"That's why I've always been so proud of you boys" our baba smiled. "Always doing well for yourselves and becoming the kind of men I know I can be proud to call my sons."
"Hey, you taught us to be united as a family and to always do the right thing, no matter how hard it might be" I said.
That was how our parents taught us, to be united as a family and as brothers, and to face any adversities head-on without flinching. Yet inside, I was scared.
I was scared of this virus and despite all the protection we carried with us like masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing, I was still scared. Having my brother with us during this pandemic, however, made life a little more bearable. He missed his girlfriend, Lois, but he was a family man and always put us first in everything while maintaining a balance in his relationship.
"Why don't we play another song and Omar here, can sing for us" my brother suggested.
"Absolutely" said our Baba, and he handed me my Tar and Clark took the Oud.
I started singing a song from Najwa Karam called Dalal, which in Arabic meant something like 'Pampered' or 'Cherished.'
Fun fact, Karam was our dad's real last name but when his family moved to Smallville a few generations ago, they changed it to Kent to blend into American society more easily. Only, we did not have any blood relation to Najwa Karam.
Clark and I sang together, the bonfire warming us from how cold the weather was.
Everything was amazing and our being together was more than I could have ever asked for.
Though my brother came to live with us a few months ago after the pandemic began, I was always worried he would leave and go back to Metropolis. Without him here, our family felt incomplete.
