The Empty Seat

Ever since my little brother moved out to college, I feel like there's this constant empty spot at the dinner table. It used to be loud and chaotic with his jokes and arguments, but now it's just quiet. I miss how annoying he could be, those late nights we had together watching bad horror movies. Sometimes I catch myself talking out loud when I'm cooking or cleaning, expecting him to pop up somewhere with a funny remark or an unexpected question. It's weird, because I should be happy for him and excited about his new journey, but there's this lingering sadness in the silence.