Adopted.

We stood in the peach room, sharing each other’s body heat as we stood close. Her eye lashes brushed against my cheek, sending chills down my spine. Her breath danced at my ear. Words so quiet, even though her mouth was at my ear, I could barely hear them were spoken,

“Nathan, we need to talk.”

Those words are the worst anyone could ever hear. Weather you are a kid with quarreling parents, or a partner in a crumbling relationship, or a worker that’s been slaking due to family issues…A kid with a sick pet. It means something bad. The end of something special to you. That’s when you expect it. But when those words swirled in my ear, my mind couldn’t understand why this was being said. We had just kissed. Not even ten minutes ago. But here we were, her chocolate brown eyes starting to water as I just stood there helplessly.

“What is it?” my voice was rough, ready to break if tears were going to fall.

The sigh she gave me meant it wasn’t good. If her first statement didn’t tell me that already. Her hand slipped into mine as she brought me to sit on the edge of her bed. She tried being gentle, but even if the world’s softest teddy bear was holding my hand, it wouldn’t make the thought of impending disaster disappear from my mind.
All I could do was stare into her eyes as she said the words, ever so softly,

“I’m your sister.”

At first, I didn’t know what to think. Then, I thought it was a joke.

“You’re better than a sister,” I said with a smile.

Her face didn’t return the smile. That stone face stared at my with heavy eyes. “No. Nathan, I really am your sister.”

My smile faltered. She told her story and her tears shed. She had a normal childhood and even into her teen years. Then, on her eighteenth birthday, her supposed “parents” told their secret. She was adopted. From my parents. Her adopted parents told her thatmy our mother was only 21 when she became pregnant with Mary Beth.My our father and mom decided they weren’t ready for a baby. They at least wanted to wait until they were married. Their family thought they just went on vacation whenever there were holidays, but in truth, they were avoiding having their relatives see our mother with child.
They didn’t want fights about keeping the baby or waiting until marriage. And that’s where her adopted parents came in. They adopted Mary Beth after she was born. The adoption plan was one where they could only contact their first born daughter when she was eighteen and no younger. Her birthday was filled with tears mixed with shattered glass and slammed doors. Very unlike the quiet night in she expected after her party the day before. Everything came full circle when she explained that’s why she was here.My our parents were getting her back in their lives.
My thoughts drifted to my age. I was only a year younger than her. My parents told me that they had been married for one year before they had me. Mary Beth filled in the rest for me.

“They kept in touch with my parents. They got married after I was born. Your father proposed in front of her family one Christmas party. It was very romantic, they told me. He had hidden the ring in the snow. They were in a snow ball fight with your cousins. He walked over to your mother and handed her the snow ball. He suggested they eat it. She bit into the ring,” she gave a light chuckle, “He got down on one knee and proposed. What the family didn’t know was that he had whispered in her ear,” she sniffed, “He said that they would have another baby. But this time it wouldn’t be a secret.”

By now, she was recovering from her balling session as I rocked her back and forth in my arms. I was left with the blankest look. My mind didn’t know what to think. I had kissed my sister. Not even a half sister. My sister.
I did the only thing I could think: I broke the moral rule.
My finger lifted her face so her red, bloodshot eyes bore into mine. Even with her make up running, she was still drop dead gorgeous. I pressed my lips against hers in a soft, innocent kiss. When we pulled apart, her eyes read confusion.

“I don’t care if you’re my sister,” I said softly, “You’re mine now. And I’m not letting anything get in the way of that.”