Status: Complete
Oh, Brother
Tyler
Standing around the airport, I wasn’t sure whether my nerves were because I really didn’t want to meet Reece, or because I really did. A sister. I’d known about her all my life, of course, but I couldn’t remember meeting her.
She was more of a hypothetical sister, to my mind. I used to wonder how things would be if I knew her, but when people asked me if I have any siblings, the answer was always negative.
But now I would know her. Did she want to know me?
So I was nervous, wimpy as that sounds.
Good thing Charlene was there to break the ice. It was hard to keep from laughing when she flung her arms around the girl who could only be Reece. I would never have thought this girl was my sister, except that she looked like the girl in the photo she sent us last week.
She had the same ashy brown hair as me and her eyes were nearly the exact same shade of green as mind. Other than that, though, you’d never know we were related. But she was… pretty. Not a knock-out, and certainly not the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, but she somehow drew the eye. There was so much personality radiating from her, even though she was obviously nervous.
I watched her greet Dad. She seemed really uncomfortable, but that was hardly a surprise. I would probably feel the same way meeting Mom. But then she looked back at me and our eyes met.
It took several seconds before I was able to look away, and even when I did, I could feel something deep in my stomach pulling me toward her.
I forced out an anxious chuckle. That was wrong on so many levels. She’s your sister, I lectured myself.
My reaction was completely natural, I told myself. She was attractive, and there wasn’t anything in me that knew her as my sister, not yet.
I made myself focus on their conversation. Reece didn’t know Dad had a new wife. That was probably the funniest thing I’d heard in a while. Charlene… she got on my nerves. From the look on Reece’s face, it would be something we could talk about together.
At least I wouldn’t have to keep my eye-rolls when Charlene squealed to myself anymore. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, having my long lost sister with us.
In the taxi, things were pretty awkward. No one knew what to say, I thought. And no wonder. I wasn’t really tight with Charlene to begin with, and Dad was enamored by her. Obsessed, almost. It was kind of creepy, especially considering how much younger she was. She could have been my sister.
And my sister? Well, she just stared out her window with a schooled expression. I could tell she was doing her best to keep from giving too much away, but she was failing. Her eyes were wide and she was soaking in the city. It was like being with a small kid, all innocent enthusiasm. I felt a sort of fondness already because of that.
I traveled so much that I didn’t really look at my surroundings much. Dad was an international businessman and had always brought me along with him. I’d never been in a school; instead, I’d gotten tutors who came around the world with us. I hadn’t even realized how rare that is until last year, my freshman year of college.
“So you’ve never been to London?” I asked Reece.
She smiled openly and said, “Is it that obvious?” It was like the awkward tension in the air dissipated, so disarming was her smile.
“Only to people with eyes.” I laughed, and she did, too. It was nice, how natural things felt. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad, after all.
She was more of a hypothetical sister, to my mind. I used to wonder how things would be if I knew her, but when people asked me if I have any siblings, the answer was always negative.
But now I would know her. Did she want to know me?
So I was nervous, wimpy as that sounds.
Good thing Charlene was there to break the ice. It was hard to keep from laughing when she flung her arms around the girl who could only be Reece. I would never have thought this girl was my sister, except that she looked like the girl in the photo she sent us last week.
She had the same ashy brown hair as me and her eyes were nearly the exact same shade of green as mind. Other than that, though, you’d never know we were related. But she was… pretty. Not a knock-out, and certainly not the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, but she somehow drew the eye. There was so much personality radiating from her, even though she was obviously nervous.
I watched her greet Dad. She seemed really uncomfortable, but that was hardly a surprise. I would probably feel the same way meeting Mom. But then she looked back at me and our eyes met.
It took several seconds before I was able to look away, and even when I did, I could feel something deep in my stomach pulling me toward her.
I forced out an anxious chuckle. That was wrong on so many levels. She’s your sister, I lectured myself.
My reaction was completely natural, I told myself. She was attractive, and there wasn’t anything in me that knew her as my sister, not yet.
I made myself focus on their conversation. Reece didn’t know Dad had a new wife. That was probably the funniest thing I’d heard in a while. Charlene… she got on my nerves. From the look on Reece’s face, it would be something we could talk about together.
At least I wouldn’t have to keep my eye-rolls when Charlene squealed to myself anymore. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, having my long lost sister with us.
In the taxi, things were pretty awkward. No one knew what to say, I thought. And no wonder. I wasn’t really tight with Charlene to begin with, and Dad was enamored by her. Obsessed, almost. It was kind of creepy, especially considering how much younger she was. She could have been my sister.
And my sister? Well, she just stared out her window with a schooled expression. I could tell she was doing her best to keep from giving too much away, but she was failing. Her eyes were wide and she was soaking in the city. It was like being with a small kid, all innocent enthusiasm. I felt a sort of fondness already because of that.
I traveled so much that I didn’t really look at my surroundings much. Dad was an international businessman and had always brought me along with him. I’d never been in a school; instead, I’d gotten tutors who came around the world with us. I hadn’t even realized how rare that is until last year, my freshman year of college.
“So you’ve never been to London?” I asked Reece.
She smiled openly and said, “Is it that obvious?” It was like the awkward tension in the air dissipated, so disarming was her smile.
“Only to people with eyes.” I laughed, and she did, too. It was nice, how natural things felt. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad, after all.