My Sister

Note to Joe: you're the only person who wants a Kira clone, so I'm sorry but production cannot begin on that model. The agency needs an order for at least five (5) clones to start work on duplication. The Alex model is up to twelve (12) orders now, maybe 13 if you count Grant's secret desires...sure you don't just wanna get an Alex model? Haha!

My sister is nine years older than me. In fact, all three of my siblings are noticably older than me because my very Catholic parents had no idea where babies came from and poof! Suddenly the newlywed couple, five years down the road, had three children. Mark, the third child, was the product of Natural Family Planning, so my parents made the decision to violate church teachings and use birth control for a bit after that one. My dad was still in orthodontics school then, and they figured a two bedroom apartment with three children sharing one room was enough, church or no church.

In all actuality, my parents wanted five children. That was the plan. However, after a three year turn on birth control, my mom found that suddenly she had difficulties bearing children. She had three miscarriages in a row, all of which were very hard on her. I still wonder if it had something to do with the insanely high levels of hormones in the birth control pill in the 60's.

My sister had wanted a baby sister something fierce. She was too little to request one or another with Ken, but when mom was pregnant with Mark, she flat out told her: don't bother unless it's a girl. She was very displeased to find out that Mark was a boy, and when they brought him home from the hospital she circled his bassinette critically. After some silence, she finally said, "Ok, he's cute so we can keep him, but I still need that sister!"

My dad then promised my sister she'd get her request the second they moved down to Florida. Mom almost killed him. I think you can understand the myriad of reasons why.

Years passed. After the miscarriages, my mom was beyond consolation. The last one was so bad she had to have blood transfusions and everything, and the doctor told her she should make only one more attempt at a baby. Whether or not a baby resulted, she should close up shop at that point. I was the last ditch effort.

My sister spent the entire pregnancy just knowing that I'd be coming. Surely God would not be so cruel as to give her another brother! She was right: there I was, nine years after her own birth, fat and bruised. I was a large baby for a 4'10" woman to carry at 7 lbs, 10 oz, so I was squished a bit more than typical on the way out. My brothers lovingly called me Moose for years after that since I looked so hideous after being forced out of an opening way too small for my big ass self.

Oh, how thrilled my sister was to have me! She had waited nine years for me, and there I finally was. The age difference meant that she took on a more maternal role with me. I remember that no matter how busy she was, she always made time for me. I'd have friends over and she'd play teacher for us, being our teacher and writing on the chalkboard. Rose would have a bad day with my mom (they've always sparred) and run into my room, crying into my neck as I awkwardly patted her and told her it would be ok. When she started dating, all her boyfriends knew: we have to take Kira along with us on occasion on our dates. That's right. You heard me. I went with my sister on a lot of her dates. She was so busy with cheerleading and ballet and school (she was the valdictorian of our school, after all) that the only free time she had was on her dates...and she wasn't about to waste that time on JUST her boyfriend, you know? With her ex Roy, we'd go to the skating rink with his little cousin around my age, or we'd go to his family's house and swim in their pool. With Judd, we'd go to the movies to see such classics as Herbie the Lovebug or Sg. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band with the Bee Gees. I knew she loved me. How could I fail to know it? She showed it every day.

For instance, there were two girls down the road whom I played with all the time, but they were frequently snots. One of them really adored my sister to death as she was the oldest and had always wanted an older sister too. My sister was aware of this hero worship, and so when Andrea had treated me poorly one day, there was Rose bitching Andrea out over it instantly. You don't mess with Rose's sister!

I was nine years old when she went off to college. Crushed, I waited eagerly for every holiday and summer break for her to come home. Imagine my surprise years later when I went off to college myself and started to visit her out in Texas with her husband...and realized we were more like peers and friends now than we were in the days when she basically became like my second mother. When she was pregnant with her first daughter, I clearly remember her saying that I had set the bar with babies, and so she was hoping her daughter would look like me. Poor Rose received more than she bargained for. Allegra was not only a gorgeous baby but she also has my temperment in a lot of ways. Imagine a more subdued version of me with less of an interest in fantasy/sci fi (still there...just she'll read a lot of other stuff too). We tease in the family that Allegra is my mini-me.

Big sisters are the bomb. As I talked to Rose for three hours on the phone last night, I realized how lucky I was to have her. Many kids are only children or are the oldest themselves. Many girls don't have sisters. I had one, and she gave me such love and support--still does--that even when we can't talk for a few months due to busy lives, I know she's got my back. I know she's thinking of me. I know she'll be there even in ghost form if she gets hit by a car right now. Big sisters do that. Everybody always talks about how big brothers get protective and all, but what about big sisters? People had more to fear with angering my 5' tall slender-boned sister than they did my bigger brothers! And she always made me feel so special because Rose just doesn't let that many people in to her "inner circle." Unlike me who can be friends with anybody and joke with jackasses, my sister will tell people to feck off (thanks, Grant!) in a heartbeat if she feels the need. Ok, so I'll do that too, I just end up remaining friends with the person anyway. There are only two people beyond Rose's kids who can get away with murder in her eyes: me and our Maw Maw (my grandmother). My big sister is the best big sister I can imagine. I really DO understand why Ariana wants Alex and I to get crackin' on a chance for her to have a little sister...ask Foilkid and Gaaahgirl. There's something about that bond sisters have that just cannot be duplicated elsewhere!