I was telling Briar this morning as she struggled with the reality that Avery, her newly mobile sister, is actually not going anywhere and that she is going to have to learn to deal:
"I am a big sister, too."
She just looked at me from her time out perch on the steps.
Blink.
Scowl.
Blink.
"Auntie Abbie is my little sister, just like Avery is your little sister."
She gave me a look that clearly said,
"Avery is nothing like Abbie. Can we trade? You would never have to put me in time out if Abbie was my younger sister instead of Avery."
"Listen, I know it's hard right now, but you have to learn to enjoy having Avery around. There are going to be nights when you don't go to a dance because the boy you asked went with a different girl. It's going to really hurt, especially because you asked first and you really are prettier than her, but then you'll find out that he was gay and it really wasn't you."
Bewildered blue eyes watch me. Was that a nearly imperceptible shake of her head?
"Perhaps I am being too specific." I backpedalled as she gave me that look of,
"Mom, you're doing that thing when you start to look lost and slightly demented."
"Ok, what I meant to say, what I really mean, is that while you are 2 and half and she is 8 months old it's hard to tell, but Avery is going to be the one person on earth who gets you. She'll be there for you when you are sad, when you are mad and like today, she'll be there for you when you do the wrong thing. Avery came right over to you while you were in time out for being mean to her. She still wanted to be with you and to cheer you up."
She looked at me and then down at Avery who was patting Briar's toes. I waited, knowing that if Briar got angry about the toe thing I would support her, but it would demolish what I had just tried to do. Briar looked back at me.
"Give Avery hug?"
"You bet." A huge lump took up residence in my throat as tears welled in my eyes at the sight of Avery giggling in the near suffocating embrace of her older sister.
My little sister, Abigail aka Abbie, aka Abba-dabba-doodler, aka Uncle Abbie is abroad... (and a broad despite the "uncle" thing.)
This is totally not Seattle, but I am working with the photos I have.
She is in Rome.
She will be going to Paris.
She is a spectacular aunt. And sister.
Have a blast, Abs!
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