Sisters

A little girl tip-toed into her older sister’s room although it had been well past both of their bed times.1

“Are you sleeping?” the 10 year old girl inquired in a soft, whispered voice.2

“I was,” Amber replied in a half giggled tone. “What’s on your mind?” The 12 years old sister countered with having already known that something had been wrong since her sister never came into her room late in the evening unless she had some sort of important matter to discuss.3

Samantha stepped further into the room, closed the door behind her and sat on the corner of her sister’s bed. “Something happened at school today,” the younger sister admitted after several moments of silence.4

Immediately Amber sat up in her bed and reached out to hug her sister. There had always been a special bond between the two girls, one that had allowed them to be there for each other without ever having to say anything. Often the sisters shared hugs when something had troubled them, and in the end it had always made them both feel better.5

Amber knew that her sister would in time reveal what had bothered her, but in the meantime the older sister had been happy with just having been able to be there for Samantha. Minutes passed as the two sisters held onto one another, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility having filled the pink decorated room.6

“Mrs. Smith talked about adopted children today in class,” the 10 years old girl announced while still in the embrace of her sister. “She said that some adoptive parents become regretful over time when their children do not turn out as they had imagined.”7

Amber held on tightly onto her sister having already figured out where this had been going.8

“Do you think Mom and Dad are disappointed with us?” The younger sibling asked as tears threatened to escape from the corner of her eyes.9

“You know the answer as well as I do,” Amber replied with a beaming smile. “There is no way either one of them could ever be disappointed in anything we do,” she offered and then paused to see a faint smile form on Samantha’s lips. “Mom and Dad took us in when we were both only babies and raised us as if we had been theirs from day one. The adoption was nothing more than a formality… they had been our parents long before then.”10

“That doesn’t mean that they can’t be disappointed in us,” the little girl argued, her fears not having been laid to rest by her sister’s words.11

“That they are our adoptive parents has nothing to do with them being disappointed in us or not,” Amber explained further. “I have friends whose parents are disappointed in them and they are not adopted. Disappointment is what you feel when something does not meet your expectations. Jennifer’s parents had wanted for her to be on the honour roll… they were disappointed because she didn’t make it. Mom and Dad would never be disappointed in us… ever.”12

“How can you be so sure?” Samantha asked, her face reflected an expression of puzzlement in regards to her sister’s certainty in her statement.13

“Are you disappointed in me?” The 12 years old asked in a matter-of-fact manner.14

“No,” the 10 years old promptly replied. “You are the best sister anyone could ask for.”15

“Thank you,” Amber smiled. “But you know that you and I are not related by blood… we are sisters because Mom and Dad adopted each of us. You are not disappointed in me because I have always met your expectations… just like I could never be disappointed in you. Mom and Dad are the same… they love us for who we are, not for what they want us to become.”16

“But I heard Dad say that he wants you to be a Doctor and me to be a Lawyer… those are his expectations and given my marks this term I know that he will be disappointed,” Samantha explained, her tears having once again threatened to come out.17

“You should not mistake dreams for expectations,” Amber explained as she kissed her sister on the forehead. “Dad has many dreams, things he *hopes* will happen, but his expectations are actually something entirely different.”18

“You know what his expectations are of us?” the little girl asked with great curiosity.19

“Yes,” the older sister replied with a bright smile. “All that our parents expect from us is to love them only a fraction of how much as they love us.”20

The two sisters shared a long and joyous smile, the rest of the conversation not having been required to be spoken out loud. After a few moment the two girls exited Amber’s room and made their way downstairs to see their parents who had been watching TV. 21

Surprise washed over the adults’ faces as the two girls came downstairs and without warning hugged their parents before they said in unison, “We love you!”