Shelly

Taking a deep breath, I stared as my father exited the car. My breath was caught as he hurried to open the backseat door. Jaw clenched, I watched as he grabbed the little boy.

He looked so much like my father. A rush of air blew out of my mouth as the boy looked at me. The same slant, same nose, same hair. 

Turning to look at my mom, I saw the same reaction. This would be harder than we thought. We thought we could comfort each other through this but we were one of the same.

We'd make sure that we wouldn't feel; staying quiet was better than feeling.

But there was a difference, I had Tanner and she had me. We had each other and that would be enough.

"Joshua."

My mother's voice sounded different saying his name. It was now short, formal, and closed off. Every time she previously said his name, she always said it with mirth. Now it held nothing but sorrow.

"Genna."

Once he turned to look at me, I looked away. I played my part, the angry teenage daughter. But I had a reason to play this part, he lied and left us. And although he had good intentions, although he was trying to be a good parent to one of his children, he never should have had those intentions in the first place. There should have only been one child.

"Shelly, you got-"

"Don't," I tried to force out every positive feeling I had for him.

"Sorry. Uh, Sebastian, this is my wife, Genna."

Sebastian. That was the name my mother wanted her son to be. My jaw clenched tighter as the fact set in. How dare he do that! 

He looked over at me once I scoffed, saw the rest of my anger, and nodded at me with his eyes lowering. He knew what I was silently telling him.

"It's nice to meet you, Sebastian." My mother bent to his level.

Sebastian hid behind my father's leg. I could feel the pounding of my heart beneath my chest the longer he looked at my mother. It felt as if it was going to burst out at any second.

I had been staring at the ground since his introduction, so it wasn't until I looked over at him that I realized the boy was looking at me. My eyes widened before I set a frown in place. I could feel the tightness in my throat, almost choking me from the pain I felt. 

He looked like Dad when he was younger.

"And this is Shelly, her daughter."

Was that all I was to him? Someone else's daughter? It made my arm sting, an indication that I was in more pain than I originally believed. The tears rose in my eyes.

"And your sister. My daughter."

I looked at my father. The weight pushing on my chest went away slightly. It would never be gone, I'd forever live with it.

"Sister!" Sebastian's voice screeched and he ran to my legs.

I let out a noise of surprise at the action but I didn't allow myself to indulge in a hug. He was my little brother, the type of blood relation didn't matter, and I wouldn't let my mind be happy if he was only going to be gone soon. I didn't know how long he was staying, my mother didn't either, and so everything was awkward.

"I, uh, I told him about you. He really wants to get to know you," my father said with a sheepish smile.

"Daddy says that you aren't a princess, you're a warrior! I want to be like you, can you teach me?"

"Huh?"

"Daddy showed me a picture and then he said that you were strong and kind. Warriors are strong and kind. Can you teach me how to lead with my heart? I can lead with my head," he showed me as he leaned his head forward and walked a bit, "but I can't lead with my heart."

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless because I hadn't expected him to know anything about me. I had hoped he didn't know anything about me. A blush filled my face, embarrassment flooding me. I was a warrior?

"Uh, I guess?"

"Yay!"

"Let's go inside. I bought pizza if that's okay?" Mom asked both of them.

"That is," my father nodded.

"Pizza!" Sebastian yelled.

Following my mother, I walked in after everyone. How was this going to work? Elements in this equation weren't bound to work. Our feelings were going to make it harder.

"Uh, where are we staying?"

"I set up the extra room. You know...the way around."

He nodded once. He kissed Sebastian's forehead before he went to the room. Across from mine. Laying a hand on my mom's arm, I kissed her forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Can I get a slice?" Sebastian asked.

"I'll get the plates," I said, letting my mom digest everything before I would tonight.

It was a habit to always get more plates than we needed, a whole stack, while there were only four of us. I picked a piece off and a smaller one for the boy. He sat in my spot, eager for the pizza, so I took the seat across from him. Laying the plate in front of him, he automatically ate it.

"We got chocolate?" I asked my mom, needing a bit of my normalcy for the night.

"Fridge," she responded before taking a bite.

I grabbed it and placed it on top of the pizza. The boy gave me a weird look to which I chuckled. So I guess Dad had yet to show him the sweet-on-greasy trick. Taking the bottle with me, I offered him some with a nod once I sat.

"I can't have chocolate on pizza!"

"Shh, I won't tell your Dad."

"Okay." He brought his hands up and giggled into them.

I barely put any but enough on the tip so he could get a taste. He took a bite and his eyes widened to the fullest. Neck outstretching in shock too, he looked up at me. 

Was this what Dad felt? This undiscribable feeling of love? I had only known about this little boy for no more than a few days. We had barley met thirty minutes ago but I just knew, in my bones, that we'd be the best of siblings. We'd spend the rest of our lives, laughing at inside jokes, crying when we'd be separated, and glaring at each other with fake anger.

"It's good. More! More!"

"It's a secret. And only this once," my voice came out hoarse. Mom rubbed my back, giving comfort where she thought I needed it. But I didn't need comfort from hurt.

I needed comfort from falling in love with him so quickly. I hadn't expected it. But his wide eyes, they were innocent. They had no desire to replace my father's love for me. The boy didn't mean harm with his existence, and although I knew that, he unknowingly confirmed that.

I drizzled more on his piece before taking a bite of mine. Something had changed in a split second. I thought I could distance myself, and not get too involved in the little guy's life, but that wasn't who I was.

I was his older sister. He deserved to know me and I deserved to know him. Our father was a different story, our relationship would falter from here on out. But I would love this little boy to no end. We had a few years to catch up on.

My parents watched the entire night as me and Sebastian bonded. I laughed more that night than I had without my father. But he brought a new addition, something that almost paid for what he did.

******

A/N:

I think falling in love with a sibling or family member is a unique feeling. It's that feeling of 'oh, this is who I was made to be. I was made so that we could sit here, years later, and finally meet.' Sort of like destiny.

I felt it with my niece. I had never known what destiny felt like until she looked at me and took my heart. I'll never know what my world would be without her and I'd never want to live a life without her. Being an aunt is everything to me, just like being an older and younger sister is. Being a family member means a lot to me and I think it's the same with Shelly.

I also saying falling in love loosely because we use that in context to romance but I think you can fall in love with just about anyone or anything and it be completely platonic or familial.

And here's the old author's note:

𝐀/𝐍:
Wᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴄᴜᴛᴇ sɪʙʟɪɴɢ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ? Aʟsᴏ, I'ᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴄʜᴏᴄᴏʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴏɴ ᴘɪᴢᴢᴀ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴏɴᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ. Hᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏɪɴɢ!

(Bᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴡ I ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀʏ ᴘɪᴢᴢᴀ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄʜᴏᴄᴏʟᴀᴛᴇ, I'ᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴀʀʙᴇǫᴜᴇ sᴀᴜᴄᴇ. Nᴏᴡ I'ᴍ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs, ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇɪʀᴅᴇsᴛ ғᴏᴏᴅ ᴄᴏᴍʙɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ?)