So this past weekend, we all enjoyed a lovely family reunion & birthday party for my Aunt who turned 80 years old. I love when the whole family gets together. It's a great way for me to catch up with all of my cousins. They are all about 10 years younger than me........but I act as if we're all the same age. I think they like it. They probably think I'm really hip and cool.
My cousins all started asking about my little girls and how they are as sisters.
"Oh, they're awesome!" I answer, "Super close. Really loving. Kind of like me and Mishi".
I throw my arm around my sister.
"What are you talking about??" my sister says while giving me the stink eye.
"Mishi! We had a great relationship growing up!" I say loudly with a bit of a laugh. Then I give my sister a sideways glance so that she stops talking immediately.
She does not get the hint because she continues.....
"Lodz!!"
Mishi yells my nick-name in front of the group. It's pronounced "ludge".
"You used to tell me I was ADOPTED!"
Mishi has now thrown my arm off of her shoulder.
I look around at my cousins who are all staring at me with big eyes, in utter disbelief. I have to turn this around fast.....my image as the perfect sister and amazing family member is being tarnished!
"Mishi!! Don't exaggerate!! You're making stuff up!!"
"Lodz, you told me on many occasions that I was 100% adopted. That YOU looked exactly like Tata and YOU had Mama's personality.....and I.....had NOTHING of either of them. Remember???"
I laugh out loud while whispering "shhhh" under my breath towards my sister.
"And remember how I started crying that one time??? And then you actually made adoption papers and handed them to me??!!!!"
Shoot.
I look over at my cousins. My one cousin has left the group. I'm losing them!!!!
"And then remember how you used to make me eat foods that you invented??? Remember how you would mix flour, water, salt and pepper and make me eat it???"
"Ummmm no." I whisper quietly. Another cousin has left the group. Dammit!!
"Oh yeah!!!" my one cousin suddenly speaks up, "Mishi! I remember coming to your house and there was a big sign on your door that read "NO ONE ALLOWED IN MY ROOM.......ESPECIALLY LODZ!! And Lodz was under-lined like 5 times!! That was so funny!!"
All my cousins burst out laughing.
"Wow Lodz. You must have been really mean?!" another cousin pipes up.
"No. I think I was just misunderstoo......"
"And Mish! Remember how Lodz used to make you dress up in your Dad's clothes???" my cousins have all turned towards my sister now.
What the hell happened??? They used to love ME the most!
"Oh yeah totally!! And I remember the day I finally stood up to her! She tried to get me to do something for her......like she always did.....and I finally realized that I became her assistant! And I stood my ground and said NO!!"
"Haha! Good for you Mishi!" my cousins have now all circled my little sister like she's the Queen Bee or something. And I realize that I'm no longer in the circle......like in "Meet the Fockers". I was no longer in the "circle of trust".
Pfftt. Whatever. I don't need this.
I see my Mom over at the table with some ladies. I'll go and join them.....
"Hi Lodz! Come! Ve are just talking about meno-pose!"
Urgh!!!! Why isn't there a group for me in this family?? Why is nobody my age???
Suddenly I look over and see my Aunt looking at her gifts. I walk over to her and sit down.
"Oh hi Lodz. Tank you fery mooch for coming today. You are good gerl. You smile so much. You make me so happy".
I give my Aunt a huge hug.
"I love you too. You're the best Aunt ever".
And with that, I realize that there is someone in this family who loves me no matter what. I'm so happy right now.
"But....." she continues, "stop bleeeeching your hair. You look like a clown".
sigh.
My cousins all started asking about my little girls and how they are as sisters.
"Oh, they're awesome!" I answer, "Super close. Really loving. Kind of like me and Mishi".
I throw my arm around my sister.
"What are you talking about??" my sister says while giving me the stink eye.
"Mishi! We had a great relationship growing up!" I say loudly with a bit of a laugh. Then I give my sister a sideways glance so that she stops talking immediately.
She does not get the hint because she continues.....
"Lodz!!"
Mishi yells my nick-name in front of the group. It's pronounced "ludge".
"You used to tell me I was ADOPTED!"
Mishi has now thrown my arm off of her shoulder.
I look around at my cousins who are all staring at me with big eyes, in utter disbelief. I have to turn this around fast.....my image as the perfect sister and amazing family member is being tarnished!
"Mishi!! Don't exaggerate!! You're making stuff up!!"
"Lodz, you told me on many occasions that I was 100% adopted. That YOU looked exactly like Tata and YOU had Mama's personality.....and I.....had NOTHING of either of them. Remember???"
I laugh out loud while whispering "shhhh" under my breath towards my sister.
"And remember how I started crying that one time??? And then you actually made adoption papers and handed them to me??!!!!"
Shoot.
I look over at my cousins. My one cousin has left the group. I'm losing them!!!!
"And then remember how you used to make me eat foods that you invented??? Remember how you would mix flour, water, salt and pepper and make me eat it???"
"Ummmm no." I whisper quietly. Another cousin has left the group. Dammit!!
"Oh yeah!!!" my one cousin suddenly speaks up, "Mishi! I remember coming to your house and there was a big sign on your door that read "NO ONE ALLOWED IN MY ROOM.......ESPECIALLY LODZ!! And Lodz was under-lined like 5 times!! That was so funny!!"
All my cousins burst out laughing.
"Wow Lodz. You must have been really mean?!" another cousin pipes up.
"No. I think I was just misunderstoo......"
"And Mish! Remember how Lodz used to make you dress up in your Dad's clothes???" my cousins have all turned towards my sister now.
What the hell happened??? They used to love ME the most!
"Oh yeah totally!! And I remember the day I finally stood up to her! She tried to get me to do something for her......like she always did.....and I finally realized that I became her assistant! And I stood my ground and said NO!!"
"Haha! Good for you Mishi!" my cousins have now all circled my little sister like she's the Queen Bee or something. And I realize that I'm no longer in the circle......like in "Meet the Fockers". I was no longer in the "circle of trust".
Pfftt. Whatever. I don't need this.
I see my Mom over at the table with some ladies. I'll go and join them.....
"Hi Lodz! Come! Ve are just talking about meno-pose!"
Urgh!!!! Why isn't there a group for me in this family?? Why is nobody my age???
Suddenly I look over and see my Aunt looking at her gifts. I walk over to her and sit down.
"Oh hi Lodz. Tank you fery mooch for coming today. You are good gerl. You smile so much. You make me so happy".
I give my Aunt a huge hug.
"I love you too. You're the best Aunt ever".
And with that, I realize that there is someone in this family who loves me no matter what. I'm so happy right now.
"But....." she continues, "stop bleeeeching your hair. You look like a clown".
sigh.
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