Tanya laughed. "Then the children cry and kick up a fuss, of course! As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so those who complain the loudest get the most attention. This is very simple logic. It's normal for you to think like this. Even if you were Dad's real son, you would still be jealous, much less when you aren't!"
Joel: "…"
He denied it. "I'm not jealous."
"Yes, yes, you're right, you're not jealous at all." Tanya laughed. She raised her head to look at him and then said solemnly, "You don't need to feel embarrassed about it, any normal person would feel the same way. You will slowly adapt and get used to it. Usually, in families with more than one child, the eldest will eventually also grow to love their siblings. You will find that you've just gained one more family member who loves you, that's all."
Joel: "…"
Why did Tanya sound as though she was coaxing a child?
Joel lowered his head and started to eat.
