"Hey, big brother, can we watch this movie instead?"
"Your mom already got the tickets for this one. It'd be a waste not to use them. Besides, aren't you a bit old for animated movies?"
"Yeah, but this one looks more interesting. Even Dana would love it." She glanced at her little sister, who remained silent.
"Dana, don't be shy. He's our brother now; he won't do anything to you. Tell him you want to see this movie too." Dana just hid behind her sister, avoiding my gaze.
"Nana, it's not possible, even if I wanted to. Remember, your mom could only get tickets for this show? The others must be sold out. So, we're stuck with this one."
Nana pouted, clearly unhappy.
I hadn't expected her to be so expressive. My initial impression was that she was just as shy as her little sister, but it seemed she was becoming more comfortable around me. Dana, on the other hand, hadn't spoken a word to me since I met her a week ago.
Just a week ago, I had no idea who these girls were, and now they were calling me their big brother. It all started when my dad introduced me to his soon-to-be wife and her daughters over dinner.
My father was about to marry again, and he couldn't stop reminding me of the upcoming family meeting he had meticulously planned. As the date approached, he grew increasingly restless, and on the day itself, he was visibly nervous.
I didn't understand why he was so anxious. It was unlike him. He was always well-prepared, and I was sure he had planned every detail of the event.
"Aren't you excited?" he asked me as we waited at the dining table.
Was I excited? If I looked at myself, I wouldn't have seen excitement, but it wasn't nothing either. It was a faint feeling, but it was there. As I sat in the dimly lit restaurant, being served water by one of the waiters, I asked myself what I truly felt about the situation. I was about to experience something new and, perhaps, learn and grow from it. I wanted to see how today's events would change my life. I wanted to know what my new family was like. I wanted to talk to them and learn more about them. Was I excited? No, but it certainly mattered to me.
"I am interested," I replied as I sipped the cold water that was served to me.