As our van approached the diner, mom reminded everyone that we needed to keep to our cover stories. Brad and Lucas had talked the entire time we drove to the diner. Lucas had never cared for Brad when he was 4, but now that he was 17 he was suddenly the most interesting person. Lucas seemed to be trying to get Brad to try out for sports.
I was the sibling who was into video games and anime, so Lucas had written me off as a nerd and ignored me most of the time. However, seeing him be interested in the brother that was replacing me made me feel jealous. I know that Brad wasn't replacing me since he was already apart of the family, but it felt that way since he was close to my old age.
Meanwhile, Mariah wanted to bond with me over being girls, but I wasn't feeling it. Instead I responded with one word answers, and sulked. I continued to sulk in silence until we were inside the diner.
When the waitress ame by she asked, "What would you like?"
"Good question." Brad told her. "I have amnesia so I don't remember."
The waitress seemed confused, probably unsure of he was series or of this was a joke. Mom decided to take over. "He really does." She quickly made suggestions for him since Brad currently couldn't read the menu. While his comprehensive skills raised, he still didn't have all the learned abilities like reading yet. I figured it wouldn't take him long to learn because his speech improved tremendously as he spoke with Lucas.
As the waitress wrote down the order, she couldn't help but say, "Amnesia? I'm so sorry that happened to you honey."
For some reason, I felt the need to add to the cover story. "He got out of the hospital today. We're celebrating." The waitress gave me a smile.
"That's great sweety. I know something like that can be scary." She looked at both myself and Brad. "You two are so brave."
Brad shrugged. "Its not so bad. I remember the important stuff." He then looked confused. "I don't remember having a little sister though. Who are you again?"
I made a face at him and he stuck his tongue out at me. "Well, at keast your in high spirits."
She took the rest of the orders, but I couldn't help notice how she talked to me. That soothing, condensing tone people took with kids always entered her voice when she turned towards me. It was so annoying. Eleven was almost a teenager dammit! It wasn't like I was toddler like Brad.
She kept giving special attention to Brad and I. Brad's "condition" caused him to have trouble using a knife and fork, butnwith some practice he began to improve. Mom tried to help him at first, but he insisted. She occasionally made comments about us being a lovely family, and commenting on my 'Daddy's Girl' shirt, telling dad he must be so happy.
Lucas for his part, kept making comments. It seemed that his old nickname for Brad, which was gremlin, had been passed down to me. While some siblings may give nicknames like that in an endearing way, but I knew Lucas enough to know he was just rude.
I don't know why he was annoyed by kids, but whatever age tolerance threshold he had, I was now below it. Despite Lucas being a butt, I felt better after eating.
Mariah picked up on my shoft in mood. "Well, seems like someone isn't hangry, anymore."
"Hangry?" I asked.
"Hungry and angry." Ahe leaned down and whispered. "They say a way to a guys heart is through his stomach, but the reason why it's a good idea to take a girl out to eat for a date is that we are in a better mood after eating. At least that's how it is with me, some girls probably feel different." Mariah smiled. "I'm glad my sister seems to share that trait."
Maybe it was the food, or maybe it was because one of my songs was trying to bond with the new me, but that was the first time being called a sister didn't annoy me. The waitress did give us free desert to celebrate Brad's "recovery."
I did have to endure one last bit of embarrassment before leaving. Mariah insisted I was too young to go to a public restroom without someone, as if this experience wasn't going to he humiliating enough. She also had to stop me as I almost walked into the boy's restroom.
I won't bore you with the details, let's just saying it's less convenient using the facilities as a girl. With full stomachs, we went on our way to the new neighborhood. Apparently, the lab arranged for everyone to be moved during the swap, since they didn't want to risk our neighbors seeing the family with two different kids for any amount of time.