I have a strange relationship with my half sister. Or so both my fiancΓ© and my maid say, and I don't disagree with them.
I'm the elder, and the free one, while she is my slave, and a good two weeks younger. And yet, I'm the one who helps her out on a daily basis when I'm around. It also wasn't what was immediately on my mind as I stood in my bathroom at my parent's house, helping my sister get ready. I had already helped her do her chestnut brown hair into a cute braid, and finished her makeup, doing everything to match my own with some modifications since we looked nearly identical (aside from a three inch difference in height, and my naturally black hair.)
"You know you're going to have to figure out a way to dress yourself eventually." I said to her, as I fastened the back of the very sheer green and white cupless babydoll I'd given her for the occasion, because it matched her eyes, and worked with our olive skin. "Honestly, if you just asked for adaptive clothing we'd happily get it for you."
"I don't like them." Grace said, from her seat on the vanity stool. "Everything that we've tried just screams that I'm disabled, and magnetic snaps are hell on the washing machine and dryer, while not being that much easier to put on with my hands."
"I could get things specifically tailored for you," I whispered into her ear, as I leaned over to wrap my arms around her shoulders, "not just your uniforms, but casual clothing and things that Jimmy would love."
She blushed and turned away from me. "Yes," she replied, as she put a hand on my arm, "but then I'd lose these little moments with you, and with Jimmy, and I don't want to give them up."
"Grace," I said, as I leaned in and held her closely, "I don't want to make you give them up either, but I want you to be able to take care of yourself and our children if need be."
"'Our children' sounds weird coming from you," Grace said, as I stood up, "especially since you usually act so irresponsibly. Don't tell me you're starting to grow up. You're twenty. You're way too young for that."
"Maybe I am." I said, "Not by too much, but I do want to be better with my niece than mom was with Patience, and with you."
"How?" Grace said, as she slowly stood up, "Mistress was always nice to me."
"She was always cold to Patience," I replied, "And she never really put too much effort in to helping you, or stopping me from 'trying to help you' after you woke up."
Grace hugged me, and then spoke. "She never told you, did she?" Grace said, "She actually visited me every day while I was in the hospital, and spent her breaks in my room. Admittedly, she ran a lot of tests on me then, but she also read to me a lot. As for you, I can't hate you for what you did."
"Do you hate me now?" I replied. "I mean I am forcing you to have a child."
I felt her blush. "The only part of this I hate is that I have to do this so early." She said, "It doesn't feel like it's a birthday present when you get it months in advance."
"I know, but this is the only time I could make it work." I said, "I did want to be here for this."
Our moment was interrupted by Jimmy knocking at my bedroom door. Grace broke off the hug, and stayed in the bathroom, admiring her new look, while I went to let Jimmy in.
He'd cleaned himself up more than usual (which I was surprised was even possible,) going so far as to have waxed to prevent any stubble from showing up on his alabaster cheeks, even if he was still wearing his normal maid's uniform. Admittedly he was doing so without stockings or shoes, and with his red hair only held in place by a number of black barrettes, instead of the usual headdress.
After he closed the door, Grace came out, and the two looked each other over. Jimmy looked speechless, while Grace ended up walking right over to him, and giving him a kiss.