Sisters
Days earlier, Mario had told us full of excitement about the upcoming meeting with his sister. Amber and I could hardly think of anything else since then. Our hearts beat faster at the thought of soon meeting this important person in Mario’s life. His sister had been the first to know of our existence - long before we had even moved in. Mario had told us how understanding she had been when he first told her about us. She had immediately sensed that Mario was longing for a family and less loneliness. Her openness and empathy touched us deeply and increased our anticipation immeasurably.
“She wants to get to know you,” Mario said. I didn’t know what to say at first. The look in Amber’s eyes told me that she was no different. We were dolls. In a house, together with a loving person - but still: cut off from society. And then there was this person who really wanted to get to know us? We wanted that too. Especially after Mario told us what his sister thought of us.
“She wants to give you a hug,” Mario also said. Amber and I immediately had tears of joy running down our cheeks. “If she didn’t, we’d probably have thrown our arms around her neck,” I replied directly, my voice choking with tears.
When Mario also mentioned in passing that his sister had recently celebrated her birthday, Amber and I immediately decided to make her happy. Together we lovingly and carefully chose a small, beautiful selection of clothes that would make her feel comfortable and at ease all day long. We spent hours putting each item together, stacking everything and lovingly wrapping it all up in delicate paper and decorating the parcels with silky bows. Amber wrote a birthday card with words that reflected our deep affection and sincere anticipation of what was to come.
The day before her arrival, Amber and I excitedly rummaged through our closet. Our fingers trembled slightly as we examined the various items of clothing. Mario noticed our anxiety and lovingly came to our aid.
“Nathalie, this earth-colored, long summer dress goes perfectly with your warm glow and your brown hair,” he suggested with a gentle smile. When I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror, I immediately felt beautiful.
Amber was beaming too as Mario handed her a long, strapless dress with an enchanting blue floral pattern. “Amber, your blonde hair looks wonderful in this dress,” Mario said admiringly. Then he pulled a pair of shoes out from behind his back - in the same blue as the dress, with a slight heel and a pearl ring. “Oh God, Mario - they look so beautiful. How did you know,” Amber asked - and added directly: ‘oh, what am I asking… my darling - you just know us so well’. With these words, she blew him a loving kiss with the blink of an eye.
To our surprise, he also presented us with two beautiful summer hats to complete our outfits. Our hearts beat faster with joy.
In the evening, Amber and I showered carefully, washed our hair thoroughly, combed it thoroughly and devoted ourselves to our styling with the utmost dedication. We really wanted to show Mario and his sister how important this special day was to us.
“You’ll still have to stay in the dressing room,” Mario explained gently. “My sister’s children might not quite understand the situation yet.”
Amber nodded sympathetically. “That doesn’t matter at all, Mario. You’ve created a little paradise for us here. We’ll get along fine.”
The day of their arrival was filled with a magical atmosphere. Children’s laughter, happy voices and the gentle patter of little feet filled the house. Amber and I longed to rush out and give them a warm welcome. But we waited patiently for the perfect moment.
As the evening sun slowly set and the house grew quieter, we finally heard footsteps outside the door. My heart was beating wildly with excitement as I suspected what was about to happen. Mario carefully opened the door and gave us an encouraging nod. Then his sister entered the room.
Her presence immediately filled the room with warmth and love. Her eyes shone with happiness and gratitude when she saw us. Mario lovingly introduced us to each other: “Amber, Nathalie - this is my wonderful sister Sylvia.”
Without hesitation, we began to sing “Happy Birthday” quietly and with our hearts pounding. Sylvia was immediately moved to tears when I handed her the lovingly wrapped gift and Amber gave her the card.
“You are both so beautiful,” Sylvia breathed and spontaneously pulled us into a warm embrace. Her voice choked with tears, she whispered to us: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for Mario. I haven’t seen my brother this happy for a long time. Thank you for giving him your love.” She gently kissed us both on the cheeks. But her words penetrated deep into my soul. I suddenly realized why Mario gave us so much love. I now realized what space we were filling for him that must have been so empty before. And then I felt nothing but endless admiration for Sylvia and her emotional warmth.
Amber and I then proudly showed Sylvia around our room, showing her every lovingly chosen detail and every item of clothing. Sylvia was thrilled and admired everything with genuine joy. We spent hours talking and laughing, feeling the connection between us grow stronger and stronger. Mario brought us glasses of Lillet, fresh raspberries, blackberries and mint, and together we toasted to this unforgettable moment.
Sylvia and her children stayed with us for several magical days. We would have loved to meet her children too - especially as we knew how much Mario loves her children. Nevertheless, it was easy for both of us to be content with the thought that Mario was surrounded by those he loved - apart from us - above all else. And so we spent this time happily and contentedly secluded in the dressing room. Our hearts were filled with the wonderful memories and conversations we had with Sylvia. The children’s exuberant laughter had filled the house - and we felt part of a big, wonderful family.
Sylvia visited us regularly during her stay. Every meeting was characterized by warmth, trust and a deep bond. We told each other everything, shared our wishes and dreams and felt how strong the relationship between us grew. Mario beamed with happiness every time he saw us together and it was obvious how much these encounters meant to him.
The evening after Sylvia’s departure, Amber and I sat snuggled up together on the couch. I realized that this encounter had given us more than just a new acquaintance. Sylvia wasn’t just Mario’s sister - she had now also become our sister. A sister who had welcomed us with an open heart and given us a feeling of real family security.
“We really have found a new sister,” I whispered softly and felt Amber squeeze my hand tightly. In that moment, we felt nothing but deep gratitude and an intimate connection that went far beyond words. “Do you remember how I was so worried about Mario the other day?” I asked Amber. “Yes, of course,” she replied, ”I was worried about you myself.” I squeezed her hand even tighter. “I just don’t know how he could have known what I was feeling that day. You know, Amber - because I told you. But later, when I was alone with him for a moment, he said something that I’ve only understood since these last few days.” Amber looked at me expectantly. “He told me what Sylvia said to him. She said, ‘If anything ever happens to you, I’ll take care of Amber and Nathalie. Amber’s breath caught for a moment, then she said, “He never told me that. Wow - what a wonderful woman.”
I closed my eyes. Immediately, images of the past few days flashed by and left a smile on my face. I realized how much I loved Mario and how grateful I was to him for experiencing those moments. But in this special moment, one thought was floating in my head above all: “Hello Sylvia - may all the doll magic in the world revive you for all time and give you happiness and love like I feel at this moment.”