I was never really a person to them but was instead like the hidden plumbing beneath the floorboards that is expected to work without complaint. I was only noticed when someone wanted something and I failed to provide it, while Tiffany was always treated like a precious chandelier.
My sister was three years older than me and was born with a talent for making her own needs look like matters of extreme importance. As a child, she could turn a bad grade or a broken curfew into a dramatic story about how nobody truly understood her.
My parents called her spirited while other relatives called her a handful in that affectionate way people use for kids who take up all the oxygen in a room. I learned very early on that being an easy child was a valuable trait because it cost my parents less attention and effort.
I did my homework without being asked and figured out how to fix the electronics in the house before I was old enough to drive a car. I was the one who remembered birthdays and carried heavy boxes while staying sober enough at parties to drive everyone else home safely.