Two
It doesn’t take that long to figure out Sandy’s not normal. The doctor says Autistic like it’s cancer or a curse, and Mom and Dad act like it too.
Tony doesn’t really get what the problem is. She’s just particular about things, and Tony is pretty particular too. Their parents don’t seem to get that though, so while Mom and Dad take her to doctors that try to fix something that isn’t broken, Tony learns that Sandy hates wearing things that are tight against her skin. That she gets anxious if too many people are talking at the same time. That she doesn’t do hugs but likes holding hands. That she only eats PB&J’s if the jelly is purple.
Tony gives Sandy his old shirts when Mom keeps buying her too-tight clothes.
Tony finds ways to sneak them out of social gatherings until she’s breathing right.
Tony holds Sandy’s hands whenever she’s sad or scared or upset.
Tony buys purple food dye, because he hates grape jelly but loves his sister.
And sure, Sandy is weird and annoying, but Tony thinks normal people are boring and that everyone’s annoying. At least Sandy is also adorable and hilarious and, most importantly, his little sister. He can put up with a lot of weird and annoying for someone who’s his.
(And sure, Sandy really worries him sometimes. She’ll stare into space or draw the same thing over and over or hold one end of a conversation like she’s the creepy kid in a horror movie. She has nightmares and screams for hours about things no one can convince her aren’t real.
But she’ll also look up when he asks her, “Whatcha doing, Smalls?”
And she’ll smile and say something like, “Dreaming.”
Really, what else can Tony do in the face of something that cute besides ruffle her hair and say, “Have fun with that, Sandman.”)