I stared out of the window into the grey January drizzle. They would be home soon. My parents and my brand new baby brother. I was uncharacteristicly excited. I cleared the misting of the window for a better view and gazed down the long driveway wishing I could see further through the fog.
I had been waiting for this moment for what seemed like years, since mother had first announced she was pregnant. I had helped decorate his room and gone on shopping trips to buy his things. In truth these had both been hideously boring but hadn't tampered my excitement.
My grandmother had displayed serious concern about the age difference, seven years in fact, finding the bad side of every situation as she tended to do. But I couldn't care less I was glad to simply have a sibling no matter their age.
That's when I saw the car pull into the drive. I ran to open the door, my aunt who had been 'babysitting' me followed smiling. My parents entered carrying the baby and instantly fell about chatting to my aunt and utterly ignoring me. It was times like this when I wished I was taller as I could only catch the smallest glimpses of my brother.
It wasn't until much later that I was finally able to see my brother. William as my parents had named him. My father indicated that I be quiet and ushered me into the darkened room. He lay in his cot fast asleep, tiny with a mass of dark curly hair, small, helpless and completely boring.
I had been so caught up in my excitement that I had forgotten simple facts. William most likely wouldn't be able to walk or talk for several months if not a year. And I realized that when he did the chances of him being special like me were very low.
I turned back to the baby bitterly feeling disappointed. That was when hen he opened his eyes. They were were very blue as all baby's are but also strangely big, he blinked and then to my surprise he smiled at me. I couldn't help smiling back and in that moment all my negativity was forgotten. Maybe I had judged my little brother far to quickly. Maybe he wouldn't be so bad after all.