Baby Sister
"Mama, are you sure she has to be a girl? We already have Abby and Mae. I want a brother."
Mrs. Charles Tucker Jr. – Mandy to her husband and friends and Mama to her two daughters and son – smiled. "That's just the way babies come, Trip. You don't get to choose."
"Why not?" he said with a determined frown. "Tommy Douglas has two brothers. They get to do all sorts of things together. Their daddy even built them a tree house."
Sitting down on the wicker couch on the lanai, Trip's mother patted the spot next to her. Trip sat down beside her and leaned into her as she rubbed his back. "I'm sure Elizabeth will do things with you. You'll be closer in age to her than you are to Abby and Mae.
Trip was four and a half. Abby and Mae were ten and nine and played together and were usually not interested in playing with Trip unless he was willing to play house with them…always as the baby. Trip used to not mind that but recently, it hadn't been fun. He was a big boy now and playing a baby just didn't seem right. "But she'll be a girl."
"Yes. When I was little I played with my big brother. I'm sure that Elizabeth will want to play with you, too, when she's old enough." She gave him a kiss on top of his head. "You know…being a big brother is an important job." His mother put a hand on her large belly as the shape of a foot appeared through her shirt. "She's active today. She could decide to be born any day now."
Trip put his hand on the part of his mother's stomach where his soon to be little sister was kicking. His Mama had let him do it before saying that the sooner they got to know each other the better it would be. "Doesn't she hurt you when she kicks like that, Mama? I know it hurts when I get kicked and that's on the outside."
"No, honey. It doesn't hurt. You used to do the same thing before you were born. Your father said you were a feisty little guy."
"So Elizabeth is feisty?" His blond head tilted slightly at the question.
"Yes. I suppose she is," his mother agreed. She looked over to her son and wondered if some of these questions were coming out because he was soon not to be the youngest in the family anymore. "Why don't we go and get some ice cream."
His face lit up with a bright smile. "Pecan?"
"Sure."
Trip jumped up and waited as his mother got up as well. It took her longer to do so now than it used to. The two then walked slowly the two blocks to the old fashioned ice cream store. Mr. Carlisle behind the counter gave him an extra large scoop on his sugar cone. His mother got a cup of chocolate and the two went out to a table to eat them.
Trip worked his tongue around his treat, eventually taming it to be more manageable. Once that was accomplished, he stopped for a moment, his face taking on a serious expression. "Mama?"
"Yes, Trip."
"I think it's ok that Elizabeth isn't a boy."
She smiled at her young son so sure of his recent pronouncement. "I'm glad. Why did you decide that?" she added, curious.
"Well, I already know a lot about sisters. It'll be easier."
His mother reached over to tousle his sandy hair slightly. "I think that's a nice way to look at it, Trip."
He smiled back at her. "I love you, Mama."
"I love you too, Trip."
Trip went back to finishing his ice cream cone, the slight interlude allowing the ice cream to melt. It was then that his mother knew Trip would weather this change well.
