Additional Armstrong
Sue Ellen was happy as she skipped towards home. She'd had an awesome day at school, and she knew that going home would probably make her more happy. Her father was supposed to be back in town after a long business trip, and by the way her mother was talking, they were going to dinner that night so they could give Sue Ellen an announcement. She didn't know what it would be, but she was looking forward to figuring it out.
After getting dressed for the fancy restaurant, Sue Ellen joined her parents in the family car. They drove to a nice restaurant in downtown Elwood City, and after getting settled into their meal, it was finally time to make the announcement. Sue Ellen's mother turned to her with a smile on her face, her skin glowing in the candlelight. Sue Ellen glanced at her father, and though he was just as happy, this was something her mother was happier about.
"Sue Ellen, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while, but your father's overseas business kept me quiet. I wanted to tell you when we were together as a family, and now is finally the time," she said, pausing to collect herself. With a wide smile, she finally made the announcement, "Sue Ellen, I'm going to have another baby."
Sue Ellen was stunned. She'd been an only child for so long, so hearing there would be another child in the family was a bit of a shock. Should she be happy? Sad? Angry? Glad? Sue Ellen had no idea what to feel, so she took another sip of her drink to think about it.
Her father laughed, "I thought she'd be stunned, dear. It's okay if you need time to think about it. You'll have a few months to get used to the idea before the baby comes. Just like with you, we're going to wait to know if it's a boy or a girl, but no matter what, we'll love them. We know it'll be a transition for you, but we expect the same."
"I'll love them, it's just...it's weird," Sue Ellen responded. "I didn't think you'd have another kid, but I'm okay with it, I guess. I'll just have to get used to it. Oh, can I tell my friends? Most of them have siblings, so they'll be able to help me know what to do."
"Sure, you can tell whoever you want. We're going to have a dinner party in a week to tell our friends and coworkers. You should invite your friends' parents if you'd like," Sue Ellen's mother suggested. Sue Ellen didn't like that idea, but she'd definitely tell her friends.
The next morning, she met up with Arthur, Buster, Muffy, and Francine outside of Lakewood Elementary. When she told them the news, she got mixed reactions. Francine and Buster were happy, but Arthur and Muffy were only an obligatory happy, the kind of happy you show for good news that you're not really happy about. Sue Ellen was curious to know why her friends felt this way.
Buster eagerly went first, "I've always wanted an older brother or something, but it wasn't in the cards. Having a sibling would be pretty fun. I mean yeah, I might not get to spend as much time with my mom if I had a sibling, but they'd still be fun to have around."
Muffy grimaced with disgust, "Just no," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, I'm just not a fan of having to beg for attention like some kind of lap dog. Daddy already has a hard enough time paying attention to me when he's busy, and your father is an ambassador! How will he ever make time for two children? And if they don't want to know the gender, they might not know how many kids they're having either. You could get stuck with twins!"
"And what would be so wrong with that?" Francine asked. "I kind of like having a sister. I mean yeah, we fight a lot, but that's because we share a room. You wouldn't have to share a room in that nice house of yours, and your parents would adjust to having more kids. My dad makes sure he spends an even amount of time with both of us because he's away more, and Mom does the same thing."
"But more kids isn't always fun. You think it's fun because she'd be the oldest. I am the oldest and it's awful," Arthur said firmly. "It's not really in your control, but be wary of little sisters."
"Hey!" Francine spat.
"And little brothers too," Arthur added. "You've met the Tibble Twins. Even if they had siblings, they probably ran away in fear."
"Siblings don't do that," Buster said, shaking his head. "You'll always have a bond with them, especially when you're older. Once they get out of diapers and start doing things with you, they're more fun. Arthur might disagree because he got stuck with DW, but I don't mind her. You just have to set boundaries."
"Well life is just easier as an only child, and you of all people should know that, Buster Baxter," Muffy spat. "You'll get less things, and if money gets tight, you won't be able to do the things you do now. Money is everything, and kids make their parents spend it all. Think about that," Muffy nodded as the bell rang.
Sue Ellen wondered if telling her friends really was the best idea. She'd gotten mixed reactions from them, but they all made valid points. Her parents would have to balance their time between Sue Ellen and her little brother or sister, and if they have twins, that's three kids to divide their time between. The best response was actually from Arthur: None of this was in her control. No matter what happened, Sue Ellen would have to accept her fate. She just hoped it would be a positive experience.
Sue Ellen peered through the glass, eyeing the new babies carefully. Some had pink caps and others blue, but because their identification cards were so far away, she had no idea which baby was her new brother or sister. Her father was nearby in a washroom preparing to enter the room to see them for the first time, leaving her alone in the hallway.
After a few moments, her father entered the baby room with a nurse at his side. He was wearing a smock, complete with a hairnet and blue booties over his shoes. He wasn't wearing gloves, but the nurse was as she moved to a special-looking bin. Sue Ellen couldn't see the baby inside, but she could see the machines next to the bin and the wires headed inside. Was that her little sibling?
Her father carefully pulled a little baby out of the bin. They were attached the several machines. Sue Ellen's chest tightened as she watched with a pale face. This was her new sibling, and judging by the machines, something was wrong with them. Because of the wires, they couldn't even wear a hat, just a tiny white diaper, which was also hard to see because of the wires.
Sue Ellen took a seat on a bench, unable to watch much longer. After fifteen minutes, her father emerged in his street clothes, a sympathetic smile on his face. He sat next to Sue Ellen with a heavy sigh.
"Things didn't go as expected," he whispered. "You have a baby brother, but he's going to have health problems. He was without oxygen for a while, so they think he'll require...special needs as he grows older. The pediatrician said he might not even walk, but that's okay. We'll love him no matter what he has and no matter what anyone tells us."
Sue Ellen was stunned. She didn't know anyone with a disabled younger sibling. In fact, everyone's siblings that she met seemed just as intelligent if not smarter than the sibling she knew. Mei-Lin was a good example. She was just a baby, but she already knew sign language and babbled in both English and Chinese. Sue Ellen wondered if her baby brother would be able to talk at all in the end.
With the upsetting first visit over, Sue Ellen and her father returned to her mother's room. She'd be taken to meet the baby later, but now she was resting soundly. Sue Ellen sat by the window, looking out over Elwood City with a grim expression. She had no idea what her future would bring, but she was eager to get to know her little brother, special needs or not.
It was a week after Matthew Fredrick's birth, but so far, he hadn't come home. Sue Ellen hadn't told her friends yet, but as they asked about his first nights at home, they figured it out. He still wasn't home, and in today's society of next-day homecomings, they knew something was wrong. Sue Ellen hung her head and told them the news. He wasn't even eating on his own, and breathing was monitored in case he stopped.
Muffy was horrified, "You mean, he could...I mean he could..."
"Yes, he's at the hospital so they can keep him alive," Sue Ellen murmured. "They said he lost oxygen when he was born. They keep saying he'll be special needs, but my parents and I love him. Mom stays at the hospital day and night waiting on him to come home."
"Wow, I never expected that," Buster whispered. "There's nothing wrong with him being special needs. That makes him more interesting to me," he smiled.
"That's how I look at it too," Sue Ellen agreed. Francine nodded, "I like thinking of it that way too, but it's kind of scary."
"Yeah, I'd hate to know if DW or Kate was that sick. You must be worried," Arthur said. Sue Ellen nodded, looking to Muffy as she wiped away a tear. Though she didn't seem to like the idea when Sue Ellen first told her she was going to be a big sister, hearing that the baby was having problems really got to her. Sue Ellen smiled to her, trying to encourage all of her friends. Deep down, she was glad to see them so upset. She'd keep them updated, and all of them sent best wishes to little Matthew.
After a month in the hospital, Matthew was finally sent home. A feeding tube still winded across his tiny face, but other than his difficulties eating, the doctors assured the Armstrong family that their new addition was growing up properly. They were relieved, but they knew the next year would be crucial in his development. They played music, made the house more colorful, and played with him to help his motor movements, all in an attempt to stimulate his brain to make his development easier.
Though he would always be smaller than the other kids, and though it would take him a little longer to do the things other kids did, Matthew was perfect. He had a slight stutter on more complicated words, and Sue Ellen noticed his nervous tick was to hum without realizing it. He was short and couldn't run very fast, but he was intelligent. Like Mei-Lin, he learned sign language and tidbits from numerous other foreign dialects. His size and slight health problems did nothing to stop him.
The family and the community adjusted to its new addition, and soon Matthew was just a normal citizen in the Elwood City community—a well-loved, well-appreciated member of society.
~End
Theme 7: New Sibling
Theme 123: Having Kids
Theme from my Arthur Infinite Theme List Challenge. For more information, see my profile. For the list of themes, see my deviantArt account, SS-Chrys.