Family Bonds
by Terrie (striket@stu.beloit.edu)
Author's note: According to the sources I've looked at, Kimiko translates as something along the lines of exceptional, heavenly, or righteous child.
Ken looked down at the occupant of the crib. "Kimiko, huh?"
His father nodded. "We thought she could use a leg up on her brother. And she is a special kid."
"Yeah."
Father and son watched the infant for a bit longer. "I'm going to go check on your mother. Will you be all right here, Ken?"
"Uh-huh." Ken didn't turn away from the crib as his father left the room. He smiled at his baby sister. "Hey, Kimiko, I'm your brother, Ken."
The tiny infant blinked up at him, screwed up her face and began to cry. Ken cringed and glanced towards the door, waiting for one of his parents to come and do something. This was definitely not the way he'd wanted to start his career as a big brother. When neither of his parents came running, he edged closer to the crib. He was a genius; he could figure this out. Now, why did babies cry. Because they were hungry. Well, he wasn't equipped for that. What else? Because they needed their diaper changed. He carefully picked her up, cradling her head the way his parents had shown him. He sniffed. No, that wasn't it. Kimiko started to cry even louder. Ken looked at the door, waiting for his parents to come save him.
His dad came to door. Ken held the baby out towards him. "Take it!"
"I have a better idea." He led him over to the rocking chair in the nursery's corner and sat him down, with Kimiko in his lap. He held out a bottle. "Why don't you feed her?"
Ken took the bottle from his hands and stared at it. "I don't know. Don't babies throw up after you feed them?"
"Sometimes. If that part bothers you, your mom or I will handle it."
Ken brought the nipple of the bottle down to Kimiko's mouth. She latched onto it and began to suck away greedily. "She's hungry."
"Well, most babies are. They have a lot of growing to do."
Kimiko finished the bottle. She looked up him and yawned. Ken handed her over to his father. "Dad, do you think I'll be a good big brother?"
His father looked at him, startled. "Of course you will. You can do anything you put your mind to."
Ken leaned on the crib railing, studying his little sister. "I suppose."
"Ken... I know things weren't the best after Sam died. Your mother and I put way too much pressure on you. But things have gotten so much better since... since you came back. We're going to be a family. A great one. I know it.
"I tell you what. In a few days, when your mom's up to tackling motherhood on her own, we'll spend the day together, just you and me. We'll go shopping and put together a big brother kit."
"What's a big brother kit?"
His father laughed. "I'm not sure. We'll make it up as we go along. You'll need a lock on your door. Your mother and I may respect your privacy, but I can promise you, in a few years, it'll be the only thing keeping her out of your stuff."
"Can we get one of those custom tee-shirts to read 'World's Best Big Brother'? Because that's what I want to be."
"Anything you want."
"Can we.." Ken glanced over at the crib again. "Can we get something for Kimiko?"
"Why for her?"
"Well, I wouldn't be a big brother without her."
"Sure. Should we get something for me and your mom? You wouldn't have a little sister without us."
"Daaad!" Ken blushed. "I'm too young to hear things like that."
The End