October 1955
The house was silent when five-year-old Angela Robinson opened her bedroom door and padded in bare feet out to the kitchen. Her Cinderella alarm clock had read eight-twenty when she'd woken up, and she didn't understand why no one had gotten her up for school. She had just started kindergarten, and she didn't want her teacher to be mad at her for being late.

But when she looked in the kitchen, it was empty. She walked back to her parents' bedroom, but there was no one there either. Angela noticed, however, that the bed was all rumpled and there were clothes scattered around the room, which was unusual.

The little girl began to get worried as she made her way back to the living room. Only then did she notice the sleeping woman in her father's favorite chair. Angela immediately recognized the woman as Mrs. Murphy, who lived across the street.

Before Angela could wake her up, the front door opened, and Robert quietly walked in. He looked tired, and his clothes were wrinkled, but there was the unmistakable gleam of excitement in his eyes. Angela forgot all about Mrs. Murphy and flew over to her father.

"Daddy!" she squealed as she bounded into his arms.

"Hey, there's my girl."

"Daddy, where's Mommy?"

The squeal had woken up Mrs. Murphy, who was looking around a bit confused, trying to sort out what she'd missed. "Oh, I guess I dozed off. Robert, I didn't expect you for a few hours yet. What's the news?"

"What news?" Angela asked, still in her father's arms.

"Well, sweetie, remember how mommy was carrying a baby in her belly for the past few months?"

Angela nodded, then slowly began to understand. "Did it come out? Did the baby come out, Daddy?"

"Yes, honey, the baby come out, and I had to take Mommy to the hospital last night while you were sleeping. So how would you like to get dressed and come meet your new little brother?"

"It's a boy? I have a brother?" Angela's eyes were as big as saucers.

"Robert, how's Mona?" Mrs. Murphy asked.

"She's great, Clara. The doctor said the delivery couldn't have been easier, and there were none of the complications that she had with Angela."

"That's wonderful to hear. And the baby?"

"A healthy boy, seven pounds, two ounces, with bright red hair. He's beautiful. We're naming him Andrew."

"Congratulations, and please, if there's anything, anything you need, just let me know." Clara and her husband Dave had lived next to the Robinsons for the past three years, and the two couples had become fast friends.

"I'd say waking you up a one in the morning to come over here was asking enough."

"Oh, nonsense. I'll be over later with a casserole. But I better get home to see how Dave did getting the boys off to school. They're probably wearing pajama bottoms with their Boy Scout shirts and baseball cleats."

Robert laughed as he saw the neighbor out. Then he turned back to Angela and said, "So kiddo, let's get you into some clothes and go visit Mommy and Little Andrew."

"Okay, Daddy. Can I hold him?"

"Oh, I'm sure you can. After all, you are his big sister."