A Sister for Marcy

         Marcy wanted just one thing:  a sister.  When she was born her parents already had two sons.  On her second birthday, her mother gave birth to their fourth child, also a son.  Marcy’s older brothers tormented her day and night, taking her dolls, cutting their hair, and taking them apart to find out how they talked when their string was pulled.  They didn’t like the imaginary cakes she baked, or the pretend lemonade she served in the summer. 

         “Tea parties are for sissies,” they’d shout , overturning her table and punching her teddy bears until their noses were flattened.  Marcy soon gave up dolls and joined her brothers in the yard playing rough-and-tumble games, sporting bruised arms, scraped knees, sprained wrists, broken arms, and filthy fingernails.

         On Marcy’s fifth birthday her parents made an announcement:  “We’re going to have a baby!”  Marcy knew what to wish for:  a sister.

         As the months past, Marcy grew more excited.  “Mommy, is it time for the baby to come yet?” she’d ask.

         “No, not yet,” Mommy would say.

         One afternoon Marcy waited at the school for Mommy to walk her home, but Mommy didn’t come;  Grandma did.  “Let’s go see Mommy,” Grandma said, taking Marcy’s hand and walking her to the car.

         Grandma drove into the city.  Marcy liked looking at all of the tall buildings with lots of windows and tried to imagine what went on behind those windows.  Grandma parked in a big parking lot with lots of other cars in front of one of the buildings. 

         Inside, they took the elevator to the tenth floor.  Daddy was waiting when the doors opened.  “There you are!” he said.  “Let’s go see Mommy.

         Daddy took Marcy’s hand and led her down the hallway.  The wallpaper had little pink flowers all over; it reminded Marcy of Mommy’s summer nightgown.  Daddy taped lightly on one of the doors.  “Can we come in?” he asked.

         Mommy’s voice answered, “Yes.  Come in.”

         A huge bouquet of colorful flowers stood on the nightstand with a little card sticking out.  Mommy was lying in bed covered with a soft white blanket.  In her arms she held a tiny bundle wrapped in a white blanket with a yellow stripe.

         “Come see what I have,” Mommy invited, patting the bed.

         Daddy lifted Marcy on to the bed and she peered over the blankets at the tiny red face.

         “Your wish came true,” Mommy whispered.  “Meet your little sister, Kira.”

         Marcy looked at the infant and gently stroked her downy red hair.  “She’s beautiful,” she whispered back.

         Marcy was thrilled to have a new baby sister.  She helped Mommy as much as she could to take care of her.  She would bring diapers when Kira needed to be changed, she would find the toys Kira dropped, and she would even pull up Kira’s socks when they started to slip off from all of her kicking.

         Marcy patiently waited for her little sister to grow big enough to play with dolls.  Soon Kira was splashing in the bath and cooing.  When she was able to eat baby food, Marcy helped to feed her with a special little spoon that had a rubber coating on the end.  “That’s so it doesn’t hurt her tiny baby teeth,” Mommy explained.

         Before she was a year old, Kira was bravely trying to take her first steps.  “It won’t be long and she’ll be chasing you around the house,” Daddy exclaimed one evening.

         Marcy still had a long time to wait until her sister was old enough to play with the toys she enjoyed playing with, but she was so happy her birthday wish had come true.

         610 words