Maria And The Baby

Maria was seven years old when the little baby came into her life. People around her had been making arrangements for his arrival for several months now but Maria was not expecting the changes that his birth wrought on her.

Maria had been her parents’ only daughter and the apple of their eyes. Everyone loved her and she took their love and care for granted. Mummy read to her everyday, baked delicious cookies, combed her silky, brown hair and hugged her all the time. Daddy always bought her gifts and treated her to McDonald's. Granny told her stories and took her for walks in the nearby park. Life as Maria knew it was
perfect till HE arrived.

It all started with Mummy not feeling well and Granny always cautioning Maria not
to tire Mummy out. Mummy would rest in the afternoons and Maria was told to play quietly and not disturb Mummy’s rest. Her old cot, in which Teddy and Barbie used to sleep, was taken away. It returned a few days later, painted blue and white. It was moved into her parents’ room while Teddy and Barbie were squashed in the closet. A beautiful, blue quilt with tiny teddy bears was folded and placed in this cot. New baby clothes and soft sheets were bought and kept in the cupboard. All of Maria’s questions were met with a vague reply “a little one is coming.”

Then that day finally arrived. When Maria came home from school, Mummy was not at the door to welcome her. In fact, she was nowhere in the house. This had never happened before and Maria was sad and a little scared. Then Granny told her that Mummy had to go to the hospital for a few days and she would be back with a little baby. That evening, Daddy came home looking extremely happy. He hugged Maria and told her that she had a little brother. He told her to wear her best frock as they were all going to meet Mummy and the baby in the hospital.

Maria was scared in the hospital. Her mother looked weak and tired and she lay in a bed. A small, red-faced baby cried at the top of his lungs in a small crib as nurses and doctors came in and out of the room. Strangely enough, her father and granny looked happy and gushed over the noisy baby. Maria HATED him there and then. However, her mother hugged her and asked about school.

After awhile, it was time to go. Maria did not want to leave Mummy behind and kicked and screamed as her father tried to take her home. He assured her that Mummy would be home the next day. Only then Maria allowed him to pick her up and take her to the car.

True to his promise, Daddy brought Mummy home the next day. But he also brought HIM. Maria suddenly found that she was no longer the centre of attention. Mummy was always busy with the baby who seemed to cry at the smallest pretext. He would just lie in his cot (hers actually) and bawl at the top of his voice and Mummy would drop whatever she was doing to be with him. Whenever Daddy came home, he would drop his briefcase and rush over to see the baby and lift him and kiss him. They both tried to include her but Maria would have nothing to do with him. She would go to her room and slam her door shut.

Weeks passed and as the baby grew older, Maria’s behavior worsened. She would throw tantrums, disobey her parents and was rude to Granny. Her parents were at a loss. They tried to make her understand but nothing prevailed. Maria would spend hours in her room playing with her toys or just lying morosely in her bed.

One hot and sultry day, Mummy wanted to lie down in the afternoon. She picked up the baby and asked Maria if she too wanted to rest for a while. Maria did not answer but turned her back on her mother. Sighing wearily, Mummy headed to her room. After putting the baby in the crib, she fell asleep.

It was very quiet in the house. Suddenly, Maria heard a cooing sound. It was coming from her mother’s room. Very quietly, Maria entered the room. She saw that her brother was wide awake and making baby sounds. Slowly she came near the crib and looked down at him.

It seemed to Maria that she was looking at her brother for the first time. He was no longer red-faced but pink and fair. His brown eyes were bright and he waved his chubby fists in the air as if asking Maria to pick him up. He had a smile on his face as a trickle of milk dribbled down his chin.

“Goo- boo,” said the baby. “Goo boo,” said Maria, hesitantly trying to imitate the baby sounds.

Her brother gurgled with joy at having found a kindred spirit. He waved his arms and feet furiously in the air .Maria slowly extended her hand towards him and he caught her finger in a surprisingly strong grasp as if he wished to play ring-around-the-roses with her.

“Would you like to hold him, dear?” she heard her mother’s voice. Unknown to her, her Mummy had been watching them for some time. Maria nodded silently. Her mother carefully positioned the baby in her lap and Maria crooned and rocked him slowly.

Her brother yawned broadly and went to sleep. Maria kissed the top of his bald head and cuddled him close to her. “He is the best brother in the world, Mummy,” she said. Her mother smiled and hugged both of them.