Hey Sis...

I would like to thank Andrew John again for a wonderful job editing my story. Again my story would have never made it to publication without him.

Thank you Andrew...

*****

Hey Sis

My name is Sara Belton. I was asked by the family to tell our story. I hope I do a decent job. First you need to know that the focus of the story isn't me, or my husband Bryan, though we had the privilege to live and be a part of it.

Chapter one: Expecting

I was thirty-one years old when this story began. I had a part time job in real estate, but was mostly a stay-at-home mom. My husband Bryan was thirty-three years old. He was a pastor with his own church. This story started twelve years ago, on Christmas day, with a simple case of the 'flu. I got sick and stayed that way till after the first of the year. Our son, Roy, had just turned eleven in September.

About four months later, mid-April actually, I started getting sick again. Not only sick, but I had also lost all my energy. Basically I was just miserable.

I made an appointment with Dr. Bell. He was our general practitioner. He checked my vitals and took urine and blood samples. After the usual long wait, the doctor finally had the results. He smiled knowingly as he looked at me.

"Mrs. Belton. How are you feeling today?" was his rhetorical question. He laid me on my back and began to examine my abdomen.

A nurse rolled in a machine that I recognized immediately.

"What is that for?" I asked with some concern.

Dr Bell ignored my question, took out some clear gel and told me to take my pants and panties down to my hips and raise my shirt to my breasts.

Once I had complied, he put gel over my abdomen and turned on the machine. He then took a probe, placed it on my tummy, and moved it slowly over the gel. I heard a very fast heartbeat through the speaker on the machine. He didn't have to tell me I was pregnant. I knew... SHIT... I was both thrilled and terrified.

"There he is, trying to hide from us." the doctor stated. "No...wait...wait...there SHE is. I stand corrected." He finished and pressed a button to snap several images of the embryo showing on the screen. He took one of the photos and handed it to me. "The first photos of your daughter, Mrs. Belton," he said with a big smile.

I am sure it took longer than that, and I am sure that he wasn't supposed to tell me the sex unless I asked. But I was pregnant and about to freak out. How was I going to tell my husband and my son? What was I going to do? I was thirty-one for god's sake. I would be forty-two when she got to my son's current age, and fifty when she graduated high school. Holy cow. Shit. Damn.

"Wait just a minute doctor; I can't be pregnant... I am on the pill and haven't missed a dose. There is no way this can happen."

"Mrs. Belton," Dr Bell continued. "If I remember, didn't you come down with the 'flu back in December?"

"Yes, I did, but I still took my medications." I acknowledged.

"Mrs. Belton, how many times did you vomit after taking them?"

I drove home in a daze, made a nice meal for the men in my life, and prepared to break the news. I imagined that Bryan, my husband, would have a similar reaction to mine. The person who concerned me most was my eleven-year-old son. He would be pissed to say the least. In my mind, I could hear him yell, "MOM HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?". I suppose people would say I was projecting, but who wouldn't be in this case.

To soften the impact of my news, for dinner I fixed one of Bryan's favorite meals, and Roy's favorite desert.

We ate at the dining table. Bryan sat at the head of the table, with me immediately to his right. Roy sat at the opposite end with one empty seat between us.

After dinner, it was time to get the show on the road. "Bryan, Roy...you know I went to the doctor's today don't you?" I asked.

Bryan nodded, but Roy just looked at me with a concerned look on his face. It was a look a mother loved to see. It told her that he cared a great deal for her.

"Is everything ok mom?"

"Well...sort of," I answered. Now they both had concern on their faces.

I spoke to Bryan, trying to sugar coat it a bit, "Bryan, I know we haven't really thought about it since Roy was born but, years ago, we talked about having two kids, a girl and a boy." I paused for dramatic effect. "Well, in six months, we will fulfill that desire. I am pregnant...and it's a girl," I finished.

Bryan's face lost its color and he looked sick for a moment. I was disappointed. I had hoped that, at least on some level, Bryan might have wanted this. First impressions indicated I was wrong.

While I was studying Bryan's reaction, Roy gracefully switched seats to sit next to me. I turned to him and saw an unusual expression on his face. It wasn't the anger or hurt which I had expected. He stared at my stomach, placed his right hand on it and, without shifting his gaze, asked, "She is in there? This isn't a joke, or something, is it?"

I took his hand and placed it over my womb. "She is about the size of a butter bean right now, Roy. I don't think you will be able to feel her just yet, but she's in there."

He kicked the chair back and went to his knees next to me without moving his hand. "Hey Butter Bean, I am your brother Roy. I am glad to meet you."

It wasn't the reaction that I had expected. I looked at Roy, who had still not taken his eyes off my belly, and ran my fingers through his hair.

"We are going to have so much fun when you come out of there Butter Bean. I am going to teach you everything you will ever need to know," said Roy as he pressed harder on my stomach. I didn't have the heart to stop him.

I looked at Bryan whose face showed great admiration and pride for his son. Roy's excitement over my pregnancy was infectious and had begun to affect him.

"How far along are you mom?" Roy questioned

"Four months," I replied. I could see him mentally counting.

"You are going to deliver in September?" he asked

"September 15th is my due date." I answered. It was then that I remembered that Roy's birthday was also in September.

"So, she is my birthday present! You won't have to get me anything else ever again for my birthday mom, or you either dad." Then he leant down and kissed my stomach through my blouse. He rose from his knees, kissed me on the cheek, and hugged me tightly. I could feel wetness on my cheek from his tears. He really wanted this. "Dad, I am going to have a sister!" He looked at Bryan, who had started to regain his color and was smiling a little.

I thought that Roy's enthusiasm would pass, but I was wrong. The next morning I was in my robe fixing breakfast when Roy came into the kitchen. He knelt before me and, again, placed his hand on my belly. "Good morning Butter Bean," he said. He opened my robe and kissed my bare belly. I was shocked because, firstly, I only had a skimpy pair of panties on under my robe and secondly, it surprised me. I closed my robe as fast as I could with a stern look on my face, and was about to admonish him, when he rose, hugged me tightly and kissed me. "Thank you, momma. I love you so much." Then he continued to hold me, placing several small kisses on my cheeks.

Bryan had walked in, witnessed most of the exchange, and started to laugh.

Roy let go and said that he was going to set the table.

I exchanged a look with Bryan. He came and hugged me tightly, whispering, "His enthusiasm is heartwarming."

"Did you see him kiss my stomach this morning?"

"Yea I did. It took all I had not to burst out laughing."

"Tomorrow I am wearing shorts under this robe," I laughed.

Roy's fascination for my pregnancy became a regular thing. If I wasn't wearing a robe, he would raise my shirt to kiss my tummy. If we three sat on the sofa, I would lean against Bryan and Roy would lean against me - always with his hand on my tummy.

The first time after my announcement that I returned from grocery shopping, and started to carry the bags into the house, Roy rushed out and grabbed them.

"Mom, you are not to pick up, lift, or move anything over ten pounds. If you find it necessary to do these things, you are to call for me and I will do it. Am I understood?!"

My son was lecturing me?

"Son!" I started but was interrupted.

"You are NOT to lift, pick up, carry, or move anything over ten pounds! Do you understand?" he repeated.

"Roy, I am your mother, and..."

"...and you are the mother of my sister," he interrupted again. "You must take care of her, and I will take care of you to ensure that. So, no lifting of anything over ten pounds."

"Ok," I conceded, even though the bags only weighed a couple of pounds each. There wasn't any way of changing his mind. He brought in the groceries and put them away for me.

He followed me around and wouldn't let me lift anything. He started asking me if I had taken my vitamins, if I had eaten today and what had I eaten. He was genuinely concerned for my health and well-being.

Next, he started escorting me from my car to the house and vice versa.

When I asked for the reason, he told me, "Mom you might trip or fall. There are cracks on the sidewalk and the threshold of the doorway, not to mention the steps. I want to be here, so you don't fall. One of the biggest causes of miscarriages is falling. Other causes are carrying something too heavy for you, over exertion, being hit in the stomach or chest, not eating right or not taking your vitamins."

It seemed like he had really done his homework on this. "Are you sure you are only eleven years old?" I asked. Roy laughed.

This attention continued without a break, in fact, Roy got to the point where he escorted me to my room every night. Bryan thought it was a hoot, the way that Roy was doting over me.

About a year before my pregnancy, a new couple had moved into our neighborhood. They had a daughter named Amanda, who was ten years old and adored Roy. Before the pregnancy, Roy would blow her off like a hurricane blows off roofs (pardon the cliché). But, after my announcement, he started blowing off his other friends to be with me and Amanda. He began to spend a lot of time with Amanda, inviting her to play games and even helping her with homework. It seemed like he was using her to practice being a brother.

Chapter two: Birth

By mid-September, I was ready to burst. Oh my god. It was time for me to have this little girl, but she just wanted to stay in my womb. I was huge. I couldn't function well at work, so they gave me early maternity leave. Roy wouldn't leave my side.

We decided to call our new daughter Jessica Ann Belton. Bryan and I started referring to her as Jessica, however Roy would only call her Butter Bean. The love Roy was showing towards his sister was so overwhelming that we didn't correct him.

It was September 21. Bryan was in his lazy-boy watching a football game. I was sitting on the sofa with Roy beside me, his hand on my stomach. He always seemed to enjoy it when the baby moved in the womb and kicked his hand.

"Mom?" Roy asked. "I am getting concerned. She hasn't moved all day. Are you sure she is ok? Shouldn't we at least go see the doctor or something?"

"Relax Roy. You remember how she was playing kickball with my kidneys all day yesterday? She is probably just a little worn out and needs some rest, that's all." I said.

Roy wasn't convinced.

I knew he would keep nagging for me to see the doctor, but I wasn't going to budge. He hugged me just as an unexpected contraction hit me. "Arrrggg," I moaned

"Oh my god! Did I hurt you? Dad, I think there's something wrong. I hurt mom." Roy said urgently.

Bryan came across to me. I looked at him as the contraction eased. "Check the time," I said to Bryan. I thought Roy would be too shaken to keep track of the time.

The next contraction hit four minutes later. I looked at Bryan and we nodded, "It's time."

Bryan and I had plans already in place. He grabbed my bag, got the car keys, checked for the insurance papers, and completed the rest of his pre-planned and practiced duties.

Roy panicked and I had to laugh. The person who was so rigid in preparing me for this moment was in a state of panic. We all got into the car, and Bryan drove us to the hospital without any problems.

Bryan and I had decided that Roy would stay in the waiting room during the birth. We had to assure Roy that, the SECOND his sister was born, he would be allowed in the room.

The labor went smoother with Jessica than Roy, by far. Even so, as everyone was encouraging me to push, I was encouraging them to give me drugs, to no avail.

Suddenly I felt my daughter exit my womb. She entered the world with an anguished cry.

"AAAARRRYY"

The door burst open and Roy rushed inside. I was still in the stirrups, legs spread and naked from the waist down,.but Roy only had eyes for his sister. The look on Roy's face was worth experiencing a thousand contractions.

He entered the room so quickly that the doctor hadn't yet had time to place Jessica on my tummy. Once he had, Roy reached for his sister but quickly had his hands slapped away by a nurse.

"Can we cut her loose first?" the doctor asked, then he handed Roy the scissors.

Roy looked like he had been given the keys to the kingdom. He snipped the cord where the doctor indicated. Then the doctor said, "You can hand her to your mom now."

Tears were running down Roy's face as he held his wet and sticky sister and eased her from my tummy to my chest. As I took her, Roy said something that will move me till the day I die, "She's perfect momma, thank you." Then he kissed me.

Oh, by the way, it was 12:17 am on September 22. I now had two children who were born on the same day. Unexpectedly, she was my son's birthday gift.

Roy went with the nurses while they cleaned up Jessica, and Bryan stayed in the room holding me. Even though I was very tired, and a little sore, having a new daughter was so exciting that I couldn't sleep.

"You were fantastic," Bryan said to me for the fiftieth time. Then he kissed me for the hundredth time. He had been really excited over the last few weeks. I still thought he was affected by Roy's enthusiasm.

It had been over three hours since I had seen my daughter, so I called the nurse and asked about the delay. She smiled and said, "She has been cleaned up and put under the jaundice lights. She was just a little yellow, and the doctor was mildly concerned. Don't worry, though, her security guard is right next to her."

"Her security guard?" I queried.

She smiled again. "Your son, Roy. He won't let us alone. Nurse Dollar lost her heart watching the way he was doting on his sister. He hasn't let her out of his sight since she was born."

When I heard this, my heart exploded with love. I thought that he might be excited, but I had no idea how much.

"Are you going to bring her to me?"

The nurse smiled. "Sure, if the guard will let us. I will be right back."

It took ten minutes before she returned. "Mrs. Belton? ..uh..your son said that Butter Bean has ten minutes left on the timer for the jaundice lamp, and you will just have to wait. I am sorry."

I laughed, and so did Bryan.

Bryan went out to get a glimpse of the duo. He was about to burst when he got back. "Sara, you are not going to believe what your son is wearing."

I had to smile at his excitement. "So, are you going to tell me?"

"No, it's too good. You are going to have to wait till he gets here. But prepare yourself."

Moments later, a soft knock let us know someone was at the door. "Come on in, I called." Bryan had warned me, but I didn't expect what I saw. Roy was carrying Jessica. But I didn't notice. All I could see was my son in a pink nurse's dress complete with a nurse's cap and a 'Volunteer' badge. I nearly fell out of bed with laughter.

Roy looked stern. "Mom, this is the only way they would let me near my sister!"

I opened my arms and Roy handed Jessica to me.

With gratitude, I said, "Thank you, son. Thank you for being my son."

Bryan looked on with amusement as a succession of nurses came in to check on Roy.

Even though Jessica was safe in my arms, Roy was never more than a few inches away. I was so proud of his dedication.

Chapter three: Home.

It was Saturday afternoon when we got home. Bryan drove us with Jessica and Roy in the back seat. Roy watched over her.

Our home was two stories high, with all three bedrooms on the top floor. The master bedroom was on the street side while the two smaller bedrooms were across from it. The bedroom to the left, nearer the stairs, would be Jessica's room. To the right was Roy's room.

The first night back home, I was so tired that I slept until 9 am. I woke, well-rested, to a sunny morning. I smiled, rolled over and kissed my husband.

"Thank you so much Bryan. I love you."

"Um...oh...wha...who. What are you thanking me for?" he asked.

"Taking care of Jessica."

"Ah...I...well, heck, I didn't do anything."

Suddenly we were both wide awake. I heard Jessica's small cry and jumped out of bed. I had just thrown on a robe when Roy walked past our door.

Bryan and I just looked at each other, then followed Roy into Jessica's room. We watched him change her diaper with love and care. He cleaned her and spoke to her in a hushed voice that kept her attention. He then redressed her, put the dirty clothes in the hamper, threw the diaper in the trash, and picked her up to take her to breakfast. All the while I stood there and wondered how I got so lucky to have a son like him.

"Good morning mom," he said, as he started out of her room like it was a normal thing to take care of his sister. "It's time for Butter Bean's breakfast. You want to help?"

I stifled a laugh as Roy asked me whether I wanted to help fix my daughter's breakfast. "Sure," I answered, then followed him to the kitchen to start heating her bottle.

This became a regular routine, and I never even had to feed Jessica during the night. Roy was always there.

When school resumed, I knew that Jessica would be devastated because much of Roy's attention would now be focused on school, his studies and his greatest love, football.

On the first day of school, Roy wasn't due home until almost 5 pm because of football training.

When Roy arrived home from school, I told him how much Jessica had missed his attention throughout the day, thinking that he would enjoy the compliment. The next day Roy was home at 2:45 pm.

"Why are you home so early Roy?" I asked.

He looked at me as if the answer was obvious. "I quit the football team to be home earlier for Butter Bean mom."

"You quit football?" I said not believing what I just heard.

"Of course." He paused, then explained, "Look mom, I'm a third-string nobody on the football squad. No one is going to miss me there but, here, I am Butter Bean's brother. I must attend school, but I don't have to play football. Being here for her is so much more important than sitting on the bench every week."

After school Roy would read to Jessica. He would do his homework, with her on his lap, reading the History and English assignments aloud so Jessica could hear. He would feed her and change her diaper when needed. My favorite part of each night was when, after his homework was finished, Roy would put Jessica on the floor and play what I like to call 'tickle monster'. Roy would crawl on his belly and pretend to eat her feet and hands, then he would blow raspberries on her stomach. Jessica would laugh so hard it would bring tears to my eyes.

As soon as Jessica's legs were strong enough to support her, Roy would put music on, stand her up and slowly dance with her. This would go on until little Jessica became tired and was content to sleep on Roy's lap. Then, one day, Roy told us to get the cameras ready to record Jessica's first steps. He let go of his sister's hands and she continued to move and dance on her own.