(Fic )A Beautiful Gift drabble - Two of a Kind
I know I should have been working on chapter one, but this hit me as I woke up and wouldn't let go till I wrote it. I hope you all enjoy it and as always comments and constructive criticism are encouraged.
Two of a Kind
6 years old Simon hesitantly stepped into the cold delivery room, his father gently pushing him along. Halfway across the room he stopped, nervous about this new creature that was invading his life. His father knelt next to him and pointed to the clear bassinet next to the closed window. He could a pile of pale pink blankets resting in it.
“She’s over there, Simon. That’s your sister.” With those directions delivered, Gabriel Tam swiftly stood up and walked over to his smiling wife.
“Oh Gabriel, she’s beautiful. There will be no end of suitors when she’s of age.” Regan Tam was smiling proudly as she spoke and her husband returned the look.
Simon paid no more attention to them, though, as he took another hesitant step towards the bassinet. The doctors had told his parents that they were having another son, early on, but Simon had known. When he’d placed his hand on his mother’s belly, he’d felt the girlness in her. His parents hadn’t believed him. They’d said the doctor knew his medicine and wouldn’t make a mistake like that. He’d stomped in frustration at the time. How could they think it was a boy when she was dancing in there? His mother had just called it kicking.
Grown ups are so stupid.
He was nearer now. A few more steps and he would see her, the little person he had felt growing for months, now. Bravely, he took a deep breath and then practically ran the distance.
The moment he saw her, she opened her eyes. Clear blue stared at him, piercing him, and distantly he felt something slide into place. It’s like something had been missing there his whole life and suddenly it was there, filling the spot like the last piece to his 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of Earth-that-was.
“Hello, River. I’m your brother. I’m Simon.” Gently he reached down and touched her soft, baby hand. Immediately she wriggled it and suddenly he was trapped, clasped strangely tightly for something so small, in a hand that felt like the feathers on that baby duck he’d petted in the park last week.
She’s perfect.
In his mind, he felt the ghostly echoes of warmth and a comforting heartbeat and knew she was talking to him.
Excited, he turned to his parents who were deep in conversation on the bed.
“Mother! Father! She’s just like me!” His grin was exultant and his parents smiled their bemusement at him.
His father answered him, “That’s right, son. She’s a Tam, just like you.”
Simon frowned at him and shook his head. “No. She’s like me.”
His mother’s voice was confused when she responded. “Simon, River is a little girl, not a boy like you.”
He frowned harder and shook his head in frustration but gave up. Grown ups are too stupid to understand, anyway.
He turned back to River and saw the infant was struggling to keep her eyes open and on him.
“Shhh. Go to sleep, baby. I’ll be here. I’ll protect you.” He watched as she drifted off to sleep, confident in her new protector, and baby dreams began to softly echo in his head.
He had a sister.
Two of a Kind
6 years old Simon hesitantly stepped into the cold delivery room, his father gently pushing him along. Halfway across the room he stopped, nervous about this new creature that was invading his life. His father knelt next to him and pointed to the clear bassinet next to the closed window. He could a pile of pale pink blankets resting in it.
“She’s over there, Simon. That’s your sister.” With those directions delivered, Gabriel Tam swiftly stood up and walked over to his smiling wife.
“Oh Gabriel, she’s beautiful. There will be no end of suitors when she’s of age.” Regan Tam was smiling proudly as she spoke and her husband returned the look.
Simon paid no more attention to them, though, as he took another hesitant step towards the bassinet. The doctors had told his parents that they were having another son, early on, but Simon had known. When he’d placed his hand on his mother’s belly, he’d felt the girlness in her. His parents hadn’t believed him. They’d said the doctor knew his medicine and wouldn’t make a mistake like that. He’d stomped in frustration at the time. How could they think it was a boy when she was dancing in there? His mother had just called it kicking.
Grown ups are so stupid.
He was nearer now. A few more steps and he would see her, the little person he had felt growing for months, now. Bravely, he took a deep breath and then practically ran the distance.
The moment he saw her, she opened her eyes. Clear blue stared at him, piercing him, and distantly he felt something slide into place. It’s like something had been missing there his whole life and suddenly it was there, filling the spot like the last piece to his 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of Earth-that-was.
“Hello, River. I’m your brother. I’m Simon.” Gently he reached down and touched her soft, baby hand. Immediately she wriggled it and suddenly he was trapped, clasped strangely tightly for something so small, in a hand that felt like the feathers on that baby duck he’d petted in the park last week.
She’s perfect.
In his mind, he felt the ghostly echoes of warmth and a comforting heartbeat and knew she was talking to him.
Excited, he turned to his parents who were deep in conversation on the bed.
“Mother! Father! She’s just like me!” His grin was exultant and his parents smiled their bemusement at him.
His father answered him, “That’s right, son. She’s a Tam, just like you.”
Simon frowned at him and shook his head. “No. She’s like me.”
His mother’s voice was confused when she responded. “Simon, River is a little girl, not a boy like you.”
He frowned harder and shook his head in frustration but gave up. Grown ups are too stupid to understand, anyway.
He turned back to River and saw the infant was struggling to keep her eyes open and on him.
“Shhh. Go to sleep, baby. I’ll be here. I’ll protect you.” He watched as she drifted off to sleep, confident in her new protector, and baby dreams began to softly echo in his head.
He had a sister.