John's Revenge

Alyss

**February 8th 1997**
*Mona’s POV*
“Mommy, when baby tum?”

“Baby will come soon,” Mommy sighed. “I want baby to come too. Let’s go get some lunch.”

I held Mommy’s hand and we went into the kitchen. I got up on one of the stools, with some help from Mommy, and Mommy made us both sandwiches.

We ate them and then went into the living room and watched Sesame Street. I like Elmo and Big Bird.

I laughed at something funny that Elmo did and turned to see if Mommy was laughing.

“Mommy, you otay?” I shuffled over on the couch.

“I think baby is coming now,” she gasped.

I jumped off the couch and got the telephone. “Call Daddy!”

“No, no sweetie,” Mommy said. “Just press number 1.”

“Otay.” I pressed number 1.

Hello?

“Daddy?”

Hey Mona! What’s wrong?

“Baby!”

Is the baby coming?

“Yes!”

Tell Mommy I’ll be there soon.

The phone went quiet.

“Daddy’s tumin’.”

“OK, thank you sweetie, now in Mommy’s room, there is a suitcase on the floor, could you try and bring it down for me?”

I frowned. I don’t like it when Mommy talks really fast.

“OK, not working. Um, Mona, go to Mommy’s room, get suitcase, bring here.”

I went upstairs and into Mommy and Daddy’s room. I saw a black bag on the floor. I pulled at the handles. It was really heavy. I pulled and I pulled and I pulled. It didn’t budge. I grabbed it tightly and pulled as hard as I could. It slowly slid across the floor.

I reached the stairs. No one was around so I pushed it downstairs and sat on the stairs, pushing myself down one stair at a time. I reached the bottom just as Daddy walked through the door.

“Hey, Mona, where’s Mommy?” He picked me up and we went into the living room. Mommy was breathing funnily.

“Come on,” Daddy said, taking Mommy’s hand and helping her get into the car. He ran back inside, still holding me and grabbed her bag. He put it in the car and then strapped me in my special car chair.

He passed me his phone. “OK, Mona, tell Uncle Billie or Aunty Adie that baby is coming,” he said.

“’tay,” I said, holding the phone to my ear.

Hello, Billie Joe.”

“Ungle Biwwie,”

Hey Mona.” He laughed. “Why are you using the phone?

“Baby’s tumin’.”

Are you going to the hospital?

“Yeah.”

OK, we’re coming. Bye.

“Bye bye Ungle Biwwie.”

I passed the phone back to Daddy. “Ungle Biwwie’s tumin’.”

Daddy took the phone and pressed some more buttons. “Now tell Uncle Mike please.”

I took it back.

Michael Dirnt, how may I help you?

“Ungle Mi’e, baby’s tumin’.”

OK, we’re coming to the hospital.

“’tay.” I gave Daddy the phone. “Ungle Mi’e is tumin’.”

“Thank you Mona,” smiled Mommy.

We got to the hospital and Daddy carried me and Mommy’s bag into the hospital. Mommy held my hand really tight.

I patted her on the head. “Are you ’tay, Mommy?”

“Yes, sweetie, I’m fine,” Mommy smiled at me.

A man in a white coat came out and took Mommy away. “Daddy,” I began.

“Mommy’s just gone to make sure baby’s ok. Now, Uncle Billie will be here with Aunty Adie, Uncle Mike and Aunty Annie will be here soon, and I have to leave you with them, ok?”

I nodded. “Joey and Addy too?”

“No, Joey and Addy aren’t coming.”

I heard a noise and saw Uncle Billie and Aunty Adie running in. Aunty Adie picked me up and hugged me.

“Go, Tré, she’ll be fine with us,” she said, sitting down with me on her knee. Daddy walked away and I hugged Aunty Adie. Uncle Billie came and sat next to us.

“Hey Mona, are you excited about having a baby brother or sister?” he said smiling at me. Uncle Billie’s my favourite.

“Yup. I love baby,” I said.

“Awww,” Aunt Adie had tears in her eyes.

“Don’ cwy Aunty Adie!” I kissed her on the cheek.

“I’m ok, Mona,” she said smiling and wiping her eyes.

* * *

“Mona, sweetie, wake up.” I opened my eyes. Aunty Adie was smiling at me and crying at the same time. It’s very confusing. “The baby is here!”

“Baby! I wanna see baby!” I jumped up and down. Baby’s here!

Uncle Billie picked me up and carried me down the hallway along with Aunty Adie. We walked into a small room. Mommy was sitting up in bed, Daddy was sitting next to her and she was holding a small bundle of blankets.

“Is da’ baby?” Uncle Billie placed me on the bed next to Mommy and went to stand in the corner next to Aunty Adie.

“Yes,” Mommy smiled at me. “This, is your little sister, Alyss.”

I peered into the blanket. There was a little baby with light brown hair, like mine, and blue eyes, like mine too.

“We look da same!” I giggled.

“You do,” Daddy smiled.

“I love baby. I hold baby pease,” I said, holding out my hands.

“Um,” Mommy put baby on my lap, then put her arm around my back and then put her hand under baby’s head.

“She’s not baby, she’s Alyss,” said Daddy. He turned to Uncle Billie and Aunty Adie. “You know, after Liv’s grandmother.”

“Oh,” they said, smiling.

“Yeah, she was Spanish, so it’s spelled a bit differently. A-L-Y-S-S.”

“Oh, that’s beautiful!” Aunty Adie cooed.

I stared at Alyss. She sounds pretty. She is pretty. She looked at me.

“Alyss lookin’ at me,” I said, looking at her chubby fingers.

“Yes, because you’re her big sister and she loves you,” Daddy said, coming over and kissing me on the forehead.

“I love Alyss.”