4
The Truth about Babies
“A baby?” I shout. “Are you sure?”
I look at my mom’s stomach. She told me babies come from there. “You’re not fat like Bethany’s mom was fat.”
Daddy pats Mommy’s tummy. “Hmmm…she’s right, you know.”
I stare at her stomach. “Plus also, I don’t remember seeing anybody else in there when I was there.” I think I would have remembered that one.
They laugh their heads off. Only not for too long.
“I’m sorry, Nat,” Mom says. “We’re not laughing at you. We’re just so happy. We’ve been waiting such a long time. We’re adopting a baby from China.”
“From China? Like Anna’s China?” Anna is in my kindergarten class. She told us all about her grandparents being from China.
“Will it talk American?” I ask.
“Eventually,” Mom answers. “We’ll count on you to help with that.”
I am trying to get used to this idea. A baby in our house? Where will it live? Jason’s baby brotherlived in Jason’s room. And all it did was cry. Plus, it was wrinkly.
Daddy takes over talking. “We didn’t think the adoption would come through until next year. Then we got the call yesterday. And everything’s happening so fast. We just wanted to be sure before we told you and got your hopes up.”
“What about my puppy?” I ask.
Daddy scruffs up my hair. “Maybe we can talk about that one when we get back.”
“When we get back from where?” I don’t want to wait for my puppy.
“China,” Mommy says.
“We’re going to China?” I was on a flying airplane two times to see Different Granny and Gramps in California. You had to sit in your seat a very long time. What if China is as far away as California?
“Daddy and I will go there to get your new little brother, Nat,” Mommy explains. “It’s such a long flight. Granny will stay here with you. Won’t that be fun?”
“You’re going without me?” I am chokey in my neck now.
“You wouldn’t want to miss your last week of kindergarten, would you, Nat?” Daddy asks. He has a fake smiley face on.
Tears are leaking out of me. Everything feels not fair. No puppy. No Mommy. No Daddy. No China. “Why can’t I go with you?”
“We can barely afford two tickets to China, honey,” Daddy says. “Besides, you love having Granny here.”
“Not at nights.” I have to swallow tears to get those words out. I love Granny. But Granny isn’t Mommy and Daddy at night.
I don’t eat very much for dinner. Neither do Mom and Dad. They both put me and Percy to bed early. It’s still light outside.
“We have a lot to pray and be thankful for tonight, don’t we?” Mom says. She sits on the feet part of my bed, next to Percy.
Daddy stays standing up.
They pray first. We say our regular prayers and make sure everybody we know is blessed, plus some people we don’t even know.
Then Daddy says, “Father, thanks for blessing us with two children. Help them both know how much we love them.”
Mom prays some regular stuff. Then she says, “Please keep our new baby safe. Give us a safe trip to China. Take care of Natalie and her granny while we’re gone.”
They’re really much quiet. I know it’s my turn. Only I don’t want to tell God all the stuff in my head. So I just say, “Please bring my mom and dad back home super fast. Amen.”
Mommy tucks me in and pets Percy’s head. “You know, Nat, your dad and I will be back before you know it. And when we land, you’ll have a brand-new baby brother.”
A brand-new brother.
And no puppy.
Chapter 5
Sunday Showers Can’t Grow Flowers
The next day is Sunday, and there is a lot of hurrying in our house. I’m late getting to my Sunday school room.
Soon as I walk in, Laurie waves at me from the front row. “Nat! I saved you a seat!” she yells.
My bestest friend, Laurie, is a great seat saver. I take that seat next to her.
“Tell me everything!” she whispers, on account of our teacher, Mrs. Palmer, is talking too. “What kind of a
Jean-Pierre Alaux, Noël Balen