Evening’s darkness slowly faded as the sun peeked over the country hills. A new day had started, and the little girl stirred in her bed. Her eyes slowed into slits and then sprang wide open at the sight of morning’s light. “YAY! It’s today!” Little Emily cried out with joy. It was April 4th. “Today is the day I get a little sister!” Emily had been waiting for nine months for her little sister to be dropped off by the stork. Her red hair bounced about her shoulders as she jumped out of bed, and her freckled nose wrinkled in delight. She ran into her parents’ bedroom and noticed they were still sleeping like lifeless lumps. Emily climbed into the double-sized bed and sunk in its cushions. Her tiny hands gripped the covers as she tried to stand. Her attempts were futile, and she fell back over onto her knees. “MOMMY! DADDY! Wake up! Little sister is coming!” Emily was crawling between her parents’ lazy bodies. Her dad’s eyes flickered open. “Go back to bed sweetheart. She isn’t here yet.” Little Emily looked confused. “No, she is supposed to be coming today! Daddy! She is supposed to be here. That’s not fair!” Emily climbed down from the bed and walked slowly with her head turned back to her parents. She pushed the cherry pink door open and sat on the top wooden stair. Her crystal blue eyes were confused, and she couldn’t understand why her sister hadn’t come. “Maybe she doesn’t like me. What if she chose a different family?”

Emily’s father was scurrying about the house, preparing meals, and hauling the suitcases to the door. “What are those for, Daddy?” Her father’s gentle smile and eyes filled with joy at his daughter’s innocence. “Those are for when we have to go get your little sister. She isn’t just going to show up here. We have to get her from the hospital.” Emily’s head titled slightly to the side like a dog does when it hears a weird noise. “You will see, my dear Emily, when the time comes.”

Emily was still confused. She had gone to the doctor with her parents to find out when the baby was coming, and they said April 4th. She knew that April 4th was the day her little sister was supposed to arrive, and she definitely was not there yet. “Emily! Emily, dear! It’s time to go.” Emily was startled by her mother’s pained voice. She stood and walked slowly toward the door into the living room and saw her father putting a coat around her mother’s delicate shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed, and her blue blouse hugged her bowling ball stomach. Her father helped her mother out the door and into the car, and then came back for Emily. His strong arms picked her tiny body in the air and he gently kissed her tiny cheek. Emily loved her father, and she smiled at his shining blue eyes which matched hers so well. He carried her out to the car with the suitcase in hand and buckled her in tightly.

The car pulled up to the hospital and came to a gentle halt. Her family piled out of the car and into the building. Emily was trying to drag the suitcase with them every time they moved. “Why do they keep forgetting about this thing? I thought mommy needed it for my sister to arrive.” A wheelchair was now rolling her mother into a room behind swinging doors, and horror took Emily by surprise. “No! Don’t take mommy! Don’t take mommy!” The pleas shocked a few patients and nurses. Her father came over and picked her up again. “Mommy is going to be fine. She will be back soon. These are very nice people who are going to bring us your sister.” His smile was bright and he seemed extremely anxious. Emily could feel his pulse racing through his arms as he held her. He picked up the suitcase and they waited in a small room with three other families.

Hours passed by and by. Emily’s body melted into her father’s hip. Then, unexpectedly, her father stood and bolted toward the doctor that passed through the swinging doors. Emily fell face down into the couch where her father had been sitting. Her eyes were wide with shock, and her entire body trembled from the fall. Emily’s eyes were full of fear from her father’s reaction. “Why did he do that to me?” She looked toward the pale white door at the two adults. The doctor’s eyes were gleaming and her father’s face was filled with excitement. The familiar figure walked back to Emily and knelt in front of her. “Would you like to see your baby sister? Her name is Margaret.”

Emily walked slowly toward room 304 gripping her father’s strong hand. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide with wonder. She passed through the towering white doorway and into the foam green quarters. Her mother was sitting up with beads of sweat glistening on her forehead. A bundle of pink blankets was pressed tightly to her chest. Taken by surprise, Emily was lifted up onto the bed by her father. She leaned closer to her mother and looked down at the sleeping child. Her head tilted to the side and her fiery red curls brushed the baby’s cheek. A yawn spread across the delicate face. Emily smiled and touched the baby’s curled hand. “Hello, baby sister. I’m glad you finally came.”