Story of Brother

         Once upon a time there lived a little girl. Her name was Many. She had two younger sisters (Rose and Olivia), and no brothers. She always wanted one. Her dream was that she would forever be protected by her brother. However, this dream may not ever be in the  God's plans.



         Her mother (Jay) had health problems. Jay had a broken back since she was only two that created a hump. The hump forced all her organs to be smaller. The doctors told her to be happy with the children that she had. They believed that her body would never allow one. She should be happy with the three little girls she now has.



         The little any would not give up. She hated being the oldest, and she hated having no one to stand up for her. She prayed every night. She began when she was eight. Her sisters were six and four. She even named a stuffed animal the name that her imaginary brother had. She kept a baby bassinet in the bed with her. After all the doctors maybe right that her mother's body would not give her a brother, but God could allow one to just appear in the bassinet.



         Faith of a child. It can move mountains, and it did. Time went on, and Many could not stop believing. The prayers went up year after year. She had the faith of that mustard seed. When she was twelve, her mother began to get really sick. Jay was throwing up, weak, and sleeping. Many told her mother that she was going to have the the girls a brother. Many did not even know how she knew that she would again be a big sister, but she was sure.



         Months to come gave them challenges. Jay began to bleed. The doctors told her that the child she carried would not come to term. So Jay spent a lot of time in the hospital, and the rest of the time laid up in bed.



         The Many still knew that she would have a brother. Though where they lived created a hurtle. Their family lived across the Big Sandy river, and their transportation was a row boat. Jay could not do any of the traveling to the doctor. They were on their own.



         At the end the family went to live with the little girl's grandmother, Matilda. Many knew that her mom needed her mother at this time. This was much easier. Many's aunt made sure that the Jay made her doctor's visits.

         One morning the atmosphere was so different than most August mornings. Many (now 13)  road the buss to school. The day was still filled with a strange excitement. What would be so special today?

         Many walks through the door after school. Her mother, dad, and grandmother were all gone. The phone rang. Many's dad was on the other end. "You have a baby sister" he said.



         Many could not believe it . This was not true.



         "No, Dad, I have a brother." She said in tears.



         Her dad could not stand the disappointment in his first born daughter's  voice. He decided to call off the joke. He then tells Many that she indeed has a baby brother. “His name was Stephen, and he is very healthy.” She did not even hang up the phone. Many ran from house to house telling all her family and neighbors that she finally has a brother, and that God had answered her prayers. She could not wait to hold him in her arms. She had so much to teach, and she had years of love waiting for his arrival.



         A few days later, Jay was lead into the house by her dad, and her grandmother was carrying the answered prayer. The world seemed to be much brighter. The sun had no beauty compared to the beauty in her infants brother's face. The birds had no song compared to Stephen's  cries. Nothing in life could reach the heights that this baby could reach in the Many's heart.



         The sisters took a little getting used to having a brother. They were used to being the babies. They had time taken from them to care for the Staphen. Wasn't long until the baby began to crawl. Guess what, there were three big sisters crawling right behind him. He began to talk, they would always talk to him too (even if it was nothing but babble). He then got to where he could play with toys. This was the time that the sisters became the true sisters to the little boy.

                   

         This was nearly 30 years ago. The boy is so different than thought of, but the Many got married when Stephen was only seven. She left her prayer behind for a man and a marriage that was doomed from the beginning. She was married for sixteen years, and now spends her time trying to rekindle her relationship with her brother that she had begged God to give her..