Middle School - Recognized Submissions (tie)

Shirley Lakpa, Scott Highlands Middle School
"My happiest time"
Apple Valley, MN

View Prompt

7-26-08
11:00 p.m.

The day started out ordinary. My brother, Leo, and I were packing our lunches for the day. My family was planning to go to a 24-hour prayer meeting at church. We were also packing food for my pregnant mom. My very, pregnant mom. I can still remember the day she told us the good news.

1-13-08
Sometime after 6:00 p.m.

"I'm so hungry," my mom cried.

"But you just ate!" I said. "Who wants Subway?" she asked, "Your dad will drive." Something in my mom had changed, she was moody and hungry and so touchy. My brother and I were fed up with it, all the yelling, the crying, and the moodiness.

"Bring me some warm water please." My mom would say, but when you brought her the water she'd yell,

"NO! I asked for cold water! You never listen to me when I talk. Please all I asked for was water! COLD WATER. Why is my life so hard, I do everything for you and I asked for so little!" And the yelling would go on and on until she got tired.

Yea, that was a normal day, until my parents called me and my brother to their bedroom to tell us the wonderful news.

"Kids we have some very exciting news to tell you." My father said.

"Let me guess, mom is pregnant." My brother said sarcastically.

"Yes! Aren't you glad?" Mom proclaimed.

I'm pretty sure that's how it went, though I'm a little fuzzy on the details.

7-27-08
12:00 a.m.

We were in the car on our way to church. My brother and I were exhausted so we decided to go to sleep in the back 2 pews. By the time we woke up my mom had went to the bathroom. She came out walking a little stiff; it looked like she had something stuck between her legs. She was dilated, in other words the baby was coming! One of our church elders was on her way to the bathroom, (now this lady has had a lot of kids so she knew).

"Pat, it's time to go to the hospital. Your baby is coming!" She said.

The next thing I know is that my dad came rushing to my mom, got the car ready and EVERYONE wanted to go to the hospital. Of course our little car could not fit more than 5 people so someone wasn't going. I thought that I would be a special somebody, one that was going to the hospital; but was I wrong. All my mom's friends wanted to go; so Leo and I were left at church for a long time. A long enough time to hate everyone who gave us congrats looks, smiles and nudges.

7-27-08
Around 3:00 a.m.

"Wow, how long does it take to deliver a baby? You just push it out." Leo said. "Um, Leonard, I'm pretty sure that it's a lot harder than that." I replied.

7-27-08
6:00 a.m.

My dad called and said that the baby was born. Everyone in church was so happy. Especially Leonard and I; we couldn't wait to see him. When my dad came he had a huge grin on his face. It stretched from Maine, all the way to Washington. "It's a boy," he said, "Michael-David Abraham."

He gave me and my brother a big bear hug. My dad then took me and my brother home to pick up my mom and the baby's clothes. We then went to the hospital to meet my baby brother.

On our way the hospital I was bursting with questions.

"What does he look like? Is he dark, or light? Does he have any hair? What color is it? Is it curly or straight?" I asked.

"Shirley! Calm down, we almost there you'll be able to see him soon." My brother said. I hated when my brother did this, always turning down the excitement or pumping it up way to high. Though I knew he was right but I couldn't wait, I was so ecstatic. I squirmed in my chair imaging what my wonderful little brother would look like.

"We're here." Dad said interrupting my thoughts. Outside the hospital smelled like cigarettes, I wrinkled my nose. We paced towards the revolving doors. The hospital smelled like blood and vanilla we walked straight down to the OB/GYN section. The lights were dimmed and the sweet smell of breast milk was in the air. My brother nudged me and reminded me of the time he ate breast milk ice cream. Yuck! I shuddered at the memory while my father went up to the front desk,

"Excuse me, but can you tell me where Patricia Lakpa's room is?" he asked. "Room 112; that is right down the hall, the last door on the left." The receptionist answered. "Thank you." We didn't wait for a reply. We rushed to room 112; I got there first so I knocked on the door. "Come in." I heard a sweet angelic voice; my mother's. We walked into the room; everyone said their hello's I just rushed to the baby.

I felt one soft tear trickle down my cheek he was a beautiful baby. "Can I hold him? I asked. "Of course you can. He is your little brother." My mother replied. "Bonjour joli, comment vous es? Vous allez aimer notre maison et de votre chambre. Et vous allez le baby le plus aim jamais. Et mame si personne ne vous aime, je vous aimerai toujours." I sang to him. "Thank you Shirley. You are so sweet." My mother said. "What did she say? I didn't hear her." Leo asked. "She said, "Hello beautiful baby, how are you? You are going to love our house and your room. And you are going to be the most loved baby ever. And even if no one loves you, I will always love you.'" "Wow, Shirley." My brother pretended to be sobbing. "That. Was. So. Sweet. You're so poetic." "I know it's a gift. But try not to ruin this for me." I snapped. I started humming to Michael-David; he seemed to like that a lot so I started singing Frere Jacques. "Frere Jacques, frere Jacques, Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines! Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong." While I was singing and humming to my little brother, I knew that that was the happiest day of my life.

10-13-09
5:39 p.m.

Whenever I look back on this day and the way I felt was indescribable. It felt like I was floating on air. I believe that me experiencing this made me appreciate life in a whole new way. There is a quote by Mother Teresa that perfectly expresses how I felt. "There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those." Mother Teresa

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