| Oh Brother by Karen Jordan |
“You look so cute. I wish I had some pretty pink shoes like that.” Quickly, 15-year-old Miles realized what
he had said to his baby sister, and he relented, “Not really!”
Then, Miles heard a voice snickering behind him, and his face turned a bright shade of crimson, “Oh,
brother—you weren’t supposed to hear that, Nonnie.”
“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said, covering my mouth and trying to muffle my laughter.
“Oh great, did Mom hear me, too?”
My daughter, Tara, peeked around the door frame before she walked into the nursery. “Sorry—we
couldn’t help but laugh.”
I added, “Don’t worry—we’ve teased your dad a few times, too.”
“Oh, man,” Miles shook his head in shame, and he began to shy away from the baby’s bed.
I hugged Miles’ broad, strong shoulders, as I pulled him back toward the crib, “I love how you treat your
baby sister—and I know she will love her big brother.”
As Julia began to whimper, Miles gently picked up the pacifier at Julia’s side and offered it to her.
Hoping to encourage Miles, his mom said, “A lot of guys don’t pay any attention to their younger sisters
or brothers. We’re really proud of you—especially how you treat your baby sister.
Julia began to fuss and squirm, after spitting her pacifier out again.
“Do you think she might like for me to rock her?”
Tara replied, “I think that’s a great idea. I need to cook dinner, and Nonnie needs to go home.”
Miles leaned over the crib and picked Julia up, “Do you want to watch a movie with me?
I handed Miles the pacifier, “Here—you may need this.”
As Miles exited the room, Tara looked at me and smiled, “I don’t know what I’d do without him. Not many
teenage guys would have such a great attitude—like Miles does—about helping with his baby sister and
younger brothers.”
Before I left, I turned to Tara and quietly mimicked Miles’ baby talk, “I wish I had some pretty pink shoes
like that. Don’t you?”
Tara laughed, “Not really!”
he had said to his baby sister, and he relented, “Not really!”
Then, Miles heard a voice snickering behind him, and his face turned a bright shade of crimson, “Oh,
brother—you weren’t supposed to hear that, Nonnie.”
“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said, covering my mouth and trying to muffle my laughter.
“Oh great, did Mom hear me, too?”
My daughter, Tara, peeked around the door frame before she walked into the nursery. “Sorry—we
couldn’t help but laugh.”
I added, “Don’t worry—we’ve teased your dad a few times, too.”
“Oh, man,” Miles shook his head in shame, and he began to shy away from the baby’s bed.
I hugged Miles’ broad, strong shoulders, as I pulled him back toward the crib, “I love how you treat your
baby sister—and I know she will love her big brother.”
As Julia began to whimper, Miles gently picked up the pacifier at Julia’s side and offered it to her.
Hoping to encourage Miles, his mom said, “A lot of guys don’t pay any attention to their younger sisters
or brothers. We’re really proud of you—especially how you treat your baby sister.
Julia began to fuss and squirm, after spitting her pacifier out again.
“Do you think she might like for me to rock her?”
Tara replied, “I think that’s a great idea. I need to cook dinner, and Nonnie needs to go home.”
Miles leaned over the crib and picked Julia up, “Do you want to watch a movie with me?
I handed Miles the pacifier, “Here—you may need this.”
As Miles exited the room, Tara looked at me and smiled, “I don’t know what I’d do without him. Not many
teenage guys would have such a great attitude—like Miles does—about helping with his baby sister and
younger brothers.”
Before I left, I turned to Tara and quietly mimicked Miles’ baby talk, “I wish I had some pretty pink shoes
like that. Don’t you?”
Tara laughed, “Not really!”
Karen Jordan resides in Arkansas with her husband, Dan. They have two married children
and six grandchildren. In addition to writing, she teaches writing at the University of
Arkansas at Little Rock. You can contact her at kj@karenjordan.net or visit
www.karenjordan.net.
and six grandchildren. In addition to writing, she teaches writing at the University of
Arkansas at Little Rock. You can contact her at kj@karenjordan.net or visit
www.karenjordan.net.
