Camp Majdanek

Chapter 9: A New Soul

     It was the second Saturday in August and today was a big day in our family. Mother was gone, so it was just the boys and me. After months of waiting, it was finally here. Exhilaration filled my body as I waited in bed for my dad to come in and tell me when I could get up.

It was ten minutes before he came in with a widening grin on his face.

"We can see mommy now," he said in a half-whisper.

"Yay! " I exclaimed.

"Shh, your brother is still sleeping, " he said.

We crept down the hall to my brother's room. I creaked open the door and switched on the lights.

"Wake up John! " I yelled happily.

I leaped on his bed and shook him awake. Six-year-old John squirmed and whined.

"Why do I have to get up? " he groaned.

"We're going to see mom! "

He immediately knew what that meant. He jumped out of bed and went to his closet looking very tired. I didn't blame him, it was six-thirty in the morning on a Saturday. We left his room and I went to mine to get dressed. I couldn't wait, even though hospitals scared me a bit. I wanted to dress my nicest so I put on some flats, a little white dress and pulled my hair back in a ribbon. I grabbed a banana for breakfast.

My brother and father had oatmeal. By seven o clock, we were in the car and on the way. We were there before I knew it. The building was small and fit about one hundred rooms. It was very bright inside and smelled clean. Doctors rushed around us pushing hospital beds. Nurses, with their tight buns and scrubs, were speed walking and carrying clipboards. One stopped by us and asked my father a few questions. In a minute she led us down a hall and into a small, dimly lit room.

In there I saw my mother. She was asleep on her hospital bed and beside her in a plastic crib, was a figure in a blanket. I rushed over to it and peeked in. The baby looked really cute asleep.

The doctor walked in.

"It's a girl, " he told us. "And you're going to be a big sister, " he said to me.

He smiled and put his hand on my back. I squealed. I was so excited. I had a little sister. Ideas of what we would do together flooded my mind.

"When do we take her home? " I asked the doctor.

"Oh, It will be a couple of days," he chuckled.

"Do you want to hold her? " he asked.

I went over to the small couch in the room. The doctor picked the baby up and placed her in my arms.

"Now, be very careful with her, " he said.

The infant was soft against my body and was like a heavy baby doll. Her tiny eyes were shut and every now and then her nose would twitch.

A few minutes later, mother woke up and smiled at us.

"Did you meet her? " she asked.

"Yeah, " I said.

Dad was helping John hold the baby now.

"We have to think of a name soon," she said.

"Do you have any ideas? " I thought for a minute.

"Susan! " I said finally. "That's an American name, "

I had always wanted to meet an American.

"I would like to give her a name that starts with 'J' like you guys, " she said.

"Jaime, " I said. "Or Julie, "

"What about Julia? " mother asked.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"It's a pretty name, " said my father.

"Can I see her? " asked mother.

Father lifted the child from John's grasp and gave her to mother. Cradling the newborn in her arms she whispered.

"Hi Julia, welcome to the world, " The sun was rising and a gleam of light from the window shone on the bed where mother sat. I could see Julia's skin. It was a soft peach, pink color.

Julia moved her eyes as if she were going to open them. I watched carefully, but she never opened them.

"Soon, " was all mother said as if she knew what I was thinking, and I think she did. "I want to sleep again, " she said. Father took Julia from her and placed her in the tiny bed beside mother.

"Let's let her go to sleep, " Father said. We said goodbye to mother and walked out of the room.

In the car, dad asked us if we wanted ice cream later to celebrate. John and I happily agreed. The rest of that day John and I talked about what we would get to do with our baby sister. I would walk her around in my doll carriage and tell her everything there is to know about Shirley Temple, my favorite American actress. I couldn't wait to bring Julia home.

***

I remembered that day like it was yesterday. Mom came home with a little bundle in her arms. She placed the bundle in a crib in the living room. I peeked in, only her face was showing. I touched her tiny hand, and slowly her eyes opened and looked straight at mine. They were the most beautiful blue I had ever seen. Prettier than the sky or the clearest ocean.

"Everyone, come here, " I yelled. John came running in.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Look!" I exclaimed. He peeked in the cradle. He gasped.

"She's so pretty, " he said in awe. Mom and Dad came in.

"What's all the commotion?" He asked and chuckled to himself.

"It's Julia, come look, " I said. Dad looked in and smiled.

"Oh, our daughter is so beautiful, " he said.

I frowned at him.

"Both of my daughters, " he finished and he patted my head, I smiled at him. I looked back in the crib. I swore I could see her wink, but maybe it was just the glistening in her bright blue eyes.

"Are all babies born with blue eyes? " I asked mother.

"Not always, " she said.

During that day I played with her. I shook a new rattle that mom got for the baby. The rest of the day Julia slept and so did mom.