The Cherry Trees

Chapter Eighteen: 2013

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart, it's Mom," said a famililar voice on the other end of the phone. Then my stomach sank, I had completely forgotten to call her all wek.

"Oh, hey Mom!" I said.

"Honey, I know you have been busy all week, but would it have killed you to call me atleast once?" she asked.

I sighed on the other end of the phone, and Lexi motioned for me to wrap it up, she was becoming impatient, since I had left in the middle of our board game.

"Sorry, Mom," I said.

"It's okay. I wish that you were here right now though, I have something I need to tell you," my mom said giddily.

Great. This could only mean one thing. She had won a shopping spree or something that I would hate, but she would insist on taking me.

"Please, do tell Mom," I said, trying my hardest to sound interested.

"Well... your dad and I just found out today, but.... you are going to have a baby brother or sister!"

Whoa. Not what I was expecting. I didn't want any siblings! They would be crying and screaming all the time, and I knew I wouldn't be able to stand that. Plus, this would take away from my life! I wouldn't be able to have Lexi sleepover, because we would wake up this new baby! I didn't want a brother. I didn't want a sister. I just wanted to be an only child and be happy like I had been. What if we had to move again? I couldn't leave now! Suddenly, this baby thing seemed to be ruining my entire life. I must have been thinking about this for a while, because my mom started calling my name.

"Anne? Anne, are you still there?" she asked.

I sighed. "Yeah, I am."

"Well? What do you think?" Mom said.

What I really wanted to say, "How much longer do I have left to live a good life?"

What I had to say, "I am so excited! I can't wait to have a sibling! What are you going to name him?"

I could practically hear my mom smiling on the other end of the phone. "Well, we were going to leave that up to you. You can name it whatever you want."

"Okay Mom, I'll think about it," I said, "but I really have to go."

"Okay! I will talk to you tomorrow!" she said.

"Bye!"

I slid down the wall and sat on the cool tiled floor. I was going to have a sibling. I felt like screaming.

"Your mom is having a baby?" Lexi asked from the living room.

"Yup. My life is officially ruined. And the best part is, I get to name it," I said sourly.

"Anne. That is the best part!" Lexi said.

Great, yet another person with baby joy. "That's wonderful, Lexi. Why don't you pick out a name, and I will just tell my mom what it is. Okay?"

"No, seriously. You could ruin this kid's life. Name it whatever you want? Do you know how many embarrassing names are out there? You could basically get this baby back!" she said.

I liked her thinking. "Hmm, you are right. But what to name it?"

Lexi got that evil smile on her face that I knew too well.

-

"Salvator!"

Disgusting.

"Atticus!"

Strange.

"Ofilia, Yoshi, Sebastian, Gweneth, Gretel, Gunther, Shaquetta!" Lexi shouted out.

Ew,ew,ew,ew,ew,ew,ew! But yes! One of these baby names was going to be the one. And not becuase of its origin, or because the name was from a relative, or even because it flowed with the last name Gallot perfectly. Just because it was the worst a name could ever get. This child was going to regret being born.

But then there was this nagging feeling in the bottom of my stomach. What if I ended up actually liking my brother or sister? What if instead of making my life miserabe, they made it fun? I mean, I had kind of been lonely before I lived next to Lexi. Maybe this was for the better. Maybe, this kid deserved a name that was nice, something that it would thank me for later.

I told Lexi my thoughts. "Aw man. I just thought of a really bad one," she said.

"What is it?" I asked, just curious.

"Lamiketavius!" she said.

"Is that even a name?" I asked laughing.

Lexi giggled. "You can name this kid whatever you want. she said."

I continued to laugh, rolling on the soft living room carpet, and completely trampling our board game. I decided that I would suggest that to my parents just to see their reactions.

I was tearing up I was laughing so hard, before I could finally speak. "Maybe we should think of some good names too, just in case."

Lexi sighed. "I still like Lamiketavius," she said, "but I guess I could think up some good names as well."