Broken (Prequel to Beauty and the High-Functioning Sociopath)

Jawn!

Harriet Watson stood, hovering over the phone at her house. Her younger brother was paging through a comic book on the couch. He could care less that his mother was giving birth at the hospital.

"Harry, calm down. Dad said he'd call as soon as Mum gave birth and they knew the gender." John Watson said. He rolled his eyes. "I don't really care anyway..."

"How can you not care?" Harry gaped. "It's so exciting! I hope it's a little girl!"

"Hm. I'm just gonna become the middle child." John said.

"Welcome to Forgotten Kidsville, bro." Harry said. "Population: You and me."

"I'd rather it was just you." John said.

"Well, deal with it." Harry snapped.

"Geez." John muttered. "No need to snap."

The phone suddenly rang. John's head snapped up. Even if he didn't care about the new edition to the family, he wanted to make sure his mother was okay. Harry ran to the phone.

"It's Dad. Hello?" She said, answering the phone. John crept over to her. He instantly regretted it and jumped back when Harry let out a scream of excitement. "It's a girl, John!"

"What's her name?" John asked.

"What's her name?" Harry repeated over the phone. She listened for a second and then turned back to her younger brother. "They've decided to call her Alexandra Sierra Watson." 

"That's a nice name. Alexandra's a Russian name, right?" John asked.

"Hang on." Harry said, listening to what else her father had to say. When she hung up, she turned back to John. "Yes, Alexandra's a Russian name."

"That's a mouthful. Alexandra takes too long to say." John said. "I'm gonna call her Alex for short."

"Why not Lexi?" Harry asked. "That sounds more ladylike."

"Well, I wanted a little brother, so yeah." John flopped back down on the couch. 

"Dad said we could go see her later today." Harry said.

"Great, I get to see a thing that only cries, eats, and goes to the bathroom." John said.

"Oh, come on, John!" Harry said. 

"You go. I'll stay here." John said.

"I'll buy you a new comic book and some soda." Harry said.

"Two new comic books." John said.

"Deal." Harry said. "I don't get why you don't care. I was excited when you were born."

"Because you're a girl. Boys aren't intrested in these kinds of things." John said. 

"Boys are weird." Harry said.

"Newsflash: We think the same thing about girls." John said. "You're buying those comic books and soda as soon as we're done seeing this dumb baby."

"This 'dumb baby' happens to be your little sister." Harry said. 

"Like that makes a difference." John scoffed.

Later that day, Harry and John took the bus to the hospital. Harry didn't have her driver's license yet and even if she did, she wasn't allowed to drive alone until she was eighteen. They walked into the hospital together. John didn't want to be here at all. He and Harry walked to their mother's room. Their mother sat up a little straighter and smiled weakly at them.

"Hi, you two." She said. 

"Are you okay, mum?" Harry asked.

"I'm just fine, Harriet." Thier mother said. Both parents insisted on calling Harry by her full name. "A little tired though."