BORN LIKE THIS ( BOOK 1 )

Chapter 2 New Comer

We reached home. Mom was seated on the sofa. I was agitated to know the good news.

My grandma is a Muslim. When my father married my mom, he converted into a Buddhist in his own will as my mom is a Buddhist. My grandma didn't like it, she used to hurt mom so much that she would cry everyday in the washroom. Things started to change when I was born. Dad was brainwashed by my grandma. She told that Muslim customs should be respected. Then mom too accepted the whole lot dad said after the conflicts she had with dad.

"Hey sweetie, come sit next to us. We have a good news." she said in a singing tone.

"Mom is right. We are having a new member in the house"

"Yes darling, your gonna have a baby brother"

I knew something was up but this was a quite a good surprise. Being the only child was boring enough. I had to play alone. Nikasha shows up once a week barely. Now I can play with my baby brother. I was born under a lucky star.

"How? Did you ate it?" I didn't know how babies come. I am a curious little child. Many individuals call me curious George.

"Ate what sweetheart?" My mom dazed.

"The baby, did you ate it? How is the baby in your tummy?"

"No, it's just you know... you know.. you will know when you grow up" she clearly didn't have a response.

The moment I reached school I told Nikasha about the wonderful news. I had other friends too. Asini is one of my bestie. After she left school, Nikasha and Panindu were my besties. A lot of my friends had a crush on our history teacher one of them was Panindu.

" I have an elder brother. I hate him, he hits me all the time and also take all my sweets from me. I hate brothers" he sighed.

"Really! Why did he do that?" I was bowled over.

"That's how brothers are Amaya. You should be sad having a brother" he alerted.

"Your a brother too for him..Are you evil? I explained "I am having a younger brother, it won't matter for me" it is equally debated.

Panindu has an elder brother and I have a younger brother. It's different. I just self assured and was happy again considering what I shall do when my brother come to light from mom's stomach.

Time rolled by, mom's tummy was growing bigger and bigger. I had this fear that the tummy might burst one day. My mom lived through distress. Even though mom was pregnant, my dad requested work from her. She is expected to mop the floor twice a day. Dad bought all what she likes but the whole lot of weight was put on her. She walks several times up and down the stairs.

My mom wanted to name her son as Abheetha which means brave. But grandma screamt saying " If you'll didn't let me name my grandson, I will run out of this house". Dad was frightened that grandma will run out of this house and then it became her wish to name the baby boy.

My mom and dad was in the hospital. Grandma told me that the baby will come home soon. I was eager to see the baby.

My grandma said that she had slaughtered a goat for me when I was born. She said two goats are slaughtered for a boy and one for a girl. She said that Muslims celebrate the birth of a baby in a ceromony called Aqiqah. Aqiqah is performed seven days after a baby is born. If Aqiqah can't be done on the seventh day after the baby is born, it should be done on the 14th day, or the 21st day, or the 28th day and so on.

I didn't have time to concentrate on what she was saying. I had bigger thoughts in my head. The bell rang I dashed to open the door. It was mom with the baby. She handed the baby to me.

"There you go the new member of the house."