‘Me and My Baby Sister’

He loved her even before he laid eyes on her; he would accompany me for my pre-natal check-ups and burst into the clinic asking: "So, doctor, how is my baby?"

The doctor would correct him: “It’s mummy’s baby.”

And he would correct the doctor: “No, doctor, she’s my baby.”

The first thing he said to her, a couple of hours after she was born, was: “Meimei, you are so beautiful.” The second thing he said was that he would protect her so long as they both shall live.

The first incident of significance was when she was 5 years old, and he, 9. A neighbour in the next block stole something that was dear to her. He found out where that neighbour lived and went to ask that the stolen item be returned.

Sadly, the young thief’s father gave him a frightful scolding him. All righteous, he told the man: “I don’t know how you raise your children, but in my family, there are no thieves.” The man waved a threatening finger at him.

He snatched away the stolen item and told the man: “I’m only taking back what rightfully belongs to my sister.”

On another occasion, when she was 11 and he 14, another neighbour sent profanities to her mobile. Innocently, she asked him what those words meant.

After finding out where that “texter” lived, he went to her home. He asked the texter’s mother if that particular mobile number belonged to her daughter. The texter’s mother confirmed it. He then showed the texter’s mother the text that showed the profanities.

The texter’s mother was appalled and apologised.

“I am upset that your daughter has introduced such words to my sister. But I think your daughter should apologise to my sister.”

The texter’s mother made her daughter apologise to both him and her. For good measure, she confiscated her daughter’s mobile.

As the brother-sister set grew up best friends, I remarked that they were not normal because they never quarrelled.

Me and my big mouth! The very same day, they did.

Just as a walked through the front door, she stormed out of his room, shouted that she was no longer going to speak with him and slammed the door shut. He reopened the door and shouted that he was fine with that.

Foolishly, I felt quite pleased that they were, at last, “normal”.

For a whole week, I noticed that they did not speak with each other, and both wore long, angry expressions. I decided to mediate.

After much trying, she burst laughing.

I scolded: “This is no laughing matter. The two of you have not spoken to each other for far too long. Whatever you were upset with, sort it out and move on.”

Poker-faced, he said: “Mum, didn’t you say we were not ‘normal’ because we never quarrelled? So we have. Why are you still upset?”

I said they were carrying it too far and I stressed that they had to make up.

She laughed out loud and said: “Mum! We’re only kidding you! We didn’t quarrel. We were just putting up a show!”

He explained that they had carried on life as normal every day – until I walked through the door.

“Do you prefer us ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’?” he asked.

When he checked into Boarding School, she would hold on to him and cry. Years later, when she checked into Boarding School, she would also hold on to him and cry.

“Meimei, it’s just until Friday when you’ll be home again,” he consoled.

“But I shall miss you so much.”

“Call me when you can, and I’ll drop everything to talk to you, OK?” he promised.

Last night, he made me drive out to Adam Road Food Centre to buy her favourite Pork Rib Noodles. When I asked why he bought an extra share, he said a girl was coming over.

Ooooh… Girlfriend? Did they meet at uni? How long had they been going out? He must be serious about her to bring her home…

“You’re so annoying, Mum. If you must know, she’s a Roman Catholic.”

What that last remark had to do with my questions, I couldn’t figure out.

He and I watched the All Blacks-Wallabies Super Rugby Cup final on Cable TV. And just as All Blacks made its second conversion to take a 6-0 lead, a head popped into the living room and a soft voice said: “Hi Mum.”

The night before, she had called him and made him promise not to tell me that she was coming home to visit.

Surprised? I surely was. Cuddles beat calls any time.

No regret whatsoever that Andreas and Michaela are best friends.