‘Juliette’

FINALLY, Dad calls Grandma to come stay with me. The big event begins. Mom goes into the hospital to have our baby.

My new baby sister. Her name is going to be Juliette! Dad and Mom and I chose that name for her way, way back.

They come home at last!

Grandma and I watch for their car.

When I first see my new baby sister I can’t believe she’s so small, almost as small as Whiskers and just as pretty.

We sit on the couch and I get to hold her. I ask Dad if he will bring the nature book.

He opens it for me to the picture of the little deer.

“See?” I whisper. “There’s one just like this in the zoo. And her name is Juliette too. I named her for you! Do you like her?”

Juliette doesn’t answer, of course, though I think she hears me.

“And soon we’ll go to the zoo to see her.” I tell her. “And I’ll say, ‘Juliette? I want you to meet Juliette!’ She’ll get bigger and so will you, and we can go visit her lots of times.” I kiss the top of her head and I’m really happy.

It’s so cool. My little sister got a ton of baby gifts.

But only her big brother thought of giving her something as wonderful as a tiny, beautiful deer named just for her, a deer called Juliette.

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This story will be on The Times’ Web site at www.latimes.com/kids. Monday: “Meet Inner-City Arts.”