Reverse brother
Chapter 1
So, my mom had a baby brother during my
summer break from college.
When I got home, I saw Aunt Carol practically sprinting out of the hospital, wrapped in a blanket.
Something felt seriously off.
I got the feeling something was wrong, so
during the baby’s first bath party, I switched
the two kids.
Years later, at my brother’s wedding, this
scrawny dude shows up with his family,
claiming kinship.
A
:
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“Lisa, I’m your real brother!”
I was late getting back the day Mikey was
born.
All I saw was Mom in her hospital bed.
“Your brother’s getting checked out, you’ll
see him soon.”
All those TV shows about switched–at–birth
kids flashed through my head, so I booked it
out of there.
“Who took him? They can’t just swap babies,
right?”
Mom was exhausted, barely breathing, but
L
she still managed to yell.
“Lay off the cheesy novels, Lisa! Your dad’s
with him!”
She even weakly swung a fist, so I bailed,
saying:
“I’m gonna go peek at Mikey.”
In the hallway, Dad and Uncle Frank were
deep in conversation, but no baby in sight.
“Dad, where’s Mikey?”
“Right here! Look at this chunker, Lisa! You
got a little brother now, so you won’t get
picked on when you start dating.” Aunt Carol
waltzed over with a baby in her arms,
grinning.
That comment was rude, but I let it slide.
Dad frowned, saying dryly: “He looked bigger
a minute ago. He better grow fast so he can
do chores for his big sister.”
Aunt Carol gave him this condescending look,
saying: “What kind of talk is that? A son
doesn’t listen to his daughter! Everything
should go to the son, that’s how it’s always
been, and how it will be!”
The air got thick.
Uncle Frank caught on and quickly dragged
her away.
I stared at the little guy in her arms,
muttering, “He looks so tiny.”
6
Heading back to Mom’s room, I glanced out
the window.
Aunt Carol was getting into her car with the
exact same blanket.
Alarm bells went off in my head.
I found out my cousin Shelly was also in the
hospital, having just had a boy.
But did she really need to haul her newborn
out of there so soon?
That’s when I figured it out, that baby was
swapped.
I looked down at the infant in my arms.
Wee my life turning inte
on opera2
حصصصص
Was my life turning into a soap opera?
I tried to hint at what I suspected to my
parents, but they brushed it off.
Dad gave me the “concerned dad” look. “Your
aunt Carol doesn’t mean any harm. She’s just
got a big mouth. She’s older, don’t be
disrespectful, and don’t hold grudges.”
Mom chimed in. “Listen to your father. How
many clothes and candies did your Aunt Carol
buy you when you were a kid? You can’t just
forget that!”
I unwrapped Mikey. “Look, the doctor said he
was a chubby baby when he was born. Why is
he so scrawny now?”
Dad hemmed and hawed, still defending his
brother. “Maybe the
doctor got it wrong? How
many babies are born every day? He can’t
remember them all.”
Mom gave me a disapproving look. “Lisa, do you not like Mikey? I promise he won’t steal your stuff. I’ll write it down in blood if I have
to! Just leave it alone!”
Fine.
I’d handle this myself.
I started digging into the details of Mikey’s
“check–up.”
2
8
My parents have worked their butts off and
made a pretty good living.
We aren’t rich, but we aren’t poor, so it
wouldn’t be a surprise if someone wanted
what was ours.
Eventually, I got hold of nervous little nurse.
a
She told me Dad was there the whole time,
but Uncle Frank distracted him with some
questions.
