25 Philadelphia by Peter Kapp “Peter... Peter…” She waits a little longer for a response this time. “Peter. PETER!” My sister, clearly impatient, rolls me over and rather violently shakes me awake. I reluctantly squint open one eye to find her face oddly close to mine, then rub both with my fists, willing them open. “Hey Emily,” I say sluggishly. “Peter. Look outside. Grandma’s car is here.” I’m confused, but not complaining. Nothing bad ever seems to come from Grandma and Grandpa. I decide today is the day. Mom had explained the whole thing to me. Her belly would get bigger and bigger, and one day it would get so big that a baby would burst out. I wonder if Emily understands all this as well as I do as I sit up halfway and turn to the window to see the silver Jaguar in the driveway. Emily, still very close to my face in an effort to wake me up faster, shakes my arm for a few seconds before I’m fully upright. “Come on! I wanna go see what they’re doing here. Get up!” She pulls down the covers, revealing the rest of my red and white striped Christmas pajamas that match hers. Throwing my feet over the edge of the bed, I have questions: Do babies eat? Where’s it going to sleep? How long until it can walk? More importantly, how long until it can throw? How can such a small thing go to the bathroom without falling in the toilet? Emily and I walk out of the blue room at the end of the hall and run down to Mom’s room, making far more noise than one would think two people of such little size could
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