The siblinghood of Abang and Adik

Scene 1

“ Mum… “ said my daughter when I returned home late Wednesday night. My son was already asleep ( kesian dia and kesian mak dia ). “ Tadi kan Abang marah Memen ( Jazmyn, his cousin ).” Why, I asked. “ Haa… Abang marah Memen because Memen kacau dia. Memen cry, “

“ Really ? “ said I, a bit upset. “ Yes Mum. And then I hug her and say everything is okay… “

She then said in a lowered tone, " Memen kacau Abang Mummy. Remember that, ".

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Oh okay.. after you ratted on him, you wanna save is arse ? Make up your mind, please...

Scene 2

Last week we were in the car and Abang was being exceptionally active. Babah of course allowed him some time before Babah asked him to stop.

“ But I just want to make Adik laugh," he protested.

“ No, Abang. Be quiet. I can’t concentrate on my driving with you bouncing at the back,"

“ I just want to make my sister laugh, “ he again protested. Then his sister tried to save the day by saying, “ It’s okay Abang. I don’t need to laugh." Ha ha…

Scene 3

Usually Babah and I would tuck our children into their bed and went to sleep happy in the thought of waking up fresh. But as the night went on, we wouldn’t know if anybody would join us and cramp the space.

Anyway, one night we were woken up by the sounds of our daughter crying. “ What is she saying Babah? " I asked sleepily. “ Sounds like where is my Abang," Babah replied also drowsily.

At that I realised there was another person next to me, but shorter with smelly hair ( since Abang is super active, he sweats all the time and therefore I could hardly remember him having nice smelling hair ). “ Oh, Abang is here… “ I said. Babah then went to pick up his little girl to join us. “ Mummy, where is my Abang ?" she asked tearily. I pointed at her brother without looking at her.

“ Abang ! There you are !!" She said as she fell next to me. A minute after that she was already asleep, safe in the thought that her brother is not lost after all.

Scene 4

“ Mum, Adik dropped her books on my nose and it is bleeding," said my son one day, hand cupping his large nose. When I unclasped his hand, sure enough there was blood dripping from one orifice.

Babah was upset. To make things worse, he asked the thing that Adik didn’t like to do under duress, apologise. She can apologise but at her own time, never when forced. Never. She kept her head up high and refused to comply. Babah was understandably upset.

He then made Abang stand in front of his sister and encircled Adik’s hands on his waist. “ Hug and say sorry," Babah commanded. Nope, none doing. Her hands fell listlessly at her side when Babah let them go. Abang looked at his sister with pity.

He hugged her and said in a squeaky voice, his imitation of a girl’s tone. “ Sorry Abang, “ he squeaked. “ Dah Bah. She said sorry already,". Babah looked at him and he dropped the act. He then looked at me to hide his laughing face.

“ Bah, it’s okay. I am not angry. Dia tak sengaja Bah," he said, and led his sister away.

I was lucky that day. Lucky because as I looked in to check on them I saw my little girl looked at her brother who was next to her and said “ Sorry Abang." Abang looked at her and said “ It’s okay, Adik." She then reached for him and gave him a hug, sideways.