Anderson Brothers fic by the lovely Emma, written for me for my birthday.
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Cooper Anderson is seven years old when he finds out he is going to be a big brother.
“But, Ma!” he whines, tugging at the hem of his mother’s dress as she cleans up the kitchen. His parents had broken the news to him over dinner, and all of the sudden his favorite spaghetti and meatballs didn’t taste good anymore. “What if I don’t want a brother or a sister?” he asks, his dark eyebrows drawn together with worry.
“Cooper, this is not up for discussion,” his father replies crisply from the table, where he is finishing reading the newspaper.
“But I like being the only kid in the house! I don’t wanna share!” Cooper cries, looking up at his mother with his blue eyes full of sadness. “Please don’t have a baby, Mama. I love you,” he says, hiding his face in her dress.
“Oh, Cooper,” she sighs, running a perfectly manicured hand through his dark messy hair. “I know you may be afraid that this new baby will make us love you less, but trust me when I promise you that it won’t.”
“Yes it will,” Cooper mumbles. “And I bet it’s going to hate me.”
“How can you say that?” his mom asks, kneeling down to his level. “Look at me, Coop,” she whispers, tilting his chin up so that he has to meet her hazel eyes. “Your little brother or sister is going to love you more than anyone else in this world. Do you want to know why?”
“Why?” Cooper asks meekly.
“Because you’re going to be their big brother, and that’s going to mean the world to them,” his mother tells him. “You’re going to be their protector, their secret-keeper, their advisor, and their best friend. You are going to make an amazing big brother, Coop.” Her eyes are brimming with tears, and she’s smiling that smile that’s usually reserved for good grades on his report card or a goal at the soccer game.
“You really think so?” he whispers, trying not to smile.
“I know so, darling,” she replies, kissing him on the forehead. Cooper shakes his head and tries to wipe the kiss off with his sleeve, but his mom is still smiling at him like she does when he does something really good.
Cooper thinks that if his mom is going to smile at him like that, maybe he can give this big brother thing a try…
