Halliwell’s Episology (Year 1/2)
Finally, end of the day. I mean “school day” actually, a kindergarten school day to be exact. I like school, mummy said I look real smart carrying my school and lunch bag. I like my friends, there were so many of them, one whole class. We study, play and eat together for more than a couple of hours. I really like to be with them, but I still like best to be at home, to be with Grams, mum, Piper and of course there’s a real important one too, a baby Phoebe. I guessed when Piper was born, I was a 2 years old then, I knew nothing and couldn’t remember much. This time round, it’s different. How so? I’m in school which means I’m a big girl now, I can take care of myself, Piper and little Phoebe, and however much I wanted to spend all my time playing with Piper and watching Phoebe grows, I have to go to school to feel important and knowledgeable, whatsoever that means but that’s what mummy said and I have to listen. At least I’m far better than Piper who has to go to preschool. She cried lesser each day but she’s still crying” I watch her in tears every morning telling mummy in between her tears that she didn’t want to go to school, she wanted to stay at home with the baby, she winced and sobbed even when she stepped onto her bus, so unlike me. Actually I did my fair share, especially when I got home from school, I saw Piper going ‘goo-goo’ with the baby and I felt kinda left out”

Running into the manor straight past Grams who held the door opened for me, I headed straight into the living room, there’s where mummy usually put the baby there after she woke up from one of her afternoon naps. Like always, I found her lying on the small mattress mummy laid out for the baby, happily sucking at one of her feet, which she found out about a month ago. Piper was laying tummy down giggling at our sister’s adorable act. I couldn’t agree more, both of us enjoy doing things that would catch her attention and at times sit back watching her trying to imitate us, although in a least successful way. How I love to make her smile and cooed, the way she laughs never fails to break me up too. Sometimes when I looked at mummy, the way she laughed at us, the way she tickled baby Phoebe, then Piper and me, I knew that deep in her heart, she loves us next to nothing.

“Hey, who wants to feed the baby?” Grams said as she came in with the milk bottle.
“I want to!” Piper and I responded instantaneously.
“It’s my turn! You fed her the last time!” Piper reminded me.
“You can’t feed Phoebe, you can’t even hold the bottle straight.” I’m not going to give way to her.
“I can hold the bottle straight! I want to feed Phoebe!” She’s not going to give up either.
“I don’t care, I’m going to feed Phoebe.” I made my point loud and clear.
“Mummy”“ That’s what Piper was usually good at, seeking reinforcement.
“No arguments now sweeties.” Mummy in her most gentle and yet mother status voice.
“Mummy” “ I winced. “Piper always slips the nipple out of Phoebe’s mouth! And the milk goes all over her shirt!” I protested pointing out Piper’s fault.
“I didn’t! I did hold the bottle very tight! It just falls out!” She didn’t make sense again right?

Mummy came over at this point and took the bottle from Grams hand.

“Ok, why don’t you both feed her at the same time? Come, put out your hand each like this”“

Mummy managed to place one of our hands nicely on the bottle, somehow like declaring whose having which part of that cylinder’s property. Piper winced a little more and so did I but finally everything was settled. We placed the nipple into Phoebe’s mouth, she was already anticipating it and she opened her mouth even before the nipple reached its destination. Piper and I had to forget the past minute thing and laughed at our sister’s forever-hungry tummy. And so she sucked, in one long breathe, only to pause to take in another fresh breathing hurriedly. We giggled as we watched the air bubbles going back into the bottle while she took a breath and she smiled big knowing that we were happy. But before she let out a loud ‘coo-coo’, she went back sucking at the nipple again, her small little fingers managed to hold onto our other hands separately. We watched in silence as our baby sister slowly drained the contents in the bottle. Not to anyone of our expectation, Phoebe reached out for the bottle. With her big brown eyes focus on the object in front of her, she finally caught hold of it with both her hands.

“Look mummy! Phoebe’s holding her own bottle!” I squealed with joy.
“Mummy! Mummy! See?! See?!” Piper was equally elated and she let go of her own hold.

Mummy was of course smiling big time.

“Prue honey, let go slowly” see if little Phoebe can hold it by herself.”

I made sure that Phoebe really had a firm hold of the bottle, and slowly I let go of my hand. Imagine our amazement, baby Phoebe was able to hold the bottle in her small hands, still sucking away not knowing what accomplishment she just made, though not at all in steady hands yet. But I sure have something to tell my friends in school tomorrow, that my 6 months old baby sister could hold her own bottle now, in a proud way.

“She’s a fast learner Patty.” Grams who was quietly watching all of us finally broke a silence.
“Yes mum, she sure is quick.” I saw mummy blushed in red, joy of Phoebe’s everything.

At this moment, baby Phoebe seemed tired of holding her own bottle and she laid it down on her front, and it slides to one side. Piper caught hold of it and held it there for her again, I did not fight with her this time. I just sat beside my baby sister watching, I let her hold my finger in her fingers, she never fails to touch my hand all over, mummy told me that Phoebe was trying to find out answers to her own little questions, trying to discover things to satisfy her own little world of curiosities. Along the way, I tried to help her by telling her this and that, hoping that she would somehow understand. I love the times when she looked straight into my eyes with mouth opened as I talked. She would look away and suddenly back at me again. Her big eyes full of wonder and recognition. Then she would smile and sometimes laughed in her baby way, either everything I said seemed funny or rather, I was the hilarious one. When I carried her, she would never fail to grab a handful of my hair, pulling and laughing again as I tried to move my head away from her hand’s reach. Then she would get hold of my ear and held it in her little fingers tight, not hard but ticklish at times. Mummy said she’s trying to find out. During these moments, I never want to stop planting many small and big kisses on her chubby cheek, from her hands, tummy to her toes, making her laughed as she seemed to like and enjoy it, and so do I.

“Mummy, baby has finished her milk.” Piper turned in the bottle to mummy.
“Sweeties, play with Phoebe while mummy help Grams in the kitchen, ok?” Mummy said and stood up. I guessed she sort of knew that we would more than willing to do it so.
“Ok!” That was Piper’s eager response. I smiled at mummy, that’s what made it all known.

As mummy and Grams went towards the kitchen, I turned back on the baby still lying on the mattress. She was a wild one, flapping her arms about, kicking her legs especially when one tried to change her diapers or play with her at front. Right then, she was ‘talking’ with Piper, in her baby language both of us don’t understand but never fail to imitate some.

“Piper, let’s tell Phoebe a story.” I suggested.
“She won’t understand.” Piper looked at me wide eyes.
“We just have to tell her, maybe she will.” I insisted my way.
“Just like when mummy gives her milk, she drinks it because she’s hungry right?”
“”Yes, something like that, I think.” But I really thought people eat because they were being asked to, like what Grams do, always pushing plates in front of us telling us to clear everything on it, even when we were not hungry.
“Ok, I will get a book.” Piper stood up and ran off. Phoebe’s eyes trailed after her for a while before coming back to me.
“Hello Phoebe, you are so cute”“ I teased her and she looked at me with biggie eyes.
“You love me? Huh? Do you love me? I love you baby, I love you so much Phoebs”“ My sister smiled widely and cooed at me, then she put all her fingers into her mouth.
“Hey. That’s dirty Phoebs”“ I took her hand out and she giggled. Mummy left a hankie behind and I use it to wipe her wet hand. When I’m done, little Phoebe put it back into her mouth again.
“Phoebe! You are a naughty and dirty baby!” I told her nicely and yet showing her my displeasure with a smiling face. Instead of her big smile, she looked back at me with curious eyes, mouth opened.
“Why are you looking at me baby? Why are you looking at your big sister Phoebs?”
At that, she broke into a baby laugh and I have to follow suit, But I caught on what’s the joke or whatever that was making her laugh. And I have to experiment with it.
“Phoebs?” She baby cooed at me.
“Phoebs, Phoebs?” She baby laughed and saliva drooled from her opened mouth.
“Phoebs, Phoebs! You like it do you? You like the name I call you right? Phoebs?” I tickled her lightly at the side of her ribs and she giggled out loudly, her sunshine smile made my heart glow warmer. Then she turned over to her other side, I was about to turn her back when she did the most unthinkable, she was trying to pull herself up onto her tummy! I was surprised and I waited by her side to see how much she could accomplish. Baby Phoebe fell back but she didn’t just give up. She tried flipping over again but somehow, her left arm was obstructing her way. That’s when I decided to give her a hand, I gently pulled her arm out from beneath freeing her way and she finally turned over! With her arms nicely spread out in front of her, baby Phoebe was looking up in big wide eyes at me lying on her tummy!

“Good girl! You are soooo clever! Good sister!” I clapped happily and she cooed in response. I planted a huge long kiss on her cheek and she stayed in that position unmoving, just to wait for me to finish my part or rather loving what I’m doing. Sometimes at the corner of my eyes, I could see that Phoebe looked so concentrating when I kissed her” mummy said she knows she’s been love. Piper came around the corner, saw what baby Phoebe has done, yelled in sweet joy and rushed off to tell mummy and Grams. I pasted my face as close to hers as possible, taking in the sweet smell of her after shampoo. In her eagerness to turn and look at me, she actually brushed her small lip on mine. Oh I simply love that baby kiss of hers, so sweet and so loving, though I mind a little about her endless drooling”

~~~~~~~~~~

(23 years later” Halliwell’s manor, Prue’s room. I lay in bed holding a dear photo of Piper and me, sleeping close to Phoebe on the mattress in the living room when she was just 6 months old. I remembered that precious moment, when she made her first flip onto her tummy, and took so much liking to the small name I gave her, ‘Phoebs’. Somehow, the rest of the family took after what I started. She was never addressed as ‘Phoebe’ that much when she was young, only for times when she was in trouble with us hopping mad and yelling at a two syllabus, which actually became known to all in the family that she was in a more serious situation than just ‘Phoebs’ alone. In fact over the years, I learnt to tune the tone when calling out her name, with the necessary question marks, exclamation marks, full stop and her name hanging in the air tone. I applied it to different occasion and usually it brought back what I desired, though some disastrous mind you. But no doubt about it, she still love the baby name I gave her, and during moments when we shared our sisterly times, if I called her at the best time in my best loving tone, it would never fail to give me a rewarding hug and kiss from her, and sure a huge one, I’m not kidding” The door flung opened, who else came skipping in but her, and she hopped onto my bed giving me the shake ignoring the roll in my eyes.

“PRUE!” She actually has to holler when she was just inches away from my face.
“What happened to knocking?” I questioned, knowing fully well her answer.
“Why? You’re not changing, and definitely not hiding a man. You are too backdated for that.” Squealed a joyful sister.
“Backdated? Whatever do you mean by that?” It’s true I haven’t been dating of late, but to use that word?!?!
“Awwww come on sister. Since when is your last date huh? Since when did you last bring one home? It seemed now that Piper is the busiest, handling P3 and Leo, me with my schoolwork and lots of cuties guys in college and last but not least, you?” She has that kind of smirk on her face telling me that it’s all the truth.
“I’m working, and I do meet a lot of great guys too.” I’m trying to kick in some defense now.
“Guys without a room for you. Prue, you really need some fireworks in your life.”
“Yeah? Like what will you suggest Phoebs?”
“How about paying for you and my trip to Hawaii and I videotape you running naked down the white sandy beach. Then I will have it send to the mating agency for them to sort out an equally naked guy for you! How’s that?” She was practically giggling at her own crazy naked idea.
“Wow, that’s one great naked thinking and what have I got to lose to see for the first time in my life a naked female camera woman chasing after a naked me!” I have to laugh at her psycho suggestion but it did stir up something in me, my love for a mischievous sister.

I pushed her at her head and she went down on the bed laughing as crazily as I did. A moment later when we both stopped, she pulled herself up and lying on her tummy, she looked at me longingly. I stared after her, long enough to finally break the silence”

“What? Why are you looking at me like this?”
“Prue? I have to tell you something” I waited.
“I want to tell you that, I love you a lot from the time I recognize you as my big sister, to the time you carry me, you hold my hands, and even when you fought with me. And all the time when you are worried about me, mad at whatever that hurts me you love me Prue, I just want you to know that.”

Not waiting for me to say a thing, she threw herself on top of me and hugged me tight. Locking my arms behind her back, I took in the sweet smell of her after shampoo again, I never seemed to get tired of doing that, not before, now or ever. For so long as I’m around, she will always be my baby Phoebe ‘Phoebs’”.