The Day Umi Was Sick

Usually, every morning, Umi was already in the kitchen. There was the smell of toast and the sound of Umi humming.

But this morning the kitchen was quiet. Umi's room was dark. Umi was still lying in bed with the blanket up to her chin.

"Umi?" Baby Mo peeked round the door.

"Umi is sick, sweetheart," Abi said softly. He put a thermometer on the little table. "Umi has a fever. She needs to rest."

Baby Ais looked at Umi anxiously. Umi who was always strong. Umi who always carried them. Umi who always knew where the lost socks were. Now Umi looked weak.

"If Umi is sick, who takes care of Umi?" asked Baby Ais.

Abi crouched down. "What if today… we take care of Umi?"

Baby Mo stood up straight like a soldier. "Ready!"

They made a plan. Baby Mo's job: bring water. Baby Ais's job: keep Umi warm. Abi's job: make soup.

Baby Mo carried the glass of water in both hands, walking very, very slowly so it wouldn't spill. One step. Two steps. Three steps. "Here, Umi. Drink up."

Umi smiled weakly. "Thank you, big brother Mo."

Baby Ais pulled Umi's blanket straight, then put her toy rabbit beside Umi's pillow. "So Umi has a friend."

Then Baby Ais had an idea. She got paper and crayons and drew something: Umi smiling under a big sun, with wobbly letters that said "GT WEL UMI".

"Get well, Umi," Baby Ais read her own writing proudly.

From the kitchen came the smell of chicken soup. Abi brought in a steaming bowl. Baby Mo blew on the soup so it wouldn't be too hot. Phoo, phoo.

That afternoon the house was very calm. Baby Mo and Baby Ais talked in whispers so Umi could sleep. They played on the floor very quietly, like two little mice.

Every time they passed the bedroom, they whispered together, "Umi rests, we keep watch. Umi rests, we keep watch."

In the evening, Umi sat up in bed. Her face looked fresher. "I feel a bit better," she said. "Maybe because I had the two best nurses in the world."

Baby Mo and Baby Ais climbed onto the bed and hugged Umi gently, very carefully.

Abi said, "Do you know? Someone once asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who most deserves our kindness."

"Your mother." The man asked, "Then who?" He said, "Your mother." "Then who?" "Your mother." "Then who?" "Then your father." (Bukhari 5971, Muslim 2548)

"Mother three times!" cried Baby Ais, holding up three fingers.

"Today you were kind to Umi three times, four times, lots of times," said Abi.

That night, it was Umi's turn to whisper to them before sleep, "Thank you for taking care of me. I love you both."

Talk it over with your little one: when someone in the family is sick, what small kindness can we do for them? 💐