by Patricia Fry
“There’s no mistake, Leah. Little Charlie has Downs. How severe or what his disabilities will be, we don’t know. I suggest you do some reading so you’ll understand what the possibilities are. My nurse will send you home with a pamphlet, a DVD, and the link to a good website for you to study.”
Suddenly, Leah stood and walked out of the office with Charlie in her arms. The doctor watched her disappear, then he focused on Savannah. “It sometimes takes parents a little time to get used to the idea. There are a number of possible reactions, so keep an eye on her and let me know if you need me to talk to her about this after she absorbs the information.”
“Thank you, doctor,” Savannah said.
“And don’t let her blame herself. There’s nothing she could have done to prevent this, and she is not being punished for any misdeeds. Make sure you nip any of that thinking in the bud, will you?” When Savannah rose to leave, he said, “There are many wonderful, much loved Downs children in this world. I hope you or someone else can help her to realize this. These children can be some of life’s greatest blessings.”
“Thank you, doctor,” Savannah said, shaking hands with him before leaving his office. When she reached the lobby and saw that Leah wasn’t there, she asked the receptionist if the young mother had picked up any pamphlets.
“No,” she said. “She just walked out of here like a zombie.”
“Could you give me some information on children with Downs, please?”
“Certainly,” the receptionist said, digging in a drawer and coming up with a handful of material.
Savannah found Leah sitting in her car, still holding baby Charlie close. “Let’s put him in his car seat, shall we?” she said, taking the baby from her.
After letting go only reluctantly, Leah said, “I’ll sit back there with him.”
“Nothing has changed, Leah,” Savannah said as she drove them home. “He’s still a wonderful, healthy, beautiful baby.”
“Everything has changed,” she said. “His whole future is gone. Neither of us has anything to look forward to and Harrison... oh no, Harrison surely won’t want any part of his life once he knows,” she wailed. “I wonder if I could keep it from him. I could do that for a while, don’t you think?”
Savannah glanced in the rearview mirror and grimaced. “Now the last thing you want to do, Leah, is start a relationship on lies.”
“I guess you’re right,” she said, sinking back into the seat.
“You can’t second-guess people, hon. When you’re ready, tell Harrison and let him decide how to react. You owe it to him and to Charlie.” She picked up the information packet off the seat and handed it back to Leah. “I suggest you take a look at this material as soon as you’re ready.”
Leah remained quiet the rest of the way home. When they arrived, she unstrapped the baby, scooped him up along with the information packet, and headed straight for her room. It was two hours before she appeared in the living room where Savannah was reading to Lily.
“Baby?” Lily said, turning her hands over as if indicating, “all gone.”
Leah chuckled. “Baby’s asleep.” She showed Lily the baby monitor and said, “We’ll listen for when the baby cries.”
The two women grinned when Lily reached for the monitor and held it up to her ear.
“How are you, hon?” Savannah asked, placing Lily on the floor to play.
She smiled. “I’m…I’m much better. I read the pamphlet and watched the video on the TV up there and that helped a lot. I’m sad, of course, that Charlie will go through life being different—not fitting in. But I’ll make sure he never feels it. We’ll seek out children he can relate to. Savannah, the love I’ve had for my baby ever since I realized I was pregnant and I began feeling him move, is stronger than ever. I will always love and care for my little boy.”
Touched, Savannah rose from her chair. “Leah, you are a marvel,” she said, hugging the younger woman. “Good for you. You are a terrific mommy.” When she pulled back, she said, “Coincidentally, a young friend of ours is coming over later today. She’s one of Rags’s friends who comes to play with him every few weeks or so. Boy, does she love cats; and boy, does Rags love her.”
“Sounds like a special kid. How old is she?”
“She’s about seventeen now and…” Savannah hesitated before saying, “she has Downs.”
“Oh,” Leah hesitated, then said, “Yes, I’d like to meet her.”
****
Just after lunch, Leah, who had been keeping an eye out for two very special visitors from Idaho, suddenly shouted, “Mom! Dad!” She rushed to them as they stepped out of the rental car, hesitating only for a moment before hugging them both at the same time.
“We missed you so much, honey,” her mother said. “Why didn’t you…?”
“Now Bea, it doesn’t matter,” her father said. “She’s here and we’re here with her. Let’s forget the past, shall we?”
“Yes, let’s,” she said, wiping at her eyes. She put her hands on Leah’s cheeks. “You’re thin. No more baby fat.”
“No, it all went to my baby,” she said, laughing hesitantly.
“So I heard,” Bea said, an edge to her tone. “I didn’t want to believe it. You’re going to adopt it out, aren’t you?”
“Bea,” her husband warned.
“No, Mom. I’m going to raise my baby, like you did.”
“But I was married. You’re not even…”
“Come in,” Savannah said as she approached the couple, holding Lily in her arms.
“What an adorable child,” Bea said, reaching for Lily’s hand.
“Ba-bee,” she said, holding out the baby monitor.
“Do you hear him?” Leah asked Lily, easing the monitor out of her chubby hands and listening. “I think he’s waking up.”
“Good,” her father said. “I can’t wait to meet my grandson.”
Once inside, Savannah took the couple’s wraps. “I’m Savannah Ivey,” she said. “Your daughter and I have become friends.”
“Hello, Savannah,” Leah’s father said, reaching for her hand with both of his. “I’m Edwin Benton and this is my wife, Bea. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate you taking our daughter under your wing—you and your husband.” He looked around. “Is he here?”
“He’s at work. He’s a veterinarian here in Hammond. He should be home shortly.”
“Hello Bea,” Savannah said graciously. The woman fought back tears and hugged Savannah warmly. “Where’s Leah?” she asked, looking around.
“I think she went up to get the baby—he probably needs changing,” she said, smiling. “Please come in and sit down.”
“You have a lovely home,” Bea said, looking around. “And cats. I see cats. I love cats, don’t you?”
“Sure do. This is Rags,” she said running her hand along his back as he rubbed against her. “The long-haired girl there is Buffy.”
“She’s Himalayan, isn’t she?” Bea asked.
“Part Himalayan.”
“Beautiful,” she said, smiling.
“Did you see that guy hiding out over there on that chair?” Edwin asked his wife. “You hardly know he’s there; his black fur just blends in.”
“Yes, that’s Walter. We call him our camouflage cat.”
“Oh,” Bea said suddenly when she saw Leah making her way carefully down the stairs with the infant in her arms.
Leah walked to her mother. “Want to hold him?”
Instead of reaching out, Bea turned her head and sat back against the sofa.
Edwin stood and walked toward Leah. “I do.”
“His name’s Charlie,” Leah said, smiling down at him. She glanced at Bea, then gently handed the baby to her father.
“What a handsome devil,” he said. “A boy…my first boy.” He chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my girls, but…wow, a boy.”
Leah smiled widely.
After admiring the
baby for several minutes, Edwin moved closer to the sofa and sat down next to Bea. “Look at your grandson, Mama,” he said with a smile. “How could you not love him?” When she turned away, he urged, “Bea, look at him. He’s your flesh and blood.”
“Don’t get attached, Edwin,” she warned, doing her best to avoid looking at the baby.
“He’s mighty robust,” Edwin said smiling across the room at Leah.
“Yes, he’s a healthy baby.” When she saw Savannah giving her a rather stern look, she took a deep breath. “Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you.”
Bea frowned. “Sounds ominous. What could be more shocking?” she asked, sarcastically. “Have you adopted an Ethiopian child? Are you a hooker?”
“Bea!” Edwin scolded. He softened his posture when he told their daughter, “Honey, don’t mind your mother. She’ll come around.” He grimaced. “It just takes her a while to accept something so…unexpected. What is it you want to tell us?”
“It’s about Charlie. He is healthy, but…”
“But what?” Bea asked. She turned toward Edwin and pulled the baby’s blanket back a little. “He has all his fingers and toes, doesn’t he?”
Leah nodded.
“What’s wrong with him?” she asked, “…other than the fact that he’s out of wedlock?”
“Bea!” Edwin said, flashing her a warning look.
“He has Down syndrome,” Leah blurted. Her eyes downcast, she added, “We just found out today at our doctor appointment.”
Bea looked at the baby, then pulled away. “Downs?” she repeated, scowling. “Retarded?”
Edwin’s expression didn’t change. He stared down at the baby, then smiled and said, “One extra chromosome, huh?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?” Leah asked.
He winked at her. “How’d you know? Been studying up?”
“Sure have,” she said. “Need to know what Charlie and I are up against.”
Edwin winked. “That’s my girl.”
“Edwin, don’t you dare get attached to that child—he’s going up for adoption immediately.”
“He most certainly is not,” Leah said, standing tall.
“But honey, you don’t know, you just don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for…a lifetime of…”
“Hello,” a man’s voice called from the front door. “Look who I found out on the porch.”
“Charlotte,” Savannah said, “what were you doing on the porch?”
The teen laughed, her red curls bouncing alongside her pretty face. “Mom jutht dropped me off and Dr. Mike came to open the door for me.”
“Good thing,” Savannah said. “You have your hands full there. What is all this?”
“It’th a playhouthe I made for Ragth.”
“Cool,” Savannah said. “Come on in, hon, I want you to meet some people.”
Before she could take a step, Rags rushed up and began rubbing against the girl, stretching up to see what she had in her arms.
“Hi Ragth, here’th the playhouthe I told you about.” She set it down on the floor and everyone watched as Rags checked it out. Soon Buffy wandered over and began sniffing it. While Rags walked around it, Buffy poked her head inside, disappeared for a moment, then stepped back out. Rags jumped on top of it and began playing with a string of beads he found dangling. “I knew you’d like it, Ragth…and you, too, Buffy,” she said, smiling broadly.
“Good job,” Michael said, pulling the child to him by the shoulders.
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” Savannah agreed. “You must have worked hard on it. You even colored it—I love the wall design and the rugs you drew on the floor.”
“Yeth, my little thithter helped me.”
Savannah reached for the girl’s hand and led her toward their guests. “Charlotte, I’d like you to meet some friends. This is Leah and her mom and dad.”
“Ith thith your baby?” she asked Leah, moving closer to Edwin.
“Yes,” Leah said. “That’s Charlie.”
Charlotte laughed. “That’th almotht like my name.”
“Yes, it is,” Leah said. When she noticed how interested the teen was in the baby, Leah asked, “Would you like to hold him, Charlotte?”
“Leah,” her mother scolded.
Ignoring her, Leah took the baby from her father, led Charlotte to a chair, and helped her get comfortable with little Charlie in her arms.
“He’th thoft,” Charlotte said, smiling, “and warm.”
“Yes, he is soft. Babies are soft, aren’t they?” Leah said, watching the girl with interest. “You seem to like babies.”
“Babieth and catth,” she said, staring down at the infant. She glanced up at Lily. “Lily’th my friend. The liketh catth, too. Mothtly Buffy. Buffy’th her favorite. Ragth ith mine. Every cat and every baby thould be a favorite,” she said.
“You are so right, Charlotte. You’re a smart girl.”
“Yeth, and I can write. I wrote a note on the playhouthe.” She looked at Leah and nodded in the direction of the cat house. “Go look. It’th right there.”
“Love is all there is,” Leah read out loud. “Cats are love with fur.”
Everyone but Bea joined Leah in laughter. Leah said, “So true. I love it. Good job, Charlotte.”
When the baby started to fuss, Charlotte said, “I think he wantth hith mother now.”
“Yes, probably,” Leah said, taking the baby. “I’m going upstairs to feed him.” She made eye contact with Bea. “Mom, do you want to come up with me and see our room?”
Bea swallowed hard and looked down at her hands.
“Go with your daughter,” Edwin hissed. When Bea hesitated, he said, “If she ever needed us, it’s now. Can’t you be there for her?”
Bea looked away, muttering, “After what she did to us?”
At that, Edwin pressed his lips together and shook his head. He watched as Leah slowly climbed the stairs with her baby. He then focused on the young girl, who sat quietly nearby, watching Rags and Buffy explore the playhouse she built. “Do you like to write, Charlotte?” he asked.
“Yeth. I love to write. I wrote a book for my mom.” She looked at Edwin. “Do you like to write?”
He chuckled. “I sure do. I run a newspaper, so I write a lot.”
“You make newthpaperth?” Charlotte asked, her eyes lighting up. “I like to read the cartoonth. I can read motht of the wordth.”
“Yes, I make newspapers, but I don’t write the cartoons,” he said chuckling. “I enjoy reading them, too.”
“Laughing maketh you happy,” Charlotte said. “Did you know that?”
“Sure did,” Edwin said. “It’s hard to be sad when you’re laughing, isn’t it?”
“You got that right,” Charlotte said, matter-of-factly. She pointed at him. “You’re one thmart newthpaper man.”
Almost everyone laughed while watching Charlotte try to lure Rags, Buffy, and now Walter into the playhouse. Even Bea chuckled a time or two at some of the cats’ antics.
“Charlotte, would you like a bottle of water?” Savannah asked.
“Okay,” she said, heading toward the kitchen. She turned. “Anyone want one?”
“I’d love one,” Edwin said. “Thank you.”
“Yes, please,” Bea said quietly. When Charlotte returned with three bottles, she set one on the floor next to the playhouse and handed the other two to Bea and Edwin.
“Thank you,” Bea said.
Charlotte nodded. “Welcome. Can I help you open it? I’m good at opening waterth. My neighbor, Debi, hath crooked handth like you do and I help her open her water bottleth.”
“That’s sweet of you, Charlotte. Yes, I have crooked fingers, don’t I? It’s from arthritis,” she explained.
“Yeth,” Charlotte said. “Debi, too.” She moved closer. “Can I look at your handth?”
Bea hesitated, then held one hand out for Charlotte to see.
Holdin
g Bea’s hand in hers, Charlotte asked, “Doeth it hurt?”
“Sometimes,” Bea said.
After examining Bea’s hand for a moment, Charlotte said, “Debi told me there’th anger and fear in her handth.” She looked Bea in the eyes. “Do you have anger and fear in yourth?” Before Bea could answer, the teen added, “Laughter and forgiveneth maketh uth happy. Otherwithe, we’re thad and everyone we love ith thad, too. Did you know that?”
Unable to respond, Bea blinked back a rush of tears. “Charlotte,” she said, “you are wise beyond your years and I’m an old fool.”
“You are?” Charlotte asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes. May I hug you, dear child?”
Charlotte’s face lit up. “Okay,” she said as she wrapped her arms around the weeping woman. She pulled back, a look of concern on her face. “Are you okay?”
Bea kissed Charlotte on the cheek and smiled into her eyes. “Never better, child…never better.” She then asked, “Can you help me up?”
“Do you have to go now?” Charlotte asked in her innocent manner.
“No, I want to go hold my grandson,” she said, affectionately patting the girl on the shoulder as she headed for the stairs.
Half an hour later, Leah and her mother appeared on the staircase. “Edwin,” Bea called out, “you ought to see him eat. He’s quite the little piggy. He’s going to outgrow the newborn outfits we got him way too fast.”
“Oh that’s right, we forgot to bring in the gifts. I’ll go get them,” Edwin said, stepping out the door.
Charlotte, noticing this, turned to Leah and, pointing after Edwin. “Okay, he’th the grandpa, right?”
Leah nodded.
She nodded toward Bea. “And the’th the grandma?”
“Yup.”
Charlotte smiled. “Good. They’re nithe people.”
****
A couple of hours had passed when the Bentons prepared to leave. By then, Charlotte’s mother had come to pick her up.
“Where are you staying?” Savannah asked.
“We saw a motel on our way into town. We’ll be leaving tomorrow around noon.”
“Why don’t you stay here? We have the room. We’d be happy to have you.”