Alice's Soldiers

by Robert T. OShea

  Marie stopped dead after only a few steps from her front porch, because there was a tiny white ‘Bunny’ standing in her way, right on the pathway to the front gate. Marie knew the rabbit didn’t have a chance in Brooklyn. If she could only catch it, she would keep it in her basement as a pet for the babies. Marie couldn’t wait until she told the girls. It would be the talk of the neighborhood. Imaging a bunny in Flatbush. But there is a problem these little animals are fast, and nobody is just going be able to walk up and grab it. Marie said to herself at least “I can tell the women I tried. “She bends down to grab it, and the tiny creature didn’t move. Marie opened her hand, and the baby hopped right into it. Marie dropped the stuff she was carrying, ran into the house with the bunny told: “Clare what happened as she put the rabbit in the basement.”

  The women went in absolute shock when the bunny ran over to an old sofa, jumped on it and fell asleep. Clare said to Marie, “no one is going to believe you. Go to work, and I will put down a few leftover scraps.”

  Freddy’s brother Joe DeVan was the family doctor he just got back from serving his country for five years. With a few saved dollars, he opened his practice in downtown Brooklyn. Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary were the DeVan’s family mentors; both wonderful people took Freddy’s place while he was away at war.

  Clare and Marie thought there was something wrong with Alice’s eyes. Baby Alice can’t follow one’s finger. Her toys must be handed to her. Clare was so scared about traveling with the tiny Alice she needed the confidence of an aggressive woman to help, so she asked ‘’Tracy to come along with her to take the child to see Doctor Joe.” She wanted to tell him the baby doesn’t follow one’s finger, cries unless you pick her up. Also, she seemed confused when they let her crawl around on the carpet, with her bright green eyes.

  So, after Tracy worked the morning shift, Aunt Mary came over to take care of the boys. Clare and Tracy took Alice to the Doctor. As the two women waited for the doctor to finish his examination, they started to talk. Tracy said “she may have to move to a smaller apartment. Because her mother is unable to take care of the girls anymore.” My mother said,” she is too old and wants all of us to go back to Chicago.”

  I don’t know how to tell you, but you are going to think I’m crazy. Clare. I had a strange dream; In it, I was sitting next to my dead husband Clark at a Royal Banquet. I didn’t know we had Kings and Queen and Royal dinners. Well anyway, in the dream the ‘King’ was rocking a sleeping Joeann in his arms. My other daughter Sarah was sitting at a child’s table with three boys, happily laughing and joking. I recognized two of the boys. One was Tony, and the other one was Steven. Clark kissed me, and I know it was real. The last thing he said to me “was to stay in Brooklyn and take care of the baby who wears sunglasses.”

  Clare replied, Dear I pray that Clark is still alive you told me they never did find his body. But, Honey I know we don’t have Kings and Queens. Tracy, you know the bedrooms in my house are large. Marie and I are going to rent out a few of them; please take one of them. Besides you guys live with us already. Clare said Tracy do not worry, we love you and the girls and with Clark’s Government compensation we are all going to make it.

  After some thought, Tracy said alright, the children and I would love to live with you. Tracy said, “we will move in as soon as possible.” All I hear from both of my girls is “When are we going to Alice’s house.”

  A nurse called the women into the doctor’s office. The baby Alice was cooing like a bird. The doctor said, “I am sorry, but my Niece Alice is blind.” I have made a few telephone calls, and I am going to have some other doctors look at her to confirm my finding.

  Clare said,” I knew that Alice had an eye problem, and I was too scared and stupid to face the issued.”

  Doctor Joe said it “looks like that is the way she was born, and there is nothing we can do about it.” Only close personal attention will take the babies mind off being unable to see. I almost said, “get her a rabbit,” please forgive me. Some noisy baby toys should help. Dr. Joe said I talked to Aunt Mary, “she will be over tomorrow and will stay with you for a while. Also, I will find a pair of glasses for the baby, that should help.

  Clare and Tracy took the subway back with Clare holding the baby as hard as she could without hurting it. Tracy fell deeply in love with Alice because the little kid cooed like a bird all the way home with the help of the sounds and rocking of the rushing subway train and both ladies ticking her stomach and taking turns baby-taking to the child.

  Alice was a beautiful baby, long black straight hair, Roman nose with silly dimples and sparkling green eyes. She was slightly chubby and robust. Her smile and laugh were precious.

  At the house, Clare sat Marie down and try to tell her the bad news about Alice’s condition, but she couldn’t. So, she said, “dear friend Alice is blind.” All three women started to cry and hold each other.

  The front door-bell got everyone attention. It was the coffee club. They came over to see the ‘Bunny.’ In their excitement, they all rushed into the house, and gather in the front hallway and living room. Clare had planned to creep down the basement steps and grab it before it ran away and hid. She opened the door and turned on the basement light. The house was silent along with the bunny who was patiently waiting, on the top step for the door to be opened. Before anyone could move, the little animal flew under a woman skirt and disappeared.

  The women ran around the house looking for it. Finally, a woman named Mabel, from the apartment building behind the house was found on her knees praying, in front of Alice’s crib. “The women in the house stopped in their tracks when” Mabel yelled out the bunny climbed up to the top of the couch, ran up and down until it found Alice’s cradle and jumped into it.”

  The ladies found Alice giggling; the little rabbit was on Alice’s small chest. Alice was cooing and smiling as the creature was sticking its head in and out of the blanket. Right then Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary walked into the house. They were taken to the crib. After Aunt Mary heard the rabbit story and saw the crib with the bunny, they had to help her to a couch.” Doctor Joe picked up the bunny and asked if someone could find a cage. He handed the rabbit to Tracy who sat in an armchair and started to baby talk to it. Uncle Joe with a smile put a pair of tiny sunglasses on his Niece. The baby, Alice sat up and cooed.”

  Tracy stood up still holding the rabbit, she kneeled in front of Alice’s crib and closed her eyes which didn’t hold back the flood of tears.

  A few days later three new residences arrived at the house on Bleecker Street. Sarah, Joeann, and their Mother, Tracy rented the large bedroom on the second floor across from a bathroom. Things were getting better; Aunt Mary moved in on the same day to help take care of the five children.

  Tracy brought over some family photos for their room. Clare asked if she could have one of them for the living room? Tracy immediately moved her favorite one to the fireplace mantle.

  Clare and Marie agreed that the two girls, Joeann and Sarah look like their father, Clark and that you (Tracy) could not be their mother. Tracy didn’t say a word, aware of the Brooklyn sense of humor. Instead, the next day she took a family photo to work. When the coffee club girls came in and sat down at the counter, Tracy gave the picture to the first lady and asked if the girls look like her? The first woman took the photo, and after very carefully looking at it said, “You’re not the Mother,” and passed it on. The rest of the women said things like “No Way,” not even close.

  Tracy was looking out one of the Diner’s windows, into a raining cold, gloomy, and an anguish Flatbush Avenue and said, “That son of a bitch.” Tracy had figured it out; the women needed a laugh. So as each person would say something like, “Sorry honey the girls are lovely, but there is no way you could be the mother.”

  Tracy would come back with, “I’m going to cut off his balls” In a few minutes, everyone in the Diner was roaring with laughter.

&nb
sp; Tracy looked like an airline hostess. She was a short woman with blond hair, a healthy-looking body, and a perky nose. Her oldest girl was named Sarah. She had Irish red hair and walked around with an air of a Noblewoman, except she was five and wanted to be thirty, she walked tall and didn’t put up with any nonsense. Joeann was a six months old happy trooper who fell down all the time. She would eat anything and followed her sister around all day. She was very shy but did baby talk to Alice occasionally.

  Chapter Eight

  Grandma Marie remembered it was a Monday when all their lives started to spin out of control. It was pouring outside when a beautiful woman showed up at their front door.

  It had been snowing off and on for a few days, and Brooklyn was frozen in depression. Alice was able to stand up in her crib and point. She usually shouted out something in baby talk and then sat down, but she soon tired. The sunglasses Alice wore seemed to help. It looked like she just wanted to crawl on the floor, holding the bunny’s tail.

  Tracy was serving the Diner’s customers’ demands with the help of the coffee club girls. Marie was home helping Clare take care of the children. Clare was dreadfully upset with Alice’s condition, and she (Clare) was silently going crazy. She kept on sitting in front of the fireplace, with Alice in her arms. Clare was praying for a miracle. It was pouring outside, the roof was leaking, and the children were crying, and overall it was horrible, and no one had a cent.

  The doorbell rang, and Clare put Alice in her crib and asked Tony to rock his sister to sleep. Clare walked to the door and opened it. A few days ago, Clare had placed an ad in the local newspaper stating she had a room to rent. She and Marie could use a couple of extra bucks.

  Standing on the porch were two women, the older one was carrying a baby wrapped up in a bunch of blankets, which was holding a sickly infant. A small curly headed boy was standing between the two women. The young man was controlling a dog by a rope. The boy and dog looked like they were standing at attention.

  Clare gave her name and introduced her mother-in-law, Marie, and invited them inside. With Marie’s help they got everyone into the house, the umbrellas were hung outside, and the raincoats were hung up on the kitchen’s wall hooks. The youngest of the two women presented herself as Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth was the most beautiful woman Clare has ever seen, with her new style cut brown hair, narrow, perfect shaped face with one brown eye and the other blue. She “said, this is my mother Lily, the young boy is my son Billy, the infant is his brother Robert.” The baby was covered with blankets and was being carried by his Grandmother, Lily. As soon as they got Billy’s coat off, he went running over to play with Sarah and the two boys. Elizabeth shook Clare’s hand and said “She wanted to rent a bedroom from her. She told Clare “Here’s one thousand dollars for the first month’s rent.”

  Clare asked Marie to watch the children while she discussed the rental with Elizabeth and her mother Lily in the kitchen. The three women sat at the kitchen table. Clare turned to Elizabeth and asked what the story? “Why do you want to pay this kind of money for a fifty dollar a month rental?”

  “Clare let me hold your hand,” asked Elizabeth. My mother and I know Queen Sandra. She is a real Queen. We will discuss this issue in detail at another time. My mother, Lily grew up with the Queen and believe it, or not little Alice is a Princess. Her parents had to get their baby out of Europe right away that is where you and Freddy came in.

  The Crown has strong connections with the United States Military, and they came up with an idea. You and Freddy get married and adopt Alice. It worked, Alice the baby disappeared in the chaos of the War. You and Freddy saved the Princess before she could be killed by one of the Crown’s many enemies.

  “Clare asked Elizabeth and Lily, do you know what I did before I met Freddy?”

  Yes, said Elizabeth. “That is no one’s business but yours. Right now, you’re a legal resident of the Country of ‘Brooklyn’ with an adopted daughter named Alice and two stepsons, named Tony and Steven.” Clare, please don’t worry about us. Freddy is your Husband and Alice; Tony and Steven are your children. Here is a letter from your husband. It may help you understand why we are here.

  Clare opened the letter. She found a ‘Bank Draft’ for Ten thousand dollars, payable to Clare DeVan, and two sealed envelopes. One was marked ‘Sex,’ and another one was marked ‘Non-Sex.’ Clare put the ‘Bank Draft’ and one of the envelopes in her pocket.

  The letter marked ‘non-sex’ talked about the ten thousand dollars payment for Clare’s help. Also, asking her to take care of the children. Honey, Elizabeth has about fifty Soldiers with her. Freddy continues in his letter, Clare all I know about the Soldiers is that they are invisible. That’s right, except if the Soldier (he or she) wants to be seen, they allow it. The Soldiers, fight, train, and live like the Spartan’s of old.

  The Queen believes the baby Princess is safe under the protection of the woman, Elizabeth. They told me that people in her own family, even the baby’s, Brother Bobby is trying to kill the little Princess.

  By now you know Alice is blind. Honey, The Queen, didn’t tell us that when we adopted the baby. But, Clare, she is ours now, and we will take care of her. Queen Sandra will take care of all our bills. She asked that her friend Elizabeth who has a sickly son named Robert rent a room from you.

  It didn’t take long to update Marie, and within minutes they agreed, over a pot of tea. Clare said, with this amount of rent we will feed the kids and fix up the house and repair the Diner.

  Elizabeth was looking at the children.

  Oh my God, said Clare I forgot to introduce our children, this is Tony he is eight, and over there is Steven he is five. Standing next to them is their Grandmother, Marie.

  Elizabeth was now looking at the two girls and asked: “What are their names?”

  Clare said, “I forgot them which a terrible thing to say.” Sorry, these are Tracy’s babies, this one is Sarah, and the one with the stuffed bear is Joeann. Their Mother right now is working at our Diner, located around the corner. Soon she will close the restaurant and bring home our supper. It much easier for us to do some preparing at the Diner.

  A tiny baby wailed, and when Clare turned around to answer the call, Elizabeth touched her arm and asked, “May I?”

  Clare said “sure.”

  Oh, before I forget, I must call “Tracy and tell her, we have four more mouths to feed, two adults and two babies.”

  Elizabeth picked up the crying baby so she could change her.

  Little Billy was still playing with the two boys and one girl. The other baby girl, Joeann, with her stuffed bear and pink pajamas was staring at Robert. The kids were on the large living room couch, or you could call it their play castle. Billy ended up sitting next to Sarah, and he kept staring at her, waiting for his next task.”

  They wrapped the baby Robert up in blue-colored blankets, marked with a streak of red, to protect him from the unwanted cold drafts circling the aging house, waiting to strike.

  Alice came back changed cleaned and perky. With her white diaper and pink nightshirt, she was carefully being carried by Elizabeth who was baby-talking to her. Little Alice was lying on Elizabeth’s chest pointing at everyone and giving orders in a strange faraway language. When Elizabeth passed baby Robert, Alice tried to pull away and join him. Elizabeth whispered to the little Princess you will have to wait to meet your Prince?

  Robert moved around the playpen he was sharing with Alice. But It was Alice’s bedtime, so she got goodnight kisses from all the women before she hit her crib. She fell asleep after Elizabeth sung a few lullabies.

  Meanwhile, her son Robert became very fussy. Elizabeth picked him up, cleaned and fed him and put him into a crib next to Alice. Joeann, the third baby, was already sleeping in her crib. They placed the children’s beds near a radiator to get the extra heat.

  The older children were watching Televis
ion.

  The ladies gathered in the kitchen for dinner. Tracy brought home a large salad, with Italian dressing. Also, the preparations for omelets: eggs, milk, butter, and sliced American cheese. The women took the food from Tracy and added a loaf of Wonder white bread to cap off the dinner.

  Clare introduced Tracy to her new housemate, Elizabeth, and Lily and the two boys and one dog. Now since they had a few bucks, Clare and Marie couldn’t wait to give Tracy one hundred dollars for helping with the children and the Diner. Tracy said, “it had to be a gift from God, the kids needed about everything.”

  The women washed the dishes, checked the kids, completed all chores, including feeding, the rabbit and the dog. Then ladies had time to sit and talk in the kitchen. They had a million questions for Elizabeth, but she could only answer a few at this time.

  Elizabeth had a long day, and she was exhausted her, so she said I’m sorry, but goodnight. I will get ready for bed and join the dog and the rabbit on the couch, watch a little Television, with the kids who are hiding in the living room.

  Elizabeth straightened out the cushions, removed all the toys from the couch, picked up the rabbit and laid down. Elizabeth said I would close my eyes and whoever is hiding in this room turn the TV down. “You can stay up until nine and kiss me goodnight as you go to bed or come climb onto the couch with me.”

  Billy came over to the couch with his dog jumped up and put his arms around her.

  Elizabeth said thanks. She was hurting inside, her son Robert is sick, and this cold weather will not help. Her friend the Queen said being near Alice would help little Robert. Elizabeth did not believe her.

  Meanwhile, Lily “told the ladies that as soon you want, I will watch the babies and you can take the five children shopping. They need new clothes including underwear, shoes, haircuts, books, and toys. Remember, ladies we also need new cribs, baby clothes, diapers, baby food, and a million other items.”