A Sucker Born Every Minute

by Lia Kane

  “Jerrika?” she called desperately.

  I stopped in the hallway and retraced my steps to the nursery. “Yes Claudia?”

  “If you’re not too busy, I could use some help, please?

  “Let me go put my things up and I’d be happy to help,” I said, finally happy to have something useful to do at the orphanage. I hung up the dress in my closet and quickly returned to the nursery.

  “I swear,” said Claudia with exasperation, “whenever one starts with the crying, all the others join in. Must be peer pressure.”

  “So what do you do?”

  “I try not to lose my mind,” she said. “Other than that, I just rock them and talk to them in the most soothing voice I can.”

  I went to the cribs and picked up a baby girl, then a toddler boy. I carefully eased into the empty rocking chair next to Claudia’s.

  “Thank you,” she said with a sigh of relief.

  We rocked and rocked while the babies cried and cried.

  “Jeez, how long as it been?” I asked Claudia.

  “Since you joined me? Not quite five minutes.”

  “Augghhh. How do you do this every day?”

  “It’s not so bad. Once they get through with all of this crying and fall asleep, it’s actually quite pleasant.”

  We rocked. The babies cried.

  “What do you do when they don’t stop?” I asked.

  “They will,” she assured me. “Just keep going.”

  We rocked some more. Finally, the baby girl on my right arm gave out and fell asleep. Shortly after, the toddler boy on my left arm did the same. Within minutes, Claudia’s babies followed.

  “Good job,” she whispered to me.

  I grinned. “I was about to give up.”

  “You did great.”

  “What are their names again?” I asked. “I remember Shannon, and Molly,” I said, referring to the two babies that Claudia was holding. “What about these two in my arms?”

  “Charlie – he’s three, and Winnie. She’s eighteen months.”

  “They’re both precious.”

  “Yes they are. They all are.”

  We rocked.

  “Are all of their last names Doe?”

  “Yes,” said Claudia. “Once they became wards of the state, they became baby John or Jane Does. Some were given first names by their birth parents, so we kept them for the ones that did, and named those without. However, their surnames remain Doe.”

  “How sad.” I looked down at the babies in my arms. “And they’ll likely never be adopted, right?”

  “Correct, minus the ‘likely’ part. VAM babies don’t get adopted, period.”

  “Do you think that will ever change?”

  She shook her head. “Not likely. Not any time soon. If you were a person who wanted to adopt, what would you choose – a healthy, VAM-negative baby that society will accept and embrace as normal? Or one that drinks blood? You’ll either have to drain your own veins every day, or else go broke buying from a blood bank. And aside from just the blood… would you want a baby that you’d have to work night and day to protect from a world that fears what it doesn’t understand?”

  “No choice,” I said. “Can I ask, Claudia, why did you want to come to work here?”

  “Well, after three failed marriages with men who left me for purely selfish reasons, I guess I got tired of being abandoned.” She leaned over to kiss the foreheads of the children in her arms. “But these babies here, they’ll never leave me.”

  “Aren’t you afraid of getting VAM?”

  “Not so much; not like this. The risk is small. And even if I did, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. These children have it, after all, and I love them with all my heart. If anything, it would just bring me closer to them. I don’t care if I get it or not – that’s how much I love them.”

  “All of you do. I can see that. Sarah is wonderful with the school-age kids. And Lucy seems to be really attached to Jonathan.”

  “She is,” Claudia said. “She was the only one on duty the morning he came down the drop box chute. She was the first one to hold him and the first one to love him. She’s very protective of that boy.”

  We lapsed into silence for a few minutes as we continued to rock.

  “What about Kelly?” I asked. “Why do you think she left?”

  Claudia shook her head. “I really don’t know. I thought she was happy here. We all did.”

  “Can I ask a question? If this is none of my business, you don’t have to answer…”

  “Ask away.”

  “Were Kelly and Mayor Drake seeing each other? Were they a couple?”

  “No,” Claudia shook her head. “Kelly had the world’s biggest crush on him. I just didn’t see that the feeling was ever mutual.”

  “I see.”

  “I don’t think it’s the same with you,” she said.

  “What?” I asked with confusion.

  “I mean Mayor Drake,” she said. “He seems to be taking a lot of interest in you. I let him in the other night when he arrived. He seemed like a kid at Christmas, all anxious and excited to see you.”

  “Oh, that’s not why I was asking,” I stammered, feeling a blush spread across my cheeks. “That’s the last thing on my mind right now, honestly.”

  Claudia grinned. “Didn’t I see you just walk down the hallway with a formal gown?”

  “Yes, but that’s for something at the Arts Center tonight.”

  “And who are you going with?”

  My blush deepened. “Vic- I mean, Mayor Drake asked me to join him.”

  “I thought so,” she said. “Why don’t we put these babies down for a nap so you go get ready for the ball, Cinderella?”

  “It’s not like that, really,” I insisted, but broke into a grin. “It’s not a date. He just had an extra ticket to the event.”

  “Riiiiight,” Claudia said. “Honey, if the mayor of Blue Sky asks you out on a Friday night and formalwear is required, I don’t care what the variables are. It’s a date.”

  Chapter Eleven

  VICTOR ARRIVED AT Hope House around seven o’clock. He wore a black tuxedo with a burgundy red bow tie and cummerbund that perfectly matched the wrap around my shoulders. I wondered it if was just coincidence that we were dressed in matching colors, or if once again, he had done recon work. The way that he looked at me when I stepped onto the porch cleared up any confusion that I’d had about the nature of his interest in me.

  “You look amazing, Jerrika.” He blinked furiously. “You’re stunning. I can’t believe I get to go to the Arts Center tonight with the most beautiful woman in Blue Sky on my arm.”

  As Victor took my hand to help me down the steps, he leaned in to kiss my cheek. Butterflies fluttered in my belly and I couldn’t help but smile.

  When we arrived at the Arts Center, Victor valet parked the Humvee. He pulled my hand into the crook of his arm as we walked inside.

  “Victor?” I said.

  “Yes?”

  “You didn’t tell me what this event is all about this evening.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said with a laugh. “Forgive me, Jerrika. The event this evening… well, why don’t I just show you?”

  We filed into a line of other people dressed in formalwear and made our way inside. We bypassed coat check and stepped into a large foyer where a jazz quartet was setting up to play, a cash bar was serving a long line of customers, and an overhead banner read:

  Rebirth of a Small Town – A Journey through Blue Sky’s Past and a Glimpse into the Future

  “Victor?” I asked again, nudging his arm. “What’s this all about?”

  He leaned toward me to whisper in my ear. “A major consumer electronics company is considering opening up a plant here in Blue Sky.”

  “Really? I thought electronics were all made overseas these days?”

  “In a lot of cases, the parts are manufactured overseas, then shipped here for assembly. If this company decides to
build an assembly plant here, it could replace a lot of the jobs that were lost when Wainright closed. We’re courting them, Jerrika. This event was planned to show off our history and our small-town pride. We want to showcase Blue Sky as a great place to live and work, as well as introduce their executives to some of the key leaders here.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. “That certainly makes sense.” And added as an afterthought, “Does that mean I’m considered a leader in this town?”

  He faced me and smiled. “Of course you’re a leader, Jerrika.”

  I blushed. “I’m so new, though. I’ve only been at Hope House for a few days. And I haven’t even had my job orientation yet. I hope I don’t say anything stupid.”

  “You won’t,” he laughed. “We’re not talking business tonight, anyway. This is just a gathering of neighbors and friends. You know how to make polite small talk, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then you can do this. I trust you.”

  “Alright,” I nodded, relieved.

  Victor tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and led me around the room, introducing me to town councilmen, the sheriff, members of the school board, the hospital administrator, several lawyers and bankers, and all of their spouses. A tense introduction was made to Principal Masters of Blue Sky High, who nodded stiffly as he informed Victor that we had already crossed paths. Thankfully, Agnes broke the tension when she joined our little circle and welcomed me with a hug. She chattered away about how hard she and the other volunteers had worked that morning to set up for the event.

  The jazz band started to play a song when Victor spotted the cash bar and endless tables of hors d’oeuvres. “Would you care for anything to eat or drink?” he leaned in to ask me.

  “No thanks.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’m going to get a glass of wine.”

  “Of course not.”

  As Victor walked away, I took the opportunity to admire the exhibits scattered throughout the room. There was some rusty old equipment from Wainright Mills. An old football jersey from Tommy Jay Doff, a former star quarterback of Blue Sky High who went on to play in the NFL. Framed black and white photographs lined the walls, featuring schoolchildren in uniforms, the old country doctor standing next to a horse drawn wagon, and workers standing outside of Wainright Mills. A more contemporary exhibit showcased a large, framed photo of Blue Sky Chapel, the most picturesque church in town. It was the church where I had been baptized as a child and went to Sunday services until I left for college. The placard underneath it boasted of Blue Sky Chapel’s thriving membership, and how it was a strong reflection of the town’s Christian values.

  “Are you a spiritual person?” asked an unfamiliar voice from behind me.

  I turned to face him. “I guess that depends on your definition of spiritual.”

  He was average height, average build, with slicked-back graying hair and a clean-shaven face. He wore a tuxedo like all of the other men in the room, but something about him felt out of place. I thought for a moment that he might be one of the executives from the electronics company.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met,” I said, extending my hand for a handshake. “I’m Jerrika Rand.”

  He kept his distance and didn’t take my hand. “I know who you are,” he said in a way that almost sounded threatening.

  I was taken aback, but pressed him. “And you are?”

  “Bill Jeffries,” he said. “Reverend of Blue Sky Believers Fellowship.”

  My heart dropped to my gut. “Ah,” I said. “I’ve heard of you.”

  “I’m sure you have.”

  We stared at each other for a long moment. “Well, you approached me, Mr. Jeffries. What is it you want?”

  He grinned. “The same thing that we all want, Miss Rand. To see this town be born again. But Blue Sky won’t receive that blessing unless it becomes a god-fearing, Christian community again.”

  “When was it ever not?”

  “The life of every creature is in its blood,” he began to recite. “That is why I have said to the people of Israel ‘You must never eat or drink blood, for the life of any creature is in its blood.’ So whoever consumes blood will be cut off –”

  “That’s enough,” I spat. I started to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him.

  “Don’t you see, Miss Rand? Blue Sky is cut off from God’s blessings. That won’t change until the blood feeders are gone.”

  I tried to pull away. “Let me go!” The crowd of people around us stopped talking and turned to gawk at us.

  “You should leave,” he whispered angrily in my ear. “All of you. Take those cursed children of the devil and get out.”

  “Go to hell,” I told him, and slapped his face with my free hand. Bill Jeffries lost his grip on my arm as he staggered from my hit.

  Within seconds, Victor was at my side. I almost cried when I saw the shock and embarrassment on his face. The last of the noisy chatter around us came to a sudden halt. Even the jazz band stopped their rendition of ‘Autumn Leaves’ mid-song and turned to stare at us.

  “He grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go,” I told him. “He threatened me, Victor. He called the Hope House kids the children of the devil…” I stopped speaking when I felt myself teetering on the verge of tears. Victor took me protectively under his arm.

  “Reverend,” he lowered his voice, “you’re no longer welcome here this evening. You should leave.”

  Bill Jeffries narrowed his eyes. “And you’ve made it clear that the Lord is no longer welcome in this town. Your ‘tolerance’ comes at a price, Mayor Drake. Just keep that in mind when the rebirth of Blue Sky never happens.”

  “Leave now or you’ll be escorted out,” Victor said. He pulled me closer to him as the reverend gave a tight-lipped grin, turned on his heel and stormed out of the building. Within seconds, the uproar was quickly forgotten. The jazz band returned to ‘Autumn Leaves,’ starting from the beginning as the crowd resumed talking, eating and drinking.

  “I’m sorry about that, Jerrika,” said Victor. “I don’t even know what he was doing here. This was an invitation-only event, and I don’t recall seeing Bill Jeffries on the list.”

  “It’s okay,” I assured him.

  Victor turned to face me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No, I’m fine. Really,” I insisted.

  “That lunatic had no business being here. I’m so sorry he bothered you.”

  “No, Victor, I should be the one apologizing. I’m sorry to cause a scene. You warned me this would happen, and I should have been prepared for it. I should have kept my cool.”

  “This was Jeffries’ fault, not yours.”

  “Do you think he’ll really leave the property, or will he stick around to cause more trouble?”

  “If he’s smart he’ll leave. I will, however, step outside and take a quick walk around the building to make sure he’s not lurking in the shadows.”

  “I’ll come with you. I could use some fresh air.”

  “Sounds good – I’ll feel safer that way. If he jumps out of the bushes and tries anything, I’ll have you by my side to defend me.”

  I shot Victor a confused look.

  “I heard that slap from all the way across the room. Nice job,” he laughed. “You go girl.”

  I laughed. Victor was nothing, if not charming. Even in the middle of this awkward situation, he already had me feeling at ease again.

  With his hand on the small of my back, he steered me through the crowd and out of the building. Outside, we walked the perimeter of the Arts Center, and thankfully didn’t see any sign of Bill Jeffries.

  “There’s something I want to show you before we go back inside,” Victor said. He led me toward a sidewalk that wrapped around the Arts Center and fed into the botanical gardens behind the facility. “By the way, Jerrika, you really do look beautiful tonight.”

  “Thanks,” I said meekly. “Believe it or not, this all came
together at the last minute. I just found this dress at the mall and got alterations done earlier today, then rushed home to put it on with only a couple of hours to spare. You’ve got to give me more notice next time.”

  “Well, you did an amazing job. You look elegant. Classy.”

  “I don’t exactly feel classy. Not after what just happened with crazy Reverend Bill. He was wrong to grab me and make threats, but I probably shouldn’t have slapped him. I didn’t mean to cause a big scene, Victor. I’m embarrassed.”

  I’m relieved you slapped him. It kept me from having to punch him in the face and bloody up my knuckles.”

  “You wouldn’t have.”

  “You have no idea how serious I am.” He shook his head angrily. “I knew that eventually, he’d find his way to you and harass you; I was just hoping you wouldn’t have to deal with it this soon.”

  Victor turned down a lit path and walked me toward a towering topiary of a couple entwined in a dance. The miniature white lights that were wrapped around the structure cast a bright glow against the night sky. We sat on a bench in front the living work of art.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said.

  “I donated this to the Arts Center. In memory of my late wife, Alyssa.”

  “Victor,” I said softly, “what happened to her? Don’t you have any idea? Were there any clues? Any leads?”

  “No,” he shook his head.

  “You must have a suspicion, at least?”

  “I’ll tell you what I know.” He faced me with a dire look. “Two months before Alyssa went missing, she and I were involved in a very bad car accident. It was a head-on collision on a mountainside highway with another vehicle. The other car belonged to a woman who was driving drunk and swerved into our lane. Our vehicle rolled down the side of a mountain and landed upside down. The medics got there just in time to save my life. The windshield imploded and several large fragments of glass were embedded in my chest and my belly, which caused a massive blood loss. Alyssa, however, had been holding a bag on her lap. It was one of those big carryall purses, you know the kind? I used to tease her that she could fit the entire universe inside of one of those things. At any rate, it shielded her body from the glass and saved her life. Her face and arms had some minor cuts and bruising, but other than that and a bad case of whiplash, she walked away from that night fit as a fiddle.”