by Orca Various
Hi there I say as I lift it out.
Not that I like the baby. I dont. But I dont want it to die on me. So I act frendly and tickle it in the tummy like people do. The baby does not want to sit up so I put it on my lap facing out and use my arm as a seat belt to hold it safe. It is bigger than a loaf of bread but not much. A big loaf of bread. I find the cheerios and offer them. The baby looks away. And then it looks at me. I can read its mind. I know what it is feeling. I am feeling it 2.
Thirsty.
I take the baby with me to the kitchen sink and run some water. The baby perks up. But now we run into trouble. There are no bottles or baby cups. All this water and no way to get it to the baby. The next 5 minits are almost funny they are so awful. I can not get the water into the baby. I can get close—I can get a glass rite up to the babys mouth—but close is not good enuff. I can not get the baby to drink. It trys to drink from the glass. Gosh it trys. But it cant. It moves its mouth and gasps and chokes and spills and almost dies. Its not fair. I want the baby to drink and it wants to drink. We are both on the same side and we are losing.
The baby is so thirsty and mad it cries. I know how it feels. I feel like crying myself.
I get an idea. I put the baby on the floor on its back and neel over it and pour water into its mouth like you pour into a glass. This is a bad idea. Lots of spilling and coffing head turning and arm waving. Everything gets wet. I wipe up and sit the baby on my lap and try again.
Arrrg. Nope.
I drink myself to show the baby how you do it. I only mean to take a sip but the waters so good I cant help drinking the hole glass. I lean over the sink and pour another glass with 1 hand. I hold the baby with the other. I hear loud sucking noises. Hah! The towel I used to wipe up the water is on my sholder and the baby has the end in its mouth. It is drinking. I pull out the towel and wet it again. The baby goes back to drinking.
Hah! Hah! We have a system.
My relief is like dropping a heavy suit case.
The house phone doesnt work. I tryed it first thing. The Goyettes must be away for a while and turned off there phone. Thats why there are no cars or lites and the drive way is snowed over. The Goyettes are in Florida or Cuba getting sun tans.
In a few minits the place really starts to heat up. The baby is still drinking. I take off some of its close. It has a lot of black hair. A lot. When I pull off the hat it is like opening a joke can with snakes in it. Boom! Hair. I have to laff.
I wonder what her name is? Or his. It looks like a girl with all that hair but I dont know for sure. And I dont wanna find out. For me it is an it.
It stops drinking long enuff to eat the hole bag of cheerios and it is still hungry when they are gone. It looks at the empty bag. I know that look. I look at my empty plate that way sometimes. I wet the towel for the 300th time and the baby goes back to drinking.
Theres no cereal in the kitchen but I hunt around the shelves and find a can of pasta with a pop top. Woo hoo! Good stuff—tomato sauce and cheese. I can eat it cold and so can the baby. We share. The baby eats from my spoon. When I spill it licks my finger. We finish pretty quick and the baby falls asleep in my lap befor I even know. I put it on the couch and cover it up and think—what the hell?
I havent had time yet. But now that we are warm and safe and fed and the baby is sleeping I can wonder—what the hell is going on?
There are 2 parts to my what the hell. The first part has to do with the baby. How did it end up on the ice? Who leaves a baby on the ice? Not mom and dad—at least not this babys mom and dad. They care about it or they wuldnt of packed diapers and cheerios. So who? A bad guy trying to kill the baby? That doesnt sound rite. Who hates a baby that much?
I dont know the anser. So much for that part of my what the hell.
The second part has to do with me. Maybe I got kid napped so some place could get back the anthem that Grampa stole. But what about Grampa the wolf steering me across the ice to the gym bag and telling me to take care of what was in it? How much do I beleeve? What the hell is going on with me? I dont know the anser to this ether. But there is the baby making a little snuffy noise in its sleep. I cant deny that. Its totally real. So the rest is something I just have to take on faith for now. Chance. Grampa. Whatever.
Now the baby makes a noise. I know the noise and so do you. Yah that noise. It is a funny noise when you make it with your lips or under your arm pit—but the baby is not making the noise under its arm pit.
Oh.
The baby frowns and grunts and turns over in its sleep. Theres the noise again. The baby has had a lot to drink and eat and it is ready to—it is starting to—to—oh no.
Oh no no!
The noise goes on and on and on. And on.
And still there is more noise and more—more. Its epic. My jaw drops open and stays there. I dont know wether to scream or laff or start clapping. I am impressed. The baby sounds like it is digging to China or firing a rocket at the moon—and it sleeps thru the hole thing.
I dont want to talk about the next ten minits. The smell. The noise. The filth. The amazing amazing filth. Maybe not as bad as being kid napped and locked up in a cold basement but no fun. Trust me.
About half way thru the front door opens.
SUSAN DEAR—ARE YOU THERE?
The voice is old sounding. A woman is in the hall. I dont anser because I am not Susan and because I am on the kitchen floor on my nees finishing up with the baby—who is a girl by the way. I can not tell you how yucky it all is. Its like the baby exploded. The only clean part of her is her hair. Everything else is going to have to go in the wash or the garbage. I reach into the gym bag for diaper number 4.
Susan is Susan Goyette I gess—this is her house.
Knees not nees.
The lady in the hall says ahem. Shes polite.
I saw the lites on and the broken window and I wondered she says a bit louder.
I wonder what the babys name is? Her hair is soft. Her skin is warmer than it was.
Is everything all rite? asks the lady. Answer me. And what on earth is that smell?
She shows up in the kitchen doorway. I am not surprised by her parka or boots or white hair or rinkles. Im surprised by the rifle tho. She points it at me pretty steddy. A tuff lady.
What are you doing? She starts to say and then stops when she sees the baby and the mess. Its easy to see what I am doing. There are little close and diapers all over the floor.
I say hi and tell her my name and that I am sorry for breaking in. It was an emergency I say—the baby needed help.
So you are not a robber.
Well I did take a can of pasta I say. She smiles and lowers the gun and tells me her name is Katy. With a Y she says witch she doesnt have to because how else am I going to spell it?
Hi Katy I say.
All this time the baby is sleeping and stinking and I am fumbling with diapers and wipes and close. Katy asks do I want any help and I say yes so fast she hasnt finished asking me yet. Yes yes please I say. In about 5 minits she has the baby clean and in a blanket and the dirty close in a washing machine in the basement. She is like a hurricane of busy.
I go to the bathroom and clean up.
What is her name? Katy asks me while the close are washing. We are sitting in the living room.
Who? I ask.
The baby—the little girl with the hair. What is her name?
I dont know I say.
Who is she?
I dont know.
Katy frowns and puffs on her cigaret. She smokes all the time. When she finishes 1 she lites an other 1.
Whats going on Bunny? she asks.
She is smart and tuff and old and full of energy. Can I trust her? Can she help me?
I find myself telling her my story. Not Grampa the wolf but most of the other stuff. The baby close go in the dryer and Im still talking. Katy has her head tilted so the smoke doesnt go into her eyes. When I am done she nods a bit and says good.
Good? I say. Whats good?<
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You are she says. You are doing the rite thing.
Even tho I dont know whats going on?
Knowing whats going on is over rated she says. You know whats important.
She pats my arm. For all that she is old and smoking like a bonfire she reminds me of Nancy in grade 3. I feel better because of her. The bell dings and the dryer is done.
KATY GOES OUT TO HER TRUCK
while I dress the baby in her snow suit and hat. Blah blah blah she says and grabs my nose. I give her another drink from the wet towel and then it is time to go.
Dont point that at me says Katy.
Sorry.
She takes the rifle from me and throws it in the backseat of the truck. I sit in the front with the baby in my lap. She looks around and grabs everything she can. Mostly me.
Katy drives off slowly.
Were you really going to shoot me? I ask. If I was a robber.
I told Susan Id watch her place while she was away.
And you do what you say youll do.
Well sure she says.
Its late and the road is empty and wild looking. Pine trees make it look even wilder. There is no town—only more sines with numbers. The truck smells of smoke. The cigaret buts in the ash tray look like an under sea animal—a coral or sponge with white things sticking up.
So you wuld of shot me? I ask.
I was going to try to scare you she says. But if you wouldnt be scared then yeah Id of pulled the trigger.
What if you missd?
You dont miss with a shot gun she says.
Katy has the radio on. The announcer guy has a gaspy voice and he says O boy a lot.
Less than 24 hours from now the ball will drop and the new year will begin he says. Then he starts talking about Aiden Tween who is in Toronto. O boy what a hart throb he says. Katy turns off the radio.
Cant stand that guy she says.
Aiden Tween?
Well yeah him 2. But I was talking about that radio host. He sounds like he has found a cure for cancer when hes giving a traffic report.
You know Aiden Tween rite? The singer? You baby you baby you baby are the 1 for me—that guy. Hes famous. The hair the pointing finger the screaming fans. Hes my age witch means we shuld have a lot in common—only we dont.
Katy pulls into the parking lot of the police station. It is near the 401 hi way and is the only big bilding I have seen in Canada so far. She shuts off the engine and we walk in together.
Your wearing skates? she says.
Yeah.
Rented eh? I see the number.
She opens the door for me and the baby. I click and clump across the floor of the station.
The sarjent behind the desk is yelling into 2 phones at once. She has 1 in her hand and 1 lying open in front of her.
There is a table and chairs near the front door—a waiting area. The magazine on the table has a picture of a guy with his hand in his shirt on the cover. Napoleon it says. He was a long time ago but the magazine looks old enuff to have gossip about him like he was Aiden Tween. Crazy Napoleon—whats he up to now?
I sit down and keep the baby in my lap. She pulls off her hat and drops it rite away.
I dont care Stevens! says the sarjent into her hand phone. Command center is breathing down my neck. Its been 5 hours now. Make up another search team and go to the customs shed.
Katy walks over to the desk and goes ahem. The sarjent puts up her free hand like a stop sine to say Wait a minit.
And bring search lites! she says. You can run them off the car batteries. Come on Stevens. Do it now!
The minit the sarjent gets off this phone the 1 on the desk rings. She leans over and says Yes sir and No sir a lot and then goodbye sir.
There is a moment of silence.
Hello says Katy who is still standing beside the desk. The sarjents hand phone rings.
Itll be a second she says to Katy and then says Yes into the phone.
Katy goes outside for a smoke. Its been a couple minits since her last.
The baby likes dropping her hat. And pulling my nose. These are her things to do. I poke her in the stomach and she giggles. I giggle back.
Not that I like her—I dont. Just a baby. Geez.
The sarjent is yelling into the phone again. Dont talk to me about how cold it is! she shouts. Its winter out there. Why do you think were all worried about little Adeline?
The baby stands up strait. Looks past my sholder. And speaks for the first time.
Ad she says.
I dont know what she means. The word sounds like dad. Does she think Im her dad?
I give her that hat. She drops it.
Ad she says again.
The sarjent closes the phone she is talking into. Sorry she says to Katy who is back from her smoke now. This is a very busy nite. Theres a lost kid. Shes been missing for hours and there are search teams from Canada and the US looking for her.
Thats terrible! says Katy. She must be scared to death.
Her parents were picked up by American customs trying to walk across the river.
Really. Crossing the river eh? says Katy. She looks back at me.
The parents are on there way here says the sarjent. We are the nearest police station. Everyone’s panicking of course—Adeline is still missing. There are police and CBSA teams looking for her on this side of the river and home land security has people on the other side.
One of the sarjents phones rings. She says yes and then okay.
The baby is looking all over the place. Sharp eyes she has.
Ad she says. Ad ad ad.
Or is it dad dad dad?
Im not your dad I tell her.
Im not worryed about her like I was when she was cold. But theres something. It has to do with us being in the police station and her calling me dad. In a few minits I will hand her over and the police will take care of her. She wont be my baby any more.
Katy is talking to the sarjent about the missing kid. She must be safe now Katy says. Its so cold. Shes probly in a coffee shop.
You dont understand says the sarjent. Adeline is a baby.
What? says Katy. I thot you were talking about a teenager.
Not even a year old says the sarjent. The parents were carrying 2 bags—1 with close and an other with the baby in it. When the chase started they hid 1 bag to move faster. They thot it was the bag of close but it turned out to be Adeline.
Ad says the baby on my lap.
And then the door opens and a rush of cold air comes into the police station. I hear shouting and crying and muttering. 3 people rush down the hall past me and up to the desk. The woman is shouting and the man is crying and the customs officer is muttering.
Find her! shouts the woman. Find her!
She is wearing a green parka and has dark hair and big eyes. She looks like a bomb has gone off inside her.
The man has his hands in front of his face. Hes crying. The customs officer holds the neck of his coat practicly carrying him along—witch she can do easily. Thats how big she is.
Im watching you she mutters.
Shut up! says the woman. Your people havent found her.
Were looking says the officer. Now that your back in Canada where you belong your baby is our number 1 priority. We all want the same thing she says.
This happens in a few seconds while they are walking in front of us. The baby tries to jump out of my lap and I have to hold on tite. Her mouth opens.
Mama! Mama!
The woman is at my side so fast I do not see her move. It is like magic—she is yelling at the customs officer and then she is holding the baby. I culd not stop her if I wanted to. She wants the baby more than I have ever wanted anything.
Adeline she says. Adeline. Adeline.
She is crying but not boo hoo. Tears pour down her cheeks like rain. Like a waterfall. I have never seen crying like that befor.
Mama! says the baby. Mama!
The 2 of them are holding each other so tite I can not tell wh
ere mom stops and baby starts. It is like they are 1 person—like mom is pregnant again.
There is a thump. The man has fallen to the floor.
The customs officer is not enjoying the family reunion. Shes staring at me.
You! she says.
She is Brady or Alex—I dont know witch. The bigger tuffer 1.
Your in trouble she says. Theres a red file on you. You belong in America.
No I say. I want to stay here.
She lifts Adelines dad up by his coat and drops him in the corner.
These folks will have to stay she says. But we will see about you.
Then she goes over to talk to the sarjent. I dont know why she has it so upside down. Why cant she take Adelines family back with her and leave me here? Then we wuld all be happy.
Katy comes over to sit beside me. Shes got a big smile on her face. She nods at Adeline and her mom who are still hugging each other. They havent moved.
See what you did? she says.
HOURS LATER IT IS SO LATE IT IS EARLY.
Katys on a new pack of smokes. Ive told my story to Brady or Alex and 2 customs officers from Canada and Ive answered questions—lots of them. Im real tired.
Adelines gone. Her and her family mite stay in Canada and mite have to go someplace far away—to make it harder to sneek into America next time. Sounds pretty stupid to me but maybe I have it wrong. I got to hold Adeline 1 more time to say goodbye. Not that I care. Shes just a baby. Her mom has finally stopped crying.
Brady or Alex is gone 2 and I did not go with her no matter how much she talked about hot per suit.
Let me tell you about hot per suit. That is a big deal. Brady or Alex said she culd take me back across the border because she grabbed me in America and I ran away so when she saw me here it was hot per suit and hot per suit gave her special powers. The Canadian customs officers said hot per suit was no good in my case. Yes it is said Brady or Alex. No it isnt said the Canadian customs guys. Yes it is. No it isnt. What about home land security? said Brady or Alex. That doesnt matter said the Canadian guys. Yes it does. No it doesnt.