“We’ll clean him up, ma’am, and then we’ll give him back to you,” the nurse said, picking up the baby.
Carol watched the nurse carry him away like an animal following movement.
“Carol?”
“I’ll call Mom,” he said, without even looking at me.
He stormed out into the hallway. As soon as the door closed, Paul leaned toward me.
“Please,” he whispered. “Don’t give her the baby yet.”
“Let’s clean him up right now, ma’am.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding. “What? Why?”
“I have to show you something.” Paul swallowed and pulled out his phone.
I frowned at the screen.
It was a series of texts between Paul and Rob. I started reading them and my skin crawled.
“Do you understand?” Paul said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I was right when I said something was wrong, except… God, I never thought it was this serious.”
It was a text exchange between Paul and Rob.
I reread the messages.
Carol is scaring me.
She keeps saying the baby is the only thing keeping her alive. She thinks Anna will try to take it away from her. She talks about moving right after the birth so no one can interfere.
“When did Rob send it to you?” I asked.
“Last night.” He pointed to the screen. “I wanted to meet up to talk about everything, but then you went into labor…”
“And now it’s too late,” I finished the sentence for him. I shook my head. “It’s not about Carol. She knows I wouldn’t try to keep the baby.”
I reread the messages.
“She’s obviously not thinking clearly, Anna. She’s been in a downward spiral for months.”
“But…”
Before she could finish, the door opened.
Carol came back into the house, smiling through her tears. Rob followed her.
“Mommy’s coming…” she paused, her eyes narrowing at my tears and Paul’s expression. “What’s going on?”
Paul cleared his throat. “Carol, we need to talk. About the baby.”
His eyes widened.
“Things have been getting worse for months.”
“You can’t talk to me about MY baby,” he said, his voice shaking. “As soon as they bring him in, I’ll hold him. You just go to your room.”
Rob placed a hand on her shoulder. “Carol, please, listen to me.”
“No!” Her eyes fixed on Rob. “What did you tell them?”
Rob looked devastated. “Carol…”
Paul stepped between them. “Carol, listen. We want to help you.”
“I don’t need your help. Not anymore.”
“What did you tell them?”
I said, “We’re worried about you.”
“Please, honey,” Rob said, moving closer to her. “You’re not okay.”
She took a step back as if I’d hit her.
I looked at my sister: her hands were shaking, her eyes wide. Her chest was rising and falling too quickly. The panic emanating from her was like intense heat.
And suddenly, something terrible became clear.
To save my sister, I would have to make her worst fear come true.
“We’re worried about you.”
I started sobbing.
“Carol, I love you,” I whispered. “And I’m so sorry to do this to you, but I can’t give you the baby until you get help.”
Her nostrils flared. The sound that came out was barely human.
“NO.”
“Carol…”
“NO! You promised to take care of my son. He’s MINE! MINE! You can’t keep him.”
“I can’t give up the baby.”
Two nurses rushed in. Rob covered his mouth with both hands. Paul stood beside my bed like a wall.
“You can’t do this to me,” Carol screamed. “You can’t take him away from me.”
“I’m not taking him.”
“You’ll take him away from me! You will.”
Her breathing became more and more labored. She looked around the room as if everyone had betrayed her.
“Everyone thinks I’m crazy.”
“No,” I said through tears. “I think you’re hurting.”
