Chapter 32
ALEC
The chairs had been folded and stacked against the side of the house so we could all dance a little, just a few slow songs courtesy of Myrtle so we could have the obligatory first dances.
First Kit, Carl, and I, sort of linked arms and swayed to Unchained Melody, then my mom danced with me, while Carl’s dad and mine surprised us both again by asking Carl and Kit to allow them to be their dance partner, declaring that there wasn’t anything wrong with a father showing love and pride in their sons.
Kit had looked especially touched by Dad’s declaration that he was his son, while Carl had chuckled at his father’s words and said, “Come on then, old man, show me what you’ve got.
” Myrtle heard his words and decided to add to the challenge by fiddling with her keyboard settings and playing Jailhouse Rock, only for her sister Mavis to tell her in no uncertain terms that while the King was always a fabulous music choice, that song was inappropriate for a wedding.
I’d had to intervene and assure them both that we’d all enjoyed the fun of it before it got too out of hand between the elderly sisters.
Now it was over and the guests were leaving, each offering us their congratulations while mom made sure everyone took any leftovers with them in their bowls and dishes, if any.
The punch bowl was Mom’s, star of many a childhood birthday party, so thankfully all she’d had to do was ladle leftover punch into the small brown Tupperware jug that had held Kool-Aid and Hawaiian Punch first at my granny’ house, and later at ours growing up.
“It looks like someone left behind their stroller,” Carl said, nodding towards the living room.
I frowned. I don’t remember seeing a stroller like that, so I have no idea whose it is. Hey, Mom, any idea whose umbrella stroller that is?”
“No,” she replied. Then her eyes widened and she strode over to it, her feet going at Olympic speed from the kitchen to the living room until she was in front of the stroller, which had been facing away from us, towards the TV which had been put on for the younger cousins and children of my mate’s colleagues while simply eating and mingling right after the ceremony.
I’d assumed it had been forgotten and simply left on, but as Mom looked down in shock, I realized that wasn’t the case at all.
“Someone’s left a baby! There’s a note pinned to her little romper, with your name on it, Alec.”
“What? Who could possibly have done that?” I hurried over to take a look, even as Mom reached down to unbuckle the small child and lift her in her arms.
“It’s signed Kelly,” Mom replied flatly. “How could she do such a thing?”
“Did someone mention Kelly?” Aunt Lucy asked, carrying two folding webbed lawn chairs in to take back to her car.
“Did you know she was pregnant?" Mom asked her.
“Kelly? No. I hadn’t seen neither hide nor hair of that girl since she up and moved out of Alec’s apartment. And pregnant? That doesn’t surprise me. She’s got a heart of gold, but she’s always been a wild one and very irresponsible. Don’t tell me that baby’s hers.”
I unpinned the note and read it aloud so she, my stunned mates, and our fathers could hear her message.
“Alec,
I’m sorry I left you in the lurch and I’m sorry I’ve just done it to you again. You’re the best person I’ve ever known and now that you’re married and have all the benefits of being a Mylos mate, I knew what God was telling me was the right thing to do.
This is Baybee Gurl and yes, the name is dreadful, but Tom and I couldn’t decide what to name her as we didn’t feel any connection to her, not even while I was pregnant, and no names came to mind like we hoped once she was born.
The hospital said we needed to name her though so Tom put that down, knowing that it could be changed later.
I never wanted kids and neither has Tom, and staying put in one place wasn’t for me which is why I left so suddenly after Tom showed up with the old school bus he’d turned into an RV.
We’re towing my car behind it when we move on, so we can make Doordash money and Tom can get around doing odd jobs.
We stay only for a month or so until we move on again, and it’s wonderful.
We get to see the real America and we intend to visit all fifty states, though we’ll have to find a place to stow the bus while camping on one of them is a bunch of islands and shipping the schoolie would be ridiculously expensive. ”
I peered harder at the tiny cramped writing as it had gotten almost impossible harder to read on the tiny piece of folded paper torn from a small reporter’s size notebook.
“Baybee Gurl as you can see has special needs, which makes it even more plain that she was meant for someone who not only would cherish her, but who had the best medical and educational opportunities available for a child. She’s an easy baby, always happy, and I know that you will have taken one look at her and fallen in love with her.
Being your perfect matches, that means your husbands will have as well.
You’ll find the papers signing over custody to you in the diaper bag, along with cans of evaporated milk, and some packets of sugar, plus a small bottle of spring water, along with the recipe for the formula we’ve been feeding her.
Please don’t hate me, because I knew I wasn’t meant to be her forever mom or Tom her dad, as God intended it to be the three of you.
Just please let my mama be her granny along with yours is all I ask.
Not Tom’s if she ever comes around, please, or his father.
They’re currently in prison for elder abuse, regarding his granny who has passed.
Love always even if you think I’m horrible and don’t, Kelly Marshall
P.S. This is Tom Schofield and everything she’s said is true and I want you to be her dads.
Signed, Tom Schofield”
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Then it’s dated and there is a notary stamp.”
“I never would have believed she’d have done something like this,” Aunt Lucy whispered, looking as shellshocked as I felt.
The baby smiled and reached out to pat my face. My heart melted and I knew right then that I couldn’t refuse her anything.
“She’s got Trisomy 21, aka Down’s syndrome,” Carl said, already rummaging through the diaper bag. “Medical notes are right here, confirming what I thought, along with the legal papers she mentioned. They just need our signatures and to go before a judge.”
“All they need is our signatures and to be filed with the Fleet,” Kit corrected. “Hello, little one,” he cooed, taking her from my mother’s arms. “We have been given a precious gift.” He glanced at me.
My eyes prickled with tears. “Yes, we have. So, you don’t mind that I want to give her a home?”
“Children are precious and this one is most of all, for she is not only of your blood, but needs us more than any other.”
“If you can’t, I’ll try to find a way to get custody and look after her. I’m sure the state will give me help since we all know those two won’t ever send a dime as they don’t even have two nickels to rub together from the sounds of it and never will.”
“First things first, we sign these in front of a notary and file it with the Fleet, along with a name change request. Babyee Gurl is a horrible name, temporary or not. Why on earth they spelled it that way instead of normally when it’s the standard placeholder moniker for an unnamed child, I’ll never understand. ”
“Alice,” I said, reaching a finger out to stroke her soft little cheek. She gurgled happily. “See, she likes it and Alice was my grandmother’s name.”
“Alice Mae,” Carl amended.”
“Mae after your mom,” Carl's dad said, sounding choked up.
“I’ve been standing here holding my tongue, but Lucy, if I see that girl or her fella, they are going to get an ass whoopin’ from me for pulling this stunt. This was no way to hand over a baby.”
“I’ll be right there with you. This calls for a good clomp behind the ear if there ever was a good reason,” she agreed. “Y’all sure about this?”
I reached my arms out to take Alice Mae. "You bet. Um, Kit, what’s your grandmother’s name? Or your mom’s. If you want to give it to her, that is.”
“Shareen was my father’s mother’s name. She helped raise me as a youngling until she passed away in a shuttle accident when I was around fourteen of your years old.”
”I like that,” Carl said. “Alice Mae as a first, Shareen as her middle. And since we all took Kittinir’s family name of Morphas to use as a surname here on Earth, she’ll have that too.”
“Alice Mae Shareen Morphas,” Mom said. “Rolls off the tongue real nice.”
“I’m glad who’s going to raise her and what her name should be is all settled and all, but what are you going to do while you’re on your honeymoon?
There’s no notary available until tomorrow, seeing as it’s a Sunday afternoon.
Well, almost evening now, since it’s nearly six o’clock,” Dad interjected.
“Actually, Sue Ann is a notary public,” Mom said. “Let me give her a ring and give her the 411. I’m sure she’ll turn around and come right back over after grabbing her seal. She only lives five minutes away and has a spare seal in her home office she uses for folks at the church outreach.”
Mom went into the kitchen to pick up her phone, where she’d set it to charge before the wedding started.
“Hello, Sue Ann? Um, no, I’m not calling about tables.
They need wiping down and we’ll drop them off at the church tomorrow.
Yes, I’ll make sure to let Pastor Milburn know how much we appreciated the loan of them on Sunday.
Actually, I’m calling you about a rather delicate matter and we could use you and your notary stamp to help the boys out of a jam they just found themselves in.
” Mom began to relay the sordid story of how we came to find Alice Mae abandoned in her living room with a note. ”