Chapter 31

Bobby patted my stomach saying, "Maisy, how's junior doing." I patted the top of his hand as it lay on the small bump in my belly. "Just fine, I reckon. He ain't making me sick as much as he was. You want me to fix you somethin' to eat?" I asked him. "Fry me up some ham and some eggs, I'm so hungry my stomach thinks my throat's been cut, " he said as he headed toward the fireplace. "I have gotta get out of these wet clothes and my socks are soaked clean through and my feet are colder than ice." I never said a word as I lit the stove and got the frying pan out. "Me and yore daddy checked the traps all the way out to Foggy Bottom, then turned and cut up the mountain towards the holler. We got a might big load of skins and we, we." I turned to look at Bobby when I heard him stutter, than go quiet. I walked out of the kitchen and stood looking at him as he leaned down and pulled the blanket up from the baby. I didn't know if I should laugh or not when I saw the confused look cross his face. "Maisy" he said as he look at me, "Maisy, where did you get this baby" he asked me. I looked at him and said, "I reckon the stork dropped him off." I turned and headed back to the stove to turn the ham, explaining as I went, how the baby came to be at their house.

Bobby sat in a chair close to the fire warming himself while eating the ham and eggs. I had picked the baby up and was slowly and patiently spoon feeding him some warm milk. "Reckon who he belongs to," Bobby asked in between bites. I shrugged my shoulders and stared intently at the baby. "Don't be going gettin' no ideas in your head Maisy, we don't know nothin' about that baby. Why his folks may be out lookin' for him right now," Bobby said.

I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head. "Bobby we can't even see off the porch that snow is blowin' so hard, no one in their right mind is out in this snow. They might be worrying themselves to death, but they ain't out walking in the snow. Besides, I told you I saw a shadow what looked like a man outside before I went out. I know this baby ain't ours, but until we find out who he belongs to it is our responsibility to look out for him," I said.

"Fine, but don't go getting attached to him, we got one that will be here soon and I don't need you gettin' all upset when his family comes to get him," Bobby said. He stood up and headed towards the kitchen with his empty plate. "If they come to get him," I replied and stuck my tongue out at Bobby behind his back. When the small cup of milk was finished, I gently laid the baby on my shoulder, and as I patted his back to burp him, I rocked and hummed softly under my breath.

Bobby walked back to Maisy and held his arms out for the baby. "As long as he is here, I might as well practice I guess," Bobby said. I gently laid the infant in his arms and helped him ease into my rocker. "I'm going to get ready for bed," I said. "So don't you go getting attached to him." Bobby looked up at me and smiled, "Reckon does he have a name," he asked. "I am sure he does" I replied, "but he probably don't know it yet, so I guess we will have to pick one out for him to use, until we find out what his real one is." I pulled the baby blanket up over the baby until all that was peeking out was his little face, his head resting on Bobby's chest, while he slowly rocked.

I hummed to myself as I went into the small bedroom to change. I pulled back the curtain to look at the snow and was shocked to see a tall figure out by the road, just standing there not moving. "Bobby," I called. "Bobby," I called louder, "Come here." Bobby eased out of the rocker being careful not to disturb the baby and headed towards the room, "Now Maisy," he said "You know I love you, but I am just too tired to." I looked at him and grinned, "I ain't talking about that. Look," and I pulled back the curtain to show Bobby the stranger. Bobby leaned over and squinted but couldn't see anything, "It's snow, Maisy, it don't look no different than what it did before." he said. I looked out the window again and the shadow was gone, "I saw someone out there Bobby, a tall dark shadow near the tree at the edge of the road, I swear I did." I said as I kept staring. Bobby handed me the baby. "Hold junior and I will go look," he said as he headed toward the coat hook. I bounced the baby up and down, he was starting to whimper and wiggle around. "Well be careful and I will watch out the window to make sure you don't get lost," I said, as I grabbed his scarf and handed it to him.

Bobby pulled the door open and tried to get out quickly before the snow piled in. "Lean your back to the door and help me shut it," he said. I eased my back up to the door and pushed hard to get it to close, while Bobby pulled. The snow was blowing in hard and making a mess on the floor. I heard it latch and turned to the window to watch him. The scarf I had knitted him in bright red wool was easy to spot in the blinding snow. I watched him struggle against the wind towards the road and the tree. He circled the tree looking around for anything. I saw him stop and reach up the tree and pull something down.
Bobby headed back towards the house almost stumbling with the wind at his back. When I saw him step up on the porch I moved back from the window so the snow and cold wind wouldn't blow in on the baby.

Bobby pushed the door open, stepped in and quickly tried to shut it behind him. He managed to get it to click in the lock and finally hold closed. He handed me a folded piece of paper then started removing his coat and boots. "The floor ought to be clean. It's been wet and dried a bunch," he said as he stared at the rapidly melting snow. I handed him the baby and said, "What is this and his name ain't going to be junior," all in one sentence. Bobby glanced over my shoulder as I unfolded the note. "I ain't got no idea," he said. "I didn't see no sign around the tree that anybody had been there, course with the snow blowin' around tracks is covered up fast. I saw that piece of paper wedged into a knothole. What's it say?" he asked.

I unfolded the paper. I could read it, but the wet snow had made the ink run and it was blurring fast. "It says, this here baby ain't got no momma, she up and died from the cough goin' around. I cain't take care of it and am leavin' this part of the country. His name is Laney and I shore hope ya'll can care for him. His momma's name was MarySue and she never told who his daddy was. I am just her brother and we ain't go no more kin. I heard tell from folks that ya'll was good people. I didn't want to leave him with the orphan home cause them folks ain't always good to yungins. If I ever come this way again I mite stop and see him, but don't count on it. Signed Amos Moody."

I looked at Bobby and he didn't say a word, just hugged the small baby closer.