Read Online Hush Little Baby by Caroline B. Cooney - Free Book Online
Authors: Caroline B. Cooney
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afraid of Ed Bing.”
“Row, this is the baby’s mother.”
“No, she isn’t. She wants to be the baby’s mother.”
“But that’s wonderful, Row! She’s waiting for him! Do you see Dusty waiting for the baby? Cinda’s probably been choosing names for the whole nine months, and Dusty hasn’t even picked one out yet. A cousin is a just right person to adopt a baby.”
“I don’t see how being a cousin qualifies you for anything,” said Rowen. “You’ve never laid eyes on this Cinda. How do you know she’s a cousin? Just because she says so?”
It was true that Ed had come alone to the wedding. Kit could not remember other relatives on Dusty’s side. But who would claim to be related to Dusty unless they were? And it was a relief to know that Dusty could do something right: She could admit that her cousins would be better parents than she would. It was only natural to have a few worries at the last moment. If Dusty had been here at Dad’s house, Dusty would decide, but the day was ending, night was coming, and this baby needed a parent and one was on the phone. It sounded perfect to Kit.
“Let’s go ask your mother,” said Row in an interfering pushy way. “Or Shea’s mother. Or mine.”
She had been so glad to see Row, and now she was just irked. He was getting in the way. He was all inconvenient advice and obstruction.
“Or the police,” said Rowen.
Kit’s hand was over the phone to muffle their conversation. She glared at him.
“Do you think we should call 911?” said Muffin intently.
“No!” said Kit. “We are not facing an emergency. And I don’t want Dusty in trouble. I don’t want some social worker taking poor Sam the Baby and sticking him in a foster home for months until they decide what to do next. I want Sam the Baby to be home in his own crib tonight.”
Cinda said, “I’m sorry, Kit, I can’t quite hear what you’re saying. Please, Kit, please, I need your help and I need it now.”
“Ask her where Dusty is,” hissed Rowen.
Muffin hissed right back, “Row!”
“They don’t know where Dusty is,” Kit told him irritably. “Yes, Cinda,” she said, “I can take the baby to your house.”
“Can I go, too?” cried Muffin. “I’m a great baby-sitter. I love Sam the Baby. I’ll come and I’ll help. You’ll need help.”
“ Muff, ” said Rowen.
But Kit said, “Yes, you can come. I’ll be glad to have the company, and if you’re in the backseat with him I won’t be looking back every second to see if he’s all right and then maybe having a fatal, Dusty-type accident when I’m not looking at the road.” Kit hoped Row would want to come, too. Or do the driving himself, in the car he handily had in the driveway.
The directions Cinda gave were long. Kit read them back into the phone to be sure she had the right turns and route numbers and landmarks, and Rowen said, “Those guys are seriously hiding from their fellow man.”
“Would you like to come, Row?” Kit asked nervously. She didn’t know how she felt toward Rowen right now. He was being a jerk, trying to make the decision about the baby, but she would certainly like to have his company. She felt muddled. It was as if Dusty had climbed into her brain.
“I don’t think you should do this,” said Rowen flatly, “and I don’t want to get mixed up in it.”
“So you won’t come?” Kit snapped.
“You shouldn’t go, either,” he said. “Just do me a favor. Just call your mother and ask what she thinks.”
But Mom wasn’t home. They’d have to wait for Mom to show up, and then Mom would come over, and they would have to discuss things, one of which would be: Why didn’t you tell me about this in the first place? Mom would insist on waiting for Dusty, and even more time would pass, and authorities would be brought in, and Dusty would be in trouble, because Dusty was always in trouble, and Dad would be crazed that he had to deal with her again, and he would stay on his coast and
“Row, this is the baby’s mother.”
“No, she isn’t. She wants to be the baby’s mother.”
“But that’s wonderful, Row! She’s waiting for him! Do you see Dusty waiting for the baby? Cinda’s probably been choosing names for the whole nine months, and Dusty hasn’t even picked one out yet. A cousin is a just right person to adopt a baby.”
“I don’t see how being a cousin qualifies you for anything,” said Rowen. “You’ve never laid eyes on this Cinda. How do you know she’s a cousin? Just because she says so?”
It was true that Ed had come alone to the wedding. Kit could not remember other relatives on Dusty’s side. But who would claim to be related to Dusty unless they were? And it was a relief to know that Dusty could do something right: She could admit that her cousins would be better parents than she would. It was only natural to have a few worries at the last moment. If Dusty had been here at Dad’s house, Dusty would decide, but the day was ending, night was coming, and this baby needed a parent and one was on the phone. It sounded perfect to Kit.
“Let’s go ask your mother,” said Row in an interfering pushy way. “Or Shea’s mother. Or mine.”
She had been so glad to see Row, and now she was just irked. He was getting in the way. He was all inconvenient advice and obstruction.
“Or the police,” said Rowen.
Kit’s hand was over the phone to muffle their conversation. She glared at him.
“Do you think we should call 911?” said Muffin intently.
“No!” said Kit. “We are not facing an emergency. And I don’t want Dusty in trouble. I don’t want some social worker taking poor Sam the Baby and sticking him in a foster home for months until they decide what to do next. I want Sam the Baby to be home in his own crib tonight.”
Cinda said, “I’m sorry, Kit, I can’t quite hear what you’re saying. Please, Kit, please, I need your help and I need it now.”
“Ask her where Dusty is,” hissed Rowen.
Muffin hissed right back, “Row!”
“They don’t know where Dusty is,” Kit told him irritably. “Yes, Cinda,” she said, “I can take the baby to your house.”
“Can I go, too?” cried Muffin. “I’m a great baby-sitter. I love Sam the Baby. I’ll come and I’ll help. You’ll need help.”
“ Muff, ” said Rowen.
But Kit said, “Yes, you can come. I’ll be glad to have the company, and if you’re in the backseat with him I won’t be looking back every second to see if he’s all right and then maybe having a fatal, Dusty-type accident when I’m not looking at the road.” Kit hoped Row would want to come, too. Or do the driving himself, in the car he handily had in the driveway.
The directions Cinda gave were long. Kit read them back into the phone to be sure she had the right turns and route numbers and landmarks, and Rowen said, “Those guys are seriously hiding from their fellow man.”
“Would you like to come, Row?” Kit asked nervously. She didn’t know how she felt toward Rowen right now. He was being a jerk, trying to make the decision about the baby, but she would certainly like to have his company. She felt muddled. It was as if Dusty had climbed into her brain.
“I don’t think you should do this,” said Rowen flatly, “and I don’t want to get mixed up in it.”
“So you won’t come?” Kit snapped.
“You shouldn’t go, either,” he said. “Just do me a favor. Just call your mother and ask what she thinks.”
But Mom wasn’t home. They’d have to wait for Mom to show up, and then Mom would come over, and they would have to discuss things, one of which would be: Why didn’t you tell me about this in the first place? Mom would insist on waiting for Dusty, and even more time would pass, and authorities would be brought in, and Dusty would be in trouble, because Dusty was always in trouble, and Dad would be crazed that he had to deal with her again, and he would stay on his coast and
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