Read Online The Homecoming Baby by Kathleen O`Brien - Free Book Online

yards away, just far enough to hide the weak wails of a newborn. Boys, the first door read. And the second, Girls.
    He moved toward the second door. But as he stood there, uncertain whether to go in, he suddenly wished he hadn’t come. What had he been thinking? This was exactly the kind of sentimental nonsense he ordinarily despised.
    And it was illogical, too.
    Hell, he didn’t even know that this was the bathroom the wretched girl had used.
    And even if it was… What good would it do him to see it? It had all happened thirty years ago. Nothing would be left to mark the event today.
    â€œSir?” The voice behind him startled him. Patrick turned, aware that the echoing emptiness of this building had affected him more than he’d like to admit.
    A man was in the hallway, holding a large push broom and a cleaning cart. A light-skinned Mexican, the man was probably sixty years old, but he had a barely lined face, as if he didn’t let life bother him much.
    â€œCan I help you?”
    â€œI’m sorry,” Patrick said. He’d known he might run into questions, and he had his story ready. “I hope it’s all right for me to look around. I’m thinking of moving to Enchantment, and I wanted to check out the school my kids would be attending.”
    If he had any. But of course he didn’t add that part.
    â€œOh, sure. The staff don’t mind. Though things are stricter nowadays than they used to be.” The custodian leaned against his broom, clearly pleased to have an excuse to chat instead of sweep. “It’s a good school. Good kids. I moved away once, went to workin Taos, and what those kids wrote in the bathroom stalls you wouldn’t believe. Disgusting.”
    Patrick smiled and nodded. “I’ll bet. But no serious problems here? Nothing for a parent to worry about?”
    The man shrugged. “Well, they’re teenagers. At sixteen they all think the f-word is pretty funny, you know? But still, I’m glad I came back. This was my first real job, and I guess it’ll be my last.”
    â€œYour first job?” Patrick did some quick calculations. “How long ago did you start working here?”
    â€œâ€™Bout forty years. The school was a lot newer then, easier to clean. Course I was younger, too. That might be why.”
    Suddenly the older man’s gaze slid toward the bathroom door, and, as if he had finally registered how peculiar it was for this stranger to be standing outside the girl’s bathroom, he narrowed his eyes.
    â€œListen, what did you say you were—”
    A look of understanding passed across his face.
    â€œOh, I get it. You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? You heard that a girl had a baby in that bathroom. It was a long time ago, but still, you’re wondering if it’s true, aren’t you? You’re wondering if it’s safe to let your kids go to a school where things like that happen.”
    Patrick smiled, hoping he was pulling off the right amount of paternal concern and normal curiosity. “You’re right. I did hear about it. But I don’t know—I thought it might be some kind of urban legend, just a good creepy story to tell at sleepovers.”
    To Patrick’s surprise the man looked offended.“Nothing creepy about it. It’s a sad story, I’ll admit that, sad as hell. But not creepy.”
    Patrick raised his eyebrows. “Okay. But, still, it sounds kind of phony, don’t you think? Do you think it’s really true?”
    â€œI don’t think. I know. Every word is the God’s truth.” The man crossed his heart for emphasis. “I found that baby myself, even before the cops, even before Mrs. Lydia over at the birthing center. Picked him up, poor little fellow, I never saw anything so tiny. He was crying something terrible. Must’ve been lying there a while.”
    Patrick looked at the man, unable for the moment to invent