Page 28 of Baby Blue
“We’ve got one more gift for you,” Blue heard a voice say from the back of the room. The small crowd parted and a large box slid out into the center of the room. It was huge and flat and, standing on its side, it came up to Blue’s chest. “Anne said you didn’t have one. All of the doctors on the obstetrics floor went in together to get it for you,” a tall, gray-haired woman in a lab coat told him. “So from all of the obstetricians on the second floor, congratulations on your baby, Mr.Wallace. We wish you well.”
Blue pulled the paper away and was left speechless. The picture on the large box showed a beautiful, oak-stained baby bed, complete with mattress. Before he could speak, another woman said, “We didn’t have time to wrap this. I picked it up just a little while ago. But it matches.”
It was a rocking chair. And it was the tipping point for BrentAlan Wallace. He wasn’t even aware of the tear rolling down his cheek, but for the first time in his life, his heart was full. Almost choking, he managed to say, “I really don’t know what to say. No one’s ever done anything like this for me. Why? Why would you all do this? I mean, thanks, but why?”
Anne rose from her chair beside him, then squatted in front of him on the floor and balanced herself with her hands on his knees. “Brent, these people all wanted to help you. They’re my friends, and I think they’d like you to know that they’re your friends too. If you need anything, anyone in this room will be glad to do anything they can for you. You’re not alone in this. Look around. This is your tribe,” Anne said and swept her hand outward.
What could he say? People who didn’t even know him cared about him? They cared about his baby? He was bewildered and perplexed.
And he was overwhelmed with gratitude. He hadn’t known people did things like that for others, especially not for someone they didn’t even know. How would he ever thank all of them? Hedidn’t know what to do. Was he supposed to give a speech? “I don’t…”
“Just say what’s on your heart, honey,” Anne told him and patted his knee.
Blue sat for a few seconds while Anne rose and sat back down beside him. How to say what he was feeling? Finally, haltingly, he said, “I’m just overwhelmed. Do people do things like this for each other? I’ve never known anyone who did. No one’s ever done anything for me in my life, especially nothing like this. I just…” His voice faltered and he took a second to regain his composure. “I just want to thank you. I don’t know what else to say. Thank you. Thank you so much.” God, he didn’t want to break down in front of those people, but he was beyond grateful for them. “No words can tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“You’re welcome,” the young woman with the pale blond hair said. “Oh, one more thing.” She handed him a small book, not a story book, but just a plain little book.
Blue looked at its simple faux-leather cover. “What’s this?”
“It’s a list of names and phone numbers. Oh, and work shifts. So if you need a babysitter, someone on the list should probably be able to watch the baby for you for a few hours. You know, so you can go to the store, or go to a movie, or even just get out for a few hours by yourself to think or take a walk. The things we gave you tonight will be good for a while, but this will be good for a long, long time. I hope you’ll use it and give all of us a chance to get to know you and Indigo,” she said, smiling.
Blue cracked open the cover and looked inside. Almost every page was filled with names, phone numbers, and addresses. “Wow. Thanks. This is amazing.”
“I guess we’d all better go back to work. I’ll package up the leftover cake and bring it home tonight, if that’s okay,” Anne told him.
“Oh, yeah, that’s great. I should probably help clean up, huh?” he asked.
“No. We’ll do that. Let Amber hold Indigo while Brandon goes down and helps you put the car seat in. Then we can load up the truck with the big gifts and I’ll bring the smaller ones home in my car. Sound okay?” Anne asked.
“Sure. Yeah. That’s great,” Blue said, still trying to form words. “Yeah. Great. Okay. Thanks, everybody. Really.”
What happened next was something Blue would never forget. As the nurses and doctors all went back to work, Anne had him stand by the door. One by one, they filed out, and all of them introduced themselves. And as they did, several of them took his hand, but most of them gave him a hug. The first one was difficult?he hadn’t been hugged in, well, forever. But after the first two or three, he realized he liked the sensation of arms wrapping around him and squeezing him lightly. It was comforting. No one ever touched him, and it felt good to be touched.
When almost everyone was gone, several of the women left behind strolled back into the room with wheelchairs and a couple of gurneys, and they loaded all the gifts on them and headed downstairs. As they walked down the hallway to the elevator, people he’d never seen before stopped and congratulated him on being a new dad. They smiled at him, and he could see that their smiles were genuine. They weren’t being fake. They really meant what they were saying.
Brandon had the car seat in the truck in seconds and showed Blue how to strap Indigo in. They loaded the big things in the bed of the truck and, one by one, they congratulated Blue again and told him how happy they were to be able to give him a baby shower. He thanked them over and over.
Everyone was gone except Anne. She stepped to the passenger side of the truck and tucked a little blanket overIndigo and under her chin. “Hey, cutie-pie, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Then she rounded the front of the truck and stood in Blue’s open door. “I’ll come over as soon as I get off and bring the other things.” When he didn’t answer, she asked, “Blue? You okay?”
The eyes he turned to her were totally, utterly lost, and he knew it. “I just don’t understand. Why would these people do this, Anne? Why? It’s crazy! It doesn’t make any sense!”
To his complete shock, Anne laid her palms against his cheeks and looked up into his face. “I know where you came from. I know how your life’s been. Brent, that’s not how most people are. Most people love other people. They want to help when someone needs it. They want to share their lives with others. They’re kind and giving and loving. I know you didn’t experience that growing up, but you will now. Take Indigo home, get her in the house and settled, then get the stuff out of the truck. We’ll put it together in the next few days. I’ll help you, okay?” Blue nodded. “Good. Now be careful driving home. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Okay,” he said, afraid to say anything more. Anne waved as she strolled across the parking lot and disappeared into the building, and Blue turned the key in the ignition and headed out onto the street.
He only made it a block and had to pull over. From nowhere, sobs tore from his throat and he heaved and cried. What was happening to him? Why did those people care about him? It was all so confusing and a little scary.
But it was also enlightening. He’d never known people who did things like that. All his life he’d been pushed away, tossed aside, and treated like shit. No one cared about him and no one did anything for him. He’d struggled and fought and scraped for everything he’d ever had, and now, suddenly, there were peoplewho cared what happened to him. They cared what happened to Indigo. It was amazing, really.
After he’d sat there for a good ten minutes, he managed to pull himself together and headed back into traffic. He was feeling things he’d never felt before, but one feeling took him completely by surprise.
It was hope.
“Here. Let me get those,”Blue told Anne when he met her in her driveway and took half a dozen boxes out of her hands.
“It’ll take us a few trips, but we’ll get it all. Did you get the big stuff inside?” she asked as the two of them walked across the yard with the first load.
“Yeah. Polly and Toady came and helped me.” Anne started to say something, but Blue interrupted her. “And then I sent them straight home and told them to get ready for bed.”
