Sleeping through all of it.
She was somebody’s child.
That made the fear worse. She wasn’t a clue or a mistake.
She was somebody’s child.
“Call the charge nurse,” I said.
The nurse hesitated.
“Just so we can sort this out.”
“Now.”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
She left.
Caleb started pacing.
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“What if I’m wrong?”
I looked down at the baby.
“I hope you are.”
I hated that part of me was afraid to hold her too closely.
“I stared right at it.”
“I know.”
“The nurse saw it too.”
“I know.”
The baby made a small squeaking sound and tucked her chin against me.
I hated that part of me was afraid to hold her too closely.
Then Denise turned to the delivery nurse.
A few minutes later, the charge nurse arrived with the nurse who had been in the delivery room.
The charge nurse introduced herself as Denise.
“Tell me what happened.”
Caleb did.
He described the birthmark and where he had seen it.
Then Denise turned to the delivery nurse.
The woman looked from Caleb to me.
“Do you remember the mark?”
The woman looked from Caleb to me.
“Yes.”
My heartbeat seemed to stop.
“Where was it?” Denise asked.
“Left side. Near the collarbone.”
No one spoke for a second.
“Did she leave this room?”
Denise checked the band without removing it, then checked the information in the chart.
“Did she leave this room?” I asked.
“For routine assessment,” the delivery nurse said.
“Where?”
“Down the hall.”
Denise’s expression changed slightly.
“It was busy. I’d have to check the log.”
“Were there other newborns there at the time?”
The nurse hesitated.
“One other, I think.”
Denise looked at her.
“You think?”
“It was busy. I’d have to check the log.”
Denise stepped into the hallway.
Ten minutes later, Denise returned with an administrator.
Through the partly open door, I heard her say, “Nobody moves either infant until we verify everything.”
Either infant.
Caleb heard it too.
He sat down beside me.
“There’s another one,” he said.
