EIGHT
By the time Heather and Joe rushed to the nursery, Connor was in his crib, making little gasping sounds, trying to catch his breath after being frightened by his aunt’s unexpected outburst. Marie stood by his side, soothing him until he caught his breath. His little mouth turned into a pitiful pout as tears squeezed out from his now watery eyes. Marie glared up at Kelly and then looked down at the baby as she whispered reassuring words to him.
Kelly was no longer screaming but stood frozen just inside the door, staring at the crib, making no attempt to get closer. Joe, thinking something horrible had happened to the baby, rushed by Kelly, straight to the crib, and was relieved to find the baby breathing, yet obviously on the verge of tears. He was about to pick up Connor when Heather pushed by him and shoved him out of the way.
Joe watched as Heather picked up the baby, comforting him in her arms. He then turned to Kelly. When doing so, he failed to notice that Sadie sat quietly by the crib. Had he taken a moment to consider her demeanor, he would have thought it strange behavior for a dog, who would normally be more hyped up after hearing someone screaming the house down. But what he didn’t know, Marie had already conveyed to Sadie what had occurred and asked her to stay quietly out of the way.
“What happened?” Joe asked Kelly.
“Silly girl, she scared the dickens out of the poor boy,” Marie said, knowing Joe and Kelly had no idea she was even there.
Connor, no longer on the verge of tears, happily snuggled against Heather’s shoulder as she glanced curiously at Kelly, wondering what exactly she had seen. Heather could only guess. She knew she would be expected to chastise Kelly for the outburst—considering how she would normally behave when someone let out a shout in the nursery after being reminded to be quiet. Yet Heather knew it was not Kelly’s fault—plus she was desperately holding in laughter, imagining all the possible scenarios Kelly might have walked in on.
“What happened?” Joe repeated, now at Kelly’s side, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Kelly pointed at the baby and said, “He was flying.”
Joe’s expression went blank. “Excuse me?”
“He was flying—over the crib,” Kelly said in a small shaky voice.
“And you think I’m weird for talking to myself.” Heather laughed and then walked over to the crib and put Connor down.
“What did you see?” Joe asked, ignoring Heather.
Kelly rubbed her temple with the heel of her right hand and shook her head wearily. “Of course he was not flying. That was a silly thing to say. I…my…eyes were playing tricks on me…that must be it.”
“Some trick,” Heather said.
“I think you’re enjoying this a little too much,” Marie scolded Heather.
“I think we should go,” Joe said, leading Kelly from the room.
“What happened?” Heather asked Marie in a whisper after Joe and Kelly left the nursery.
“I was just putting Connor in his crib when she walked in. Why in the world did you let her in here? You knew I could be in the middle of changing him—or feeding him—or just carrying him across the room,” Marie asked.
“You think I could stop her? Short of tackling her, she was determined to come in here.”
“Well, you should have figured out some way to get in here before her, to warn me,” Marie said.
“I know,” Heather grumbled, glancing to the door.
“And you were enjoying her discomfort a little too much.”
“You were annoyed with her when she first barged in,” Heather reminded.
“Yes, but if things like this keep happening, I’m afraid Lily and Ian won’t let me watch Connor anymore,” Marie said.
Heather let out a sigh, deciding to take the situation more seriously. “Okay, where exactly was Connor when she walked in?”
Marie told her.
Heather glanced from the crib then to the door. The next moment she sprinted into the hall and then the living room. There Joe and Kelly stood in the middle of the room, quietly talking amongst themselves. When Heather walked in, Joe looked up and announced they were getting ready to leave.
“No, I think we need to talk first. I’m pretty sure I can explain what Kelly saw,” Heather said.
“I’m curious to hear this,” Marie muttered and then took a seat in an imaginary chair. She hovered above the three.
Heather glanced up to Marie and said, “I hate when you do that.”
“What?” Joe asked with a frown.
Heather looked back to Joe and grinned. “See, I was talking to myself again.”
“I’m not sure if you’re trying to make me feel better about myself or more crazy,” Kelly grumbled.
“Okay, here’s the thing…when I’m talking, I know exactly who I’m talking to—even if it’s simply to myself. I don’t imagine I’m talking to a unicorn or anything. I just like to think out loud,” Heather said.
“So you aren’t trying to make me feel better—just more crazy?” Kelly asked.
“You aren’t very good at this,” Marie said. “Danielle is much better at this game than you. If she was here, she would already have come up with a logical story to explain Connor floating over the crib.”
“I imagine Ian hasn’t told you—but Connor has become quite the jumper,” Heather said.
“Jumper?” Joe asked.
“Yeah…you know, how some babies manage to climb out of cribs. Well, Connor doesn’t do that. But he does stand up, and when he does, he likes to jump. I bet you saw Connor when he did one of his jumps,” Heather suggested.
“Jumps?” Kelly asked.
“Yeah, you know, he manages to stand up, and then he jumps up and down on the mattress. Gets kinda high. Looks like he’s floating over the crib sometimes. I think he’s going to be a gymnast,” Heather said.
Marie groaned. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Kelly seemed to be considering Heather’s words for a few moments. Finally she said in relief, “I thought I was going crazy.”
“She is crazy if she believes that preposterous story,” Marie said.
INSTEAD OF GRABBING something to eat in Astoria after the play, the foursome decided to head back to Frederickport and stop at Pier Café before going home. They pulled into the parking lot and found Joe and Kelly getting out of their car. Ian pulled up next to Joe and parked.
“Coming for pie or a late night dinner?” Ian asked his sister as his foursome met up with Kelly and Joe.
“Pie for me. I think Joe is getting a burger,” Kelly said. “How was the play?”
“It was good,” Lily told her.
By the time they all reached the diner, it was decided they would sit together.
They had just sat down at the table when Kelly said, “I have to say, Connor freaked me out. Why didn’t you tell me he could jump like that?”
No one answered immediately, but the original foursome exchanged glances.
“You were at our house?” Ian asked.
“We were in the neighborhood and had just gotten out of the show,” Kelly explained. “I thought I would just stop by and peek in on Connor.”