I had the most beautiful baby and all the other mother’s were so envious of her. She had such beautiful blue eyes and golden ringlets and the sweetest, fattest little cheeks. I wanted to hug her tight and kiss her all over. I just loved that new baby smell at the top of her head.
I couldn’t put my baby down; there was this woman who kept trying to steal her away from me. As I left the table I darted quick looks around to see if that woman was hiding anywhere. I couldn’t see her so I quickly scuttled out into the sunshine. Once outside I settled on the bench and started singing to my baby. “Hush little baby, don’t say a word Mamas gonna buy you a mocking bird” I remembered we had to go to the shop. I put baby onto the seat and went to get my purse.
The caregiver bustled outside “Mrs Carpenter” she called,
“Mrs Carpenter, where are you” Looking around the garden she spotted the doll on the bench under the Kowhai tree.
“Mrs Carpenter” Going over to the tree she picked up the doll and looked further around the garden. She couldn’t see Mrs Carpenter anywhere. She went back into the Rest Home building and headed down to Mrs Carpenter’s room.
The caregiver opened the door to Mrs Carpenter’s room. She wasn’t there. Putting the doll onto the bed she went to the intercom and called the manager.
“Hey Bill, its Sally I can’t find Mrs Carpenter, the doll was outside but I couldn’t see her anywhere in the garden and she not in her room.”
“Ok Sally we’ll do a sweep if we still can’t find her I will notify the daughter and the police.” Bill responded.
I kept my cell phone on my desk at work just in case the Rest Home had to get in contact with me. I felt my manager was becoming impatient with the amount of time I had to take off due to Mum but there was no-one else. I tried to focus on the columns of numbers but they just wouldn’t add up. I stared at the computer moving the numbers until I had them right.and completed the entry with a sigh. As I opened a new folder the phone rang “No, nonononono” went through my mind as my hand reach to pick it up. Lit up on the window was the familiar name Meadowvale.
“Hi this is Melanie”
“Ms Carpenter, it’s Bill from Meadowvale. Your mother managed to get off the property again. We notified the police and they picked her up down at the City Market. We have requested an assessment by the Geriatrician. It looks like your Mother will need to be assessed to go into the Secure Ward. Is it possible for you to come up to the Rest Home today?
“Will 4pm be okay, I’ll get off work early?”
“4 o’clock will be fine, see you then”
I gently placed the phone back onto my desk, gathering my courage I went talk to my Manager.
I carried my baby to the table so I could get her some dinner. Every day I brought my baby to the table but she often didn’t want to eat, so I would eat the dinner for her. While we were eating our dinner I saw that woman come in. I hunched down so she wouldn’t see me and I hid Melanie on my lap and whispered “Hush little baby don’t say a word” Keeping my head down I brought a spoon of rice pudding to her lips but she was too scared to eat.
I watched my mother with the doll at the table as she lifted the wet milky spoon to the doll plastic lips, spilling milk onto the christening gown the doll was dressed in. My heart broke as I listened to my mother singing in a breathy tone to the doll she thought was me.
