Perfectly Unpredictable (10 page)

Maybe tomorrow she’d buy condoms.

And spermicide. Just to be safe.

Today was a big day. It was time for Mani
to try solid food.

Kalia had done extensive Internet research,
consulted with the pediatrician and three experienced moms in the neighborhood,
and called the BabyTalk hotline out of the public health unit.

Rice cereal it was.

She had prepared it carefully as per the
directions – just add water. She’d checked the temperature, measured
it out meticulously, and stirred it up. So far, so good.

“Okay, little one. Cereal today.” She
smiled as she kissed the top of Mani’s head. “Isn’t that exciting?”

She laughed and shook her head. How her
life had changed. Now, Mani eating solid food was the highlight of her day.

Mani wasn’t sitting up on his own yet, but he
was happy in his bucket seat with a big bib tucked under his chin. He grinned
and bounced and looked at the rice cereal on the little plastic spoon Kalia
held out to him.

Kalia scooped into Mani’s mouth, opening
her own in reflex. “Yum,” she said. “Isn’t that good?”

Mani took the food in his mouth, pursed his
lips, smacked them together, and then pushed all the food out with his tongue.

Kalia laughed. “It’ll take a little work, I
see.” She smiled and scooped it up off his chin and pushed it back in.

After three scoops, Mani got the idea and
leaned in to accept the next spoonful. He puckered his lips, squealed, and
finished the whole bowl, although half of it ended up on the bib and smeared
all over his cheeks. Kalia snapped a few pictures and wiped off Mani’s face and
hands.

“That was a big success. And it looks like
a perfect morning to play in the park – warm and sunny. Should we go
for a walk?”

Mani babbled and bounced in the infant
seat.

Kalia took Mani upstairs and changed his
pajamas for overalls and a long-sleeved cotton shirt. She slipped a pair of
socks on his feet and the game began. Mani thought it was very funny to wiggle
and maneuver until the socks fell off. By the time she was dressed in jeans and
a light sweater, the socks were nowhere to be found.

She tickled his toes, grabbed another pair,
and started again. She brushed her teeth and caught her hair in a ponytail and
pulled it through a baseball cap.

She smeared sunscreen on and turned to Mani.
The little Houdini had the socks off again. She scooped them up and this time
added a little pair of soft shoes. They didn’t last very long either, but it
was slightly better than the socks alone.

Kalia picked up Mani and grabbed a jacket
and hat for him. She packed a few toys and a thin blanket in the diaper bag,
just in case, and pulled the stroller out of the garage. She strapped Mani in,
adjusted the bonnet to keep the sun off, handed him his favorite rattle, and
noticed he was wearing only one shoe.

The neighborhood was quiet except for the
occasional birdsong. Kalia pushed the stroller along the sidewalk and waved to
Mrs. Penny, who was out watering her flowers.

The trees lining the street were small and
still supported with rubber ties fastened to an adjacent pole. Someone had chosen
a lovely mix of red and sugar maples that in a few years would provide shade
and color to the street.

It wasn’t hard to tell which houses had young
children, with the basketball hoops and riding toys in the driveway and chalk
drawings on the nearby sidewalk.
She admired bright
yellow chrysanthemums and spiky purple asters along front walkways in carefully
tended yards and the English gardens with pale roses still blooming. Some houses
had flowerpots filled with tall grasses that swayed in the light breeze, and others
had window boxes filled with hardy geraniums.

Kalia chatted to Mani naming the colors and
flowers and knelt beside the stroller with him to watch a wooly bear
caterpillar crawl past.

They turned onto a paved pathway that wound
its way to a park. The park had an open space for playing ball, a swing set, and
a climber with a mini-slide and a large plastic tic-tac-toe game.

Kalia lifted Mani out of his stroller,
teasing him about the shoes he had managed to kick off during the walk, and
lowered him into a swing. Mani babbled and grinned when Kalia set the swing in
motion and clapped and squealed every time the swing went high. Kalia laughed
as she watched him toe off a sock. “Your toes are going to get cold, little
one. Good thing it’s a warm day today.”

A soccer ball bumped Kalia’s leg and rolled
under Mani’s swing.

“Sorry about that.”

Kalia turned at the deep voice. She
recognized the man. When they’d arrived at the park, he’d been kicking the ball
with two little boys in a lively game of soccer. His bright red T-shirt blended
with the tattoos covering his left arm, and tight jeans covered skinny legs. A
gold chain winked in the sun. He had the look of a wind-blown pirate.

“My nephew’s kick is getting more powerful
but unfortunately less accurate,” he said. His gaze swept down, lingered on her
breasts, and then moved back up to catch her eye.

Kalia blinked and turned back to Mani,
wishing she’d worn a jacket. “No problem.”

The man stretched out a leg, under the moving
swing, to reach for the ball. Kalia gasped when the swing swung back and
clipped his shoulder.

“Shit.” The stranger jumped back and rubbed
his arm.

Kalia caught the swing and held it still.

“Thanks.” He rolled the ball out with his
foot and kicked it toward the boys. “Say, do you live around here?” He moved
closer, standing only a breath away, inside Kalia’s personal space. She took a
step back, but he moved forward with her. “I live downtown, and there’s a park
with a garden and benches, but not much space for kids to kick a ball and run
around. This is great. My sister’s kids love to come here, but she doesn’t like
them to come alone.”

Can’t imagine why not, Kalia thought wryly.
Perhaps because men they hardly knew talked to them. Kalia couldn’t decide if
he was friendly or creepy.

“Do you come here often?” the man asked.

“Occasionally,” Kalia said vaguely, reaching
to push the swing for Mani.

He held out his hand. “My name’s Jerry, by
the way.”

Kalia put her hand in his and was startled
when he grasped it firmly and caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.

“I’m . . .” Before she had a chance to say
her name, a gust of wind kicked up, pushing her back and swirling a mist of
sand dust toward Jerry’s face.

“Uncle Jerry, we need help with the ball,” one
of the boys shouted from the field.

Jerry stepped back and swiped a hand over
his eyes. “Sorry about that. I should go.”

“Of course,” Kalia said, relieved, as he
jogged toward his nephews.

Kalia looked at Mani, who was happily
swinging without any socks. The wind gust seemed to have missed him completely.

She looked up. “Alex, you really have to
learn to trust me,” she muttered. “But thank you. That was helpful.” Sometimes
having a guardian angel was handy.

Kalia kissed Mani’s forehead and laid him
in his crib. It was mid-afternoon and, like clockwork, Mani’s eyes were
drooping. He was almost asleep by the time she tucked him in. She quietly
closed the bedroom door and debated whether to grab a nap herself or get a bit
of work done. Maybe a quick look at her emails, and then she’d see how she
felt. The phone rang and she answered it before the noise woke Mani.

“Kalia. It’s Janine from the hospital.”

“Hi, Janine. How are you?”

“Slightly frazzled, but my day got better
when you answered the phone. We have a patient who arrived by ambulance with
abdominal pain. Unfortunately, he speaks German. Dr. Hayes would like to talk
to him about surgery, but because it’s complicated, she was wondering if you
could come and translate for us. I know you’ve got Mani at home, and I hate to
call, but we’re really stuck.”

Kalia hesitated.

“Please? With a cherry on top,” Janine
pleaded.

“I’m not sure what to do with Mani. He just
went down for a nap.”

“Bring him in. We’d love to see him, and
I’ll watch him for you. He’s as cute as a button. Bring him.”

Kalia’s mind raced with the options. She
could wake Mani up and take him, but that sounded like a recipe for an
irritable baby. And all the germs at the hospital. She shuddered. She could
call her mom, but it would be close to an hour before she could get there.

“We have chocolate,” Janine bribed.

Kalia snorted. “How soon do you need me?”
she asked, calculating.

“Fifteen minutes ago.”

Hmmm. She wondered if Teresa was home next
door. She’d look after Mani for a short time. Kalia glanced out the window and
saw Mack carry his guitar out onto his deck. Would he babysit? She hated to
impose, but it would be the least disruptive for Mani, and she’d be able to help
out.

“Okay,” Kalia said reluctantly. “I’ll try
to find someone to mind Mani for me. If not, I’ll bring him with me. As long as
you’re sure it would be all right?”

“Absolutely. Thanks so much, Kalia. I
really appreciate it. The patient is still in the emergency department.”

“See you shortly.” Kalia hung up the phone.

She picked up the baby monitor and wondered
how hard it would be to sweet talk Mack into babysitting for her. She wasn’t
sure how comfortable he’d be looking after a baby, although he always seemed
pretty relaxed. And he had his guitar-playing to fall back on if Mani needed
soothing, she thought ruefully.

She headed out the back door, stepped off
her patio, and walked over to Mack’s deck.

As she approached, Mack stopped strumming
and looked up. “Hi, Kalia.”

“Hi, Mack. Sorry to interrupt.”

“No worries. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if I could ask you a
favor?” Kalia bit her lip.

Mack set his guitar aside. “Ask away.”

“The hospital called. They have a German-speaking
patient who came in with a serious illness, and they’re asking if I could
translate for him. They need someone urgently, and I’d like to go help out, but
I’d rather not take Mani with me.”

“Of course. I can watch him.”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t seem that tough.
You put him on the ground with a bunch of toys, right?”

Kalia laughed. It was that simple. “Pretty
much,” she said. “He’s actually down for a nap right now and usually sleeps for
an hour, so I’m hoping he won’t even wake up while I’m gone.”

Mack nodded. “Even easier.”

“This is the baby monitor.” She handed over
the walkie-talkie-type gadget. “He’ll start to talk when he wakes up. You can
stay outside if you want. The range includes the backyard.”

“Great. I’ll sit on your deck and listen
for him. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, Mack. I really appreciate it.”

Mack picked up his guitar and walked with
Kalia to her patio.

“If he wakes up hungry, there’s a bottle
for him in the fridge. You could warm it up in some hot water. His favorite toy
is his bunny, and he usually likes to cuddle it when he first wakes up. If you
take him outside, please put a hat on him and keep him in the shade. He doesn’t
really like to wear socks–” Kalia wrung her hands.

“Kalia,” Mack interrupted, laughing at her.
“Relax.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “It’s an hour. We’ll be fine.” He
grinned.

Kalia sighed. “Sorry.” She grimaced,
straightening her shoulders and trying to relax. “I haven’t left him before. What
if . . .?” Her shoulders sagged. “Maybe I shouldn’t go. Maybe . . .”

Mack shook his head. “Go. Help the patient.
He’ll be very grateful. I can handle this, and if I have any questions, I’ll
text you.” He gently shoved Kalia inside.

“I’ll keep my phone on. Any questions, just
call or text. It’s not a problem,” she said over her shoulder as she stepped
inside the house. “I won’t be long.”

Mack was still grinning when heard her car
peel out of the driveway. He settled himself in the patio chair and picked up
his guitar, adjusting the volume of the walkie-talkie so he would hear Mani when
he woke.

Half an hour later, Mack stopped playing
when he heard Mani’s voice through the baby monitor. He left his guitar on a
chair and started to go in, but stopped when he heard his music playing. Startled,
he looked around, wondering where it was coming from. As he listened he
realized it was his new song, coming from the monitor in Mani’s room. Grinning,
he went inside to check it out.

He opened the door to Mani’s room a crack and
poked his head in. Mani was lying contentedly, listening to music coming from a
music box attached to the side of the crib. A mobile of colored animals spun
above him. When the music stopped a minute later, Mani reached out a little
foot and kicked a sliding giraffe on the side of the box, which started the
music playing and the animals spinning again.

Mack chuckled as he went in. “Great set-up.
Everything within reach.” He smiled at Mani.

Mani gave a big grin, babbled, and held out
his hands. Mack leaned in and lifted Mani out of the crib as the music stopped.

“Hi to you, too,” Mack said as he plucked a
well-worn bunny off the mattress and handed it to Mani. “I hear you like to
have the bunny with you when you wake up.”

Mani took the bunny and hugged it, and he
leaned his head into Mack’s shoulder. Mack hugged him close and made his way
downstairs. “What now, big guy? You hungry? I hear there’s a bottle with your
name on it in the fridge. Should we try that?”

Mack went into the kitchen and set Mani down
in the infant seat sitting on the floor. “Let me warm it up for you.”

Mani puckered his face and wiggled and
squirmed and then arched his back and slid out of the seat. Mack went to reach
for him, but Mani was fast. He rolled and moved and, grabbing his bunny by the
ear, crawled over to the fridge and waited.

Mack looked at him. “You’ve done that
before,” he said with a laugh. He opened the fridge door and eyed the only
bottle on the shelf. “This must be the one.”

Mani bounced and smiled and babbled away. He
reached up for the bottle.

“Do you want it warmed up?” Mack asked,
setting the bottle in a glass of warm water.

Mani whimpered and held out his hands.

“Okay. Okay, but it’s still cold,” Mack
warned. He plucked the bottle out of the glass and picked up Mani and carried
him to the sofa across from the kitchen island. He sat down and cradled Mani. Mani
put his hands around the bottle and, bringing it to his mouth, started sucking
vigorously. Big blue eyes never left Mack’s face.

Mack chuckled. “Take your time, dude. I’m
not going to fight you for it.”

Mani finished the bottle, and with one last
chew on the nipple pulled the bottle away. Mack caught it as Mani let go.

“Good work with that. I hope you’re full ’cause
that’s all we’ve got ’til your mom gets home.”

He lifted Mani up and patted his back. Mani
belched.

“Well done, man. You make me proud.” Mack
grinned. “So what now?” Mack looked around at the toys scattered on the floor
in the corner. “Want to play with the toys?”

Mani grinned and bounced.

Mack set Mani down and watched as Mani
crawled across the room, dragging his bunny with him. Mack set the bottle on
the kitchen counter and walked over to join Mani. He sat down on the floor and
sniffed. “Oh man. Is that you?” Mack sniffed again and frowned. “That is nasty.”

He checked his watch. Kalia had been gone
for forty-five minutes. Only fifteen minutes until she was home. It could wait.
He hadn’t signed on for diaper duty. Hard to ignore that stink, though. Man,
that was foul. He needed air. Fresh air.

“Hey, big guy. How about heading outside? You
like to play outside?” Mack asked as he scooped Mani up. He held him loosely
and carried him outside.

“There we go. Much better,” he said,
setting Mani down on the grass.

Mani grinned up at him and motored over to
the flowerbed. He stuck his hand in the dirt.

“Play all you want in the dirt, but don’t
eat it, big guy. I promised your mom I’d keep you out of trouble.”

Mack dropped down beside Mani. Making
himself comfortable, he watched Mani dig in the dirt. Mani grinned and cooed
and kept up a running stream of noises. Mack assumed that meant he was happy.

Mack moved a worm out of Mani’s reach and
looked up to see two kids race across the yard. They stopped abruptly in front
of Mani and licked the Popsicles they held.

“Hi.” A little boy with a messy mop of
brown hair, wearing a well-worn Mickey Mouse shirt and blue jeans, grinned from
ear to ear. The Popsicle melted down his hand. He bent and patted Mani’s head.

Mani looked up, grinning and pumping his
arms and legs.

“Hi,” said Mack.

“Who are you?”

Mack looked at the little girl who asked
the question. She was a little neater than the boy and looked back at Mack with
suspicious eyes. Her hair was caught in two pigtails, and she was more
successful in keeping the melting Popsicle from dripping on her pink dress. “I’m
Mack.”

“I’m Annie, and this is my brother, Joey. We
live there,” she said, and pointed to the house on the other side of Kalia’s.

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Mack said,
trying not to grin. “I live there,” he said and pointed to his house.

“Oh. Where’s Mani’s mom?” Annie asked.

“She had to go to work for a bit, so I’m
watching Mani for her.”

“Oh. When she’s outside with Mani, she lets
us come over and play with him.”

Mack nodded. “It looks like he’s happy to
see you.”

Joey finished his Popsicle and scooped the
dirt with the stick. Mani watched and reached for the stick.

“I’m going to babysit him when I’m older,”
Annie said. “Where’s his hat?”

Oh, shit. The hat. “I forgot to grab it on
our way out.”

“I can go get it for you.”

“That’s okay. It’s pretty shady here. I
think he’ll be fine for a few minutes.”

“I don’t know. His mom likes his hat.”

“He stinks,” Joey piped up, looking up at
Mack.

“Really? I didn’t notice,” Mack lied.

“Yup. He has a poopy diaper,” Joey said,
holding his nose.

Mack grimaced.

“You have to change his diaper. I could do
it. Kalia showed me,” Annie told him.

Tempting. Very tempting. But Mack couldn’t
imagine how a pint-sized kid would hold onto Mani’s squirming body. And he’d
probably have to supervise. “Oh well, Kalia told me she wanted to do that so
we’re just waiting for her to come home,” he said, tongue-in-cheek.

“Oh.”

Joey went back to making roads in the dirt,
and Annie sat down beside Mack. “I started school in September.”

“Yeah? Do you like it?”

“Yup. I’m in kindergarten. But my mom says
I should’ve been in grade one because I’m precious,” Annie said proudly.

Mack hid a grin. Precious? Or precocious? “Wow.
I hear kindergarten is pretty fun, so maybe you shouldn’t skip it.”

“I like crafts.”

“Yeah? I think they do crafts in
kindergarten.”

Annie nodded. “I like glue and pink glitter
best. My mom says that school is the perfect place for glue and glitter. So I
have to wait and do it there. Or outside. Sometimes she lets me do it outside. When
it’s not windy,” she qualified. “My mom says it makes a mess,” she whispered.

Mack nodded solemnly. “The best things are
often messy.”

Kalia arrived home and was surprised to
find it quiet. She tossed her keys on a side table and jogged upstairs. Mani’s
bedroom door was open, the room was empty, and Bunny was gone. Where were Mack
and Mani?