A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 27

I waved at the nurses sitting at the help desk but stopped when I saw a couple standing there holding a baby. We were in a maternity section of the hospital so a couple holding a baby wasn't unsurprising, but the man kept trying to give the nurse the bundle while the woman held on to it too tightly.

"Ma'am you don't understand. This baby isn't ours. We found him." He tried to slip his hands underneath the bundle, but the woman yanked away. "Everleigh please...we talked about this."

Large tears welled up in her eyes. The poor nurse only started a month ago and glanced back and forth between the couple in a panic. It was too early for all this. I stood beside the woman and gently placed my hand on her arm. She backed away and shook her head aggressively. "You can't take him. I've already lost too many."

I put my hands up in what was supposed to be a surrendering motion. "I'm not taking him away. Why don't we go to an exam room, and I'll give him a quick once over to make sure he's all healthy then we'll have you guys on your way." She nodded loosening her grip ever so slightly. "Nurse takes them to room four. I'll be in momentarily."

She picked up a blank intake sheet and walked towards the room. While the woman, Everleigh, followed the man lagged behind until he could hear the nurse starting to ask questions. He turned to me and tried to keep his voice in a whisper.

"We found the baby on a hike in the woods. By a pond. We don't know how long he was there. We need to find the mother."

Sam's...I tried to keep my face emotionless, but something must have changed because the man squinted slightly.

"We are fine fostering the boy and even adopting if his parents aren't found or fit, but she just had a stillborn. Don't get her hopes up at all. This baby isn't ours."

I nodded and followed him into the exam room. The nurse had somehow coaxed Everleigh to place the boy on the scales. He let out a shrill scream and wiggled his hands and arms in the air.

"Rory is around 7 pounds. A little on the small side, but nothing to worry about." She handed me the intake form and left the room.

I continued a short examination then bundled Rory back up to hand to his new mom. Pulling the chair up I sat in front of them gesturing towards the bench for them to also sit.

"I know this can be overwhelming. From what I have gathered you did a very noble thing saving him from the elements. There was a pretty big storm in the early hours, so you probably saved his life." Everleigh looked up at her husband with gloating triumph thinking I was on her side.

"That being said...we do need to call the police. He is on the small side, and still has afterbirth. They need to try and collect DNA to connect him with his mother if she is fit." I knew that she wouldn't be found, but they wouldn't. "I'm not a doctor, but I am a midwife. I'll get the doctor to come in and do a full exam and set him up as a patient of ours. Once the set-up is complete, I will be able to visit you and make sure everyone stays healthy until we find more answers."

The man rubbed her shoulder and nodded approvingly. "I'll go get the doctor and make the necessary phone calls."

I shut the door behind me and turned to walk to the nursing desk. Baylin was already sitting at the computer scrolling through the notes the new nurse had put in the system.

"Any new information not in the chart yet?" I shook my head. Baylin moved to the area from India a few years back but when she spoke there was still an accent that laced her words. She had her hair pulled back into a long braid revealing a line of earing studs placed up her ear.

"The woman, Everleigh, lost a baby a few months ago. She's holding onto this one pretty tight. Once we get them set up as patients and all sorted out with Social Services I can start doing home visits and report back to the state on his progress."