A baby was hanging from the doorframe.
Not hanging in the sense of rope and nooses and tiny infant faces turning an unfortunate shade of purple. No, and I’m sorry to put that image in your head in the first place.
This particular baby was swaddled up in such a way that he—she—it swung loosely through the air.
From what I could tell through the pink cloth wrapping it up, it couldn’t have been more than a few days old.
“What the fuck?”
I clapped my hand over my mouth, conscious of having sworn in front of my thesis supervisor.
But as Dr. Erwin circled the hanging child, her lips parted and the words she said were just barely audible. “What… the… fuck.”
“It’s a baby.” Sounding smarter and smarter there, Jaz.
Faye’s brow furrowed ever so slightly as she inspected the bundle. “Yes.” She lifted a tiny arm and turned the hand up and down as if making sure it was real, her lips pursing.
“Whose is it? Why’s it here?” Great question! If she knew, she’d already have said something!
But she had to know. Babies didn’t just materialize out of the ether.
She shook her head, taking the ends of the cloth down so she could let the baby down, holding it in front of her so its head began to roll back.
“Let me get that!” I grabbed the kid out of her hands and cradled it, supporting the head on the palm of my hand. As I shifted it in my arms, it began to fuss.
And as it did, I heard the crinkle of paper.
“There’s a note.” I pulled it out and reluctantly handed it to Faye.
There were several paragraphs to it, but she scanned them with the speed only an English professor could have.
“Ah.” She sounded calm now, as if the note explained everything and there were no more problems with the situation at all. “Her name’s Gretchen. She’s a gift from my sister.”
2
Faye
“Did you see a woman come through here? About this tall, looks a little like me but blonde and kind of… trashy?”
Pauline shook her head regretfully. As the alumni affairs secretary, her office was closest to the humanities building entrance, but she was often too wrapped up in her own work to notice much else going on.
“Thanks anyway.”
I’d asked everyone now, and no one had seen Amanda come through. It didn’t matter much, anyway. She wasn’t answering her cell phone, and although I wasn’t sure at what point during my meeting she’d been here, I was positive she’d be long gone by now.
Which meant the baby was still in my office with my student, who’d offered to watch her for a few minutes while I figured things out.
Not that I was anywhere closer to doing that.
I walked back, keeping my steps as natural as I could. Continuing to present a calm appearance was important, considering that I was in a professional setting. Internally, I was freaking the fuck out.
Remembering who the kid was with, I walked a little faster. I half-expected Jaz to have taken off and left her behind. She was flaky, that one, always daydreaming during our meetings. If I’d known she’d be like that, I might not have taken her on. She’d sounded so articulate in her email introducing herself and the topic she wanted to study.
Apparently she’d taken my 201 class a few years ago and loved my approach. That was my first year teaching here at Beasley, and amid all the craziness of a new position, I had no memory of her. My records showed she’d gotten a 91, a rare grade for me to give out, so I concluded she was bright enough for me to supervise.
I pushed open the office door and Jaz sat up, jiggling the baby on her lap. “How did it go, Professor?”
“Faye,” I told her for the millionth time.