“Without her newborn that’s in the NICU.”
Melanie resisted the urge to get angrier than she already was. None of the alarms had gone off indicating someone had taken a baby off the floor, but Melanie had to see for herself that Luca was okay. She stormed toward the nursery like a woman on a mission with Palmer trailing behind her.
Luca was crying in the warming bassinet as Melanie approached him. He only had on a diaper and a monitor on his foot for his heart rate and oxygen, so Melanie carefully lifted him out and put him on her chest. The baby instantly settled down as Melanie felt herself grow calmer as well.
“Who just up and leaves their baby?” Melanie cuddled the newborn as she gently rocked him. It wasn’t until then she felt the hot tears rolling down her face. “He’s five hours old.”
“I know.”
“And she’s five hours postpartum. Why would she just leave?”
“I don’t know.” Palmer looked simultaneously scared and angry. “What do we do now?”
Melanie tried to rack her brain on the proper procedures. She hadn’t dealt with a mother abandoning their child before, so she was relying on her brain to recall the protocol.
“We need to call Vera and security.” Melanie squeezed her eyes shut trying to focus. “I think Angela is the caseworker on call today.”
“What’s going on?” Another nurse, Melissa, walked over to them. “Is everything okay?”
“His mom left.”
“Without him?” Melissa’s shock was apparent in her voice. “What the hell? Who does that?”
“I don’t know,” Melanie tried to keep her anger at bay. She knew how their emotions could upset Luca, which was the last thing Melanie wanted to do. Melanie patted the newborn’s bottom as Melissa put a blanket over him to keep him warm. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Here,” Melissa pointed to a nearby rocking chair, “sit. His monitor will reach.”
“Thanks.” Melanie carefully sat in the rocking chair as she adjusted Luca on her chest. Melissa made sure his monitor wiresweren’t tangled before tucking the blanket in around him. “Can you call Vera? I left my phone at my desk.”
“We got this, Mel.” Palmer put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. “I’ll call Vera and security.”
“And I’ll call Angela and Dr. Gilmore.”
Melissa nodded as she and Palmer left Melanie alone with Luca to make their calls. Adam Gilmore was the hospital’s neonatologist and Luca’s doctor in the NICU. Melanie squeezed her eyes shut tightly as more tears ran down her cheeks and onto the top of Luca’s head.
“I’m so sorry, Luca.” Melanie kissed her soft head as she whispered. “You don’t deserve this.”
The next few hours were beyond a whirlwind. Security and doctors descended on the NICU to take statements from everyone. They were all interviewed separately in the boardroom before Melanie was shown the security footage of Leah leaving. Melanie felt her anger bubble up again as she watched Leah walk out of the hospital as if nothing was wrong. She got into a black car before disappearing forever.
One of the police officers assigned to the case ran the plates on the car but it had been stolen. They found the car abandoned off the highway to Portland with no sign of Leah inside. Leah’s name was also fake as they had no record of her anywhere. Melanie’s heart broke and sank as she tried to imagine who could birth a baby and then leave them within a few hours. Her thoughts kept going back to Luca as the hours ticked by slowly while they tried to figure out the next steps. Angela, the hospital’s case worker, wanted to get Luca set up with a foster family as soon as possible.
“Let me talk to Cam.” Melanie didn’t hesitate to interject as she stood in the hallway with Vera, Angela, and Palmer discussing their plans for Luca. “We’re certified fosters.”
“Mel,” Vera had an inquisitive look on her face, “you don’t have to do that.”
“I know. I want to, though. If Cam is on board.”
Vera nodded, knowing there would be no talking Melanie out of her decision.
As the group finished their discussion, they decided to leave Luca in the NICU for the night while the details were worked out. It was getting late in the day anyway and Melanie was hours late from getting home. She reached in her pocket for her phone only to realize she’d never picked it back up from her desk. Melanie went back to the desk and grabbed her phone. After not checking it for hours, she felt insanely guilty when she saw the number of missed texts and calls from Cameron.
She tried to call Cameron twice but she didn’t answer. Sending her a text to call her when she could, Melanie headed back to the NICU. Luca had eaten recently and was whimpering in his swaddle. Melanie hated the thought of him spending his first night on earth alone in a sterile hospital room. After checking with the nurse in the room, Melanie took off her scrub top before picking up Luca.
Melanie carefully sat on the rocking chair as she laid him on her chest. The nurse helped her with his monitor and got them a blanket. She tucked it in around them before leaving them to attend to another baby.
In her arms, Luca settled down and fell asleep as she rocked him. He had his little mouth open slightly as he slept and Melanie couldn’t help but feel a connection with him that hadn’t been there before. Was it because she had offered to foster him? Or was it something more? All Melanie knew was that a piece of her heart already belonged to the baby in her arms.
“Mel,” Cameron rushed into the NICU and over to Melanie. She dropped a duffle bag to the ground as she knelt beside her,putting one hand on her arm and the other on Luca’s back. “I’m glad I finally found you.”
