2 & 3

“Doctor, do you think you will have my wife here much longer?  I am about to finish up all this paperwork.  I would like to take her home before I go back to the police station.”

“Sure, Bruce, I understand.  It was not labor or even false labor.  Once she got that girdle off, everything felt better.  No more girdles until after the babies get here.  I think the next four weeks should have some bed rest and low-impact physical therapy.  I will send my girl around tomorrow to make sure you do it.  It will help with the delivery when the time comes.  Don’t give me that face, Angela, you know I am right.  We are not going to take a chance on these little ones.”

“Okay, Doc.  I will be a good girl.  Geeze, you would think I was the only woman who ever had a set of twins.”

“You do have some swelling between the two babies I want to keep an eye on so come back in and see me on Saturday.  I want to take a sonogram.  Okay.’

“Will do.  I’ll get the nurse to write it down for me too.  You said you wanted me to take that muscle relaxer at night.  Maybe it will stop those foot cramps.”

‘It will.  Now go find that husband of yours and go home.”

“Bruce, where did you go?”

Angela watches as Bruce checks off things in his spiral notebook.  She knows he will be putting together a whiteboard about the day’s cases.  Three babies gone, two kidnapped, a nurse dying from an allergy.  Some big mess at the morgue cause of some religious deal.  Maybe she could help him sort it all out.  They both loved puzzles.

The nursery is almost ready.  I think I will let Bruce have all these unhappy things all to himself tonight.  I am going to go to my nursery and just sit and mentally go through taking care of my babies.  I bet I find some things that are not quite right just yet.  Two girls call for pink-- a pink room.  That is what Bruce had said.  But the sea green, pastel blue, and soft yellow were more restful and easier to stay in for long periods.  I timed it.   It is harder to not be stimulated by a pink room.  We want a room to rest in and one to cause a relaxed atmosphere.  I know I am right.  Oh, Bruce is coming through again.

“Bruce, I will wait over here while you wrap things up.”

‘I got just one more thing to check out; then I’ll get you three back home.”

He enjoyed seeing the grin come across her beautiful face when he said, you three.  He loved her so much.  He thinks to himself, (she does not know I already figure she is making more changes to the nursery as we speak.).  Well, she can do that while I work out my whiteboards on today’s cases.  Boy, have I got a couple of puzzles?

“Sweetheart, I want you to wait right here.  I am going to go get the car and pull up under the emergency entrance right over there.  Then all you got to do is get in the car.  It is beginning to sprinkle.  No since asking for problems.”

“You going to arrest me?  Geeze.  You would think…

“Well as far as I am concerned, Baby, you are the only woman who ever had twins… my twins.”

“Yes, officer.”. 

“You feel better, Honey?  Why the girdle.  Surely you don’t think it would be a bit much for someone carrying twins.  I was having some cramps and thought it would help, like a back brace.  It did just the opposite.  I never carried twins before, how’d I know.  Geeze.”

“It is better to be safe than sorry.  Just check with the doctor first before doing something that has anything to do with the babies.  Okay?”

“So, Angela what new color have you decided to add to the nursery?”

She looks at her husband.  “I thought I was the one that was supposed to be physic once in a while.  Now you are going it.  I was thinking about adding some soft sunny yellow in the bathing area.  It is right there by the window and the sun would shine through and it would brighten that whole corner.  The soft green around the cribs and then the soft blue on the walls so soothing and help them relax.  I have the lavender cups scattered around the room for aromatherapy.  I think it will be a good place for our babies to dream and grow.”

“You are going to follow through on your promise to me.  You do all that volunteering with your ladies’ group.  You curtail some of that feeding the homeless for a while.  You can go to the soup kitchen and do your knitting and quilt making all you want, but you and the girls come first before any charity.  I mean it, Angela.  You got to put your family first this time.”

“Geeze, Bruce, please.  I am not a simpleton.  I know better than to put our babies in any danger.  I was thinking about getting someone to help me anyway.  I bet Kathrine would know someone who could help me.  You want me to call her.  I think I would like to know her better anyway.  You say she is the top obstetrician nurse in the city.  I’ll check with the doctor too.  I want someone who knows what to do no matter what comes up.”

“Good thinking, Baby.  Sorry, I got so bossy.   These cases I got today are just disturbing.  Three involve babies.  It is hard for me to work with baby cases right now.

There is something I have been kind of putting off talking to you about, but I think it is time for you to maybe think about it.  I don’t want to sound too mysterious, but I don’t want to live in the city anymore.  My career has put me somewhat in the driver’s seat so, to that end, I want you to look at these papers.  I took a long drive out with one of the guys the other day.  There is a wonderful little farm about twenty minutes from downtown.  It is not self-sufficient yet, but we could get it that way.  There are animals on the farm, but they are all rescue animals.  There is a small pond.  It just is perfect for us to move our little family out there.  You can continue to do your work, but you maybe go back to teaching children with special needs too.  The animals would add a dimension you did not have before now.  I can maintain a small office here in town but run the detective agency out there.  That way I won’t miss out on all the things with the kids as they grow up.  I don’t want to miss a thing.”

“Bruce, Bruce, breathe.  Are you afraid to stop talking?  Honey, I think it is a wonderful idea.  I could even have some of the homeless people help me out at the farm.  What are we going to call this enterprise farm, hashtag investigation agency?”

“Angela, please stop laughing.  You think the whole thing is a pipe dream.”

“No, Bruce, I have the name, but you got to thinking about it before you say no.  Let’s call it the Funny Farm.  Remember your grandmother saying that someday you would end up running a Funny Farm.  Well, let’s do it.”

“Angela, did I ever tell you how much I love you?  You understand me so well.  How could I be so lucky?  The Funny Farm it is.  I will get a hold of the realtors and get the ball rolling.  We will have the babies in about a month and take off to the Funny Farm where you and my babies will be safe.

“Bruce since we are going to work with children with special needs maybe Katherine would want to either work part-time or maybe she knows someone who could help us with the children.  I bet she would be a great asset to the Bruce Graham Funny Farm.”

“How about Graham Investigations and Angela’s Funny Farm?”

“No.  It is all or nothing on this thing.  Just, The Funny Farm.  No other explanation.  You can have business cards made up for the investigation part of it and I can do the same for the special-needs classes.  We can even host the special Olympics out there.  It will become known as a great place for children.  I am so excited.  I am also hungry.  What are you making for dinner tonight, hotshot?”

“My specialty… Mac and cheese.  Let me get you settled, and I will be back.”  Bruce fluffs a pillow and gives her a peck on the cheek., then he says, “I want to tell you about the llama.  His name is Loverboy…  I will be back.”

Angela sits for a few minutes and then starts once again laughing.  “Wait till I tell the doc what Bruce calls rest for the next four weeks… hah, hah.  The pictures start coming to life for her.  Our world is such a wonderful place.  I don’t think I will ever be sad again.  I am going to have twins.  My husband wants to be the kind of father I always wanted for my children.  He is getting out of the dangerous part of police work.  Yes, my world is just about perfect.  All we need is two little girls and maybe… yes, maybe a nurse we can count upon when we need her.   What did he say?  A llama?  Oh, My.  A llama.”

“Geeze, Louise, A llama?”  Wow!!  I wonder what else Bruce has in store for me.  I bet he does not even know.”

 

3

“Doctor, I was calling to get your schedule for possible deliveries for this month.  The hospital administrator asked me to double-check with you to make sure you had what you needed when you need it.   Also, we need to know if you have any planned deliveries, etc.”

“Who is this?

“I am so sorry; this is Katherine Knight. I have been gone for a few days trying to catch up on some sleep.  I am back from my weekend off.  Just let me know if your nurse, Salley has the information so I can come to pick it up for her.  I don’t mind leaving the information with the admin’s office.  I would save you some much-needed time later.?”

“Katherine, you are so efficient and helpful.  I will let Salley know to touch bases with you.”

“Okay, Doc, gotta run, got one climbing in the shoot…I finish up with Salley later.”

“Who left this laundry hamper here in this isle.  A good way to trip.  What if you were carrying a newborn when you did?  Are you the nurse’s assistant… then do something?  Get these lanes clear.  We gotta a baby on the way.  Look sharp.”

“Katherine, I am so glad it is you.  My nurse took sick just before the phone rang with this delivery.  I had no idea who they were going to get to substitute for her.  Rose is no prize, but she does at least know what she is doing.  She does love complaining though.  I guess I can’t go wrong with the one who trained her.”

“Rose went homesick.  Poor dear.  Was it something she ate?”

Who knows?  She is always complaining.  I think she got a bunch of flowers from her husband or something.  Anyway, she was allergic to them.  Can you imagine a man not knowing his wife’s allergy to a flower?  It happened just before the labor call came in for this one.  I had just glanced over by possible for the month.  She was next on the list all right.”

“I am here for your doc.  This looks like a routine delivery.  Are you expecting any complications?

“No complications, Katherine, but what am I going to do while Rose is out?  I.”

“I will be glad to help out, Doc. I will even let the word out that there is some extra money that a nurse can pick up if she will just trust you.  How about that for service?”

“Rose, what are you doing here.  I thought you went home because you were sick.”

“I did.  I took an allergy shot and I am back.  Why did you call Katherine?  I told you I would be right back.  Besides, you know I always put the patient first.  I do what is expected of me no matter what.   I called the florist and they said that the flowers came from my dry cleaners and not my husband.  Well, I knew Ted would not send them.    He is just not the type.  A blouse yes, but flowers... no.  That scream tells me it is time for the star of this show to appear.   Give me that, Katherine, I can take over from here.  Thanks for pitch-hitting for me.  I can always count on you.”

“No problem, Rose.  Anytime.  I am out of here.”

“Wait, Quick, Katherine, adjust the oxygen on that machine.   Here we go…That baby is going to choke with the cord around its neck.  Oh, “

“Got it.  Everyone, just stay very still while I edge this over the baby’s neck.  Such a sweet baby.  I just love those pretty little rosebud lips.”

“This couple has boo coos of money Katherine.  This is their third baby.  Oh dear, this is the first one without down syndrome.  I bet they play favorites with it.  I bet this kid makes the other ones with down syndrome look awful.  They will love him, but it just breaks your heart knowing they could afford to have… well it is not my place to say.  Still, such a sweet baby.  He will have two brothers waiting for him when he gets back home.  I was hoping they would at least get the little girl they wanted.”

“Rose, that is enough.  Every birth is a blessing.  There is no reason to complain and dream up things to complain about.  You put a smile on your face and congratulate the father.  I will meet you in recovery.  Katherine, can you take this precious baby and put him in the incubator?  Thanks.  I gotta get a hold of myself.  Rose is the most negative nurse I have ever worked with.  She finds fault with every baby, every birth, every set of parents.  She never sees the good. It gets to me sometimes.”

“Sure, Doc.  I would be glad to help.  Boy, Rose can go on a bit.  Is she always so opinionated?  You go on, I know you gotta be in recovery when the mom wakes up.

Katherine thought to herself.  Katherine, my dear, I think you gotta be the luckiest woman in the world.  Here I am trying to figure out how to redirect all the attention from the babies disappearing here today and let jumping to conclusions do the rest about Isabela’s death and Rose pops up with the perfect answer.  I will just get this little fellow out to his “distraught” (before we get a hug tag on him, we will have a Code Pink going in no time at all.  I just gotta make sure I am not around when it breaks out.  Now, yourself… pay attention to what you are doing.  That must be him in the corner of the waiting room.  I will just put on my sympathy face… here I go.

“Are you?”

“That must be my baby.”

“Did you expect a down syndrome baby?”

Without even looking he said.  “No, but not surprised we got one.  All boys too.”

“You know there are several government agencies who help in the research for down syndrome you might want to connect with.  Not only do you have ample cause, but you might be able to help others who are facing the same problems you and your wife are.  I would be glad to help, if, I can.  It is not about the money for me.  I am Katherine, I just like to help people.  Do you mind waiting here for just a second, sir?  I forgot to grab his hug tag.  I will be back in two seconds.”

One, two, three, and there he goes.  Out the back door with that precious baby.  It did not take much, just the right suggestion at the right emotional time, and boom…. Code Pink!!  Well, oh, girl…. We still got it.  That poor mother having to face her husband being arrested, her baby disappearing Katherine, you gotta stop talking to yourself… You don’t want to be a squealer.

I am going to make my exit and show up a little later to check in on dear ole Bruce at the police station.  Bruce would expect me to show up especially with another baby disappearing.  Gotta plant those seeds of a psychological trauma haunting that poor man so he can get the therapy he needs.  I am talking about that poor daddy who stole that baby.

Wow.  I never expected all this.  A farm?  Bruce and Angela on a farm.  Well, it is not too far from a good city.  I will still be able to snatch the babies and be gone before they can figure out what happened.  I gotta contact those people in Bhutan.  I think the price just went up a bit.  I will know more if I can get them into an auction-type thing.  Yeah!  Let them make bids on the kid, then decide who gets one, or do they both get one?  I do know I will be the one making the profit.   Katherine, you are such a sweetheart.  Everyone needs you in their corner… Yeah!!

I got two more weeks before we can cash this adoption out.  I still am not sure if I want to sell both babies.  I can always sell it later, but I don’t get many chances to cash in on Bruce’s sperm.

I never expected that man to commit suicide over that baby.  I was hoping to sell him on the idea of letting his wife carry some special sperm.  At a good profit.  His wife is now staying at the farm with the Grahams.  I did not know Angela was such a big deal about special needs babies.  I think it is time to make some announcements so I can be gone during all the traumas.

“Bruce, I thought I would drop by and give my statement so you would not have to make another trip to the hospital.  That poor man.  He must have just lost it when he realized he had another down syndrome baby.”

“Katherine, I knew I could count on you.  Did you know the man killed himself?  Well, he did not do it on purpose he just ran right into that big truck when it was backing out.  He had the baby in his arms.  It was an awful mess.  No one knows how he got a hold of the baby either.  It had no hug tag.”

“I was there for the delivery, but Rose took over.  You can check with the doctor.  He sent Rose out to talk to the dad when he headed for the recovery room for the mom.  I left because I was no longer needed.  I am tired right now.  I have helped deliver three babies since I saw you last.”

“How do you do it, Katherine?  It must take a lot of stamina.”

“What it takes, Bruce is knowing when to take time off.  I am going to go on vacation.  I am not sure where yet, I just know I need to get away and not think about babies, doctors, or hospitals for a while.”

“You might want to check with Angela and let her know.  I think she was counting on you being there for her when she goes into labor.”

“I won’t be able to do that, Bruce.  I checked with Doctor Banks.  He has Salley scheduled, and she is very good.  You do not need me there.  Besides, I doubt if I will be back from vacation for a least a week after she delivers.”

“Katherine, she will be disappointed, but I will help her understand.  She has never seen you in action.  I know how much you do for others.  I also know how much you need your vacation.  You take good care of yourself.  I gotta finish up the paperwork on these cases.  I am trying now to see if any of the other babies disappearing had anything to do with the poor dad.  In other words, Katherine, I gotta get back to work.”

“Bye, Bruce.  Give Angela my best wishes.  I leave for Colorado in the morning.  I am going skiing.”

“Skiing?”

“Yes, no one in their right mind would be pregnant and skiing.  I am pretty safe getting through the entire vacation without having a patient.”

“Funny, you are funny, Katherine.  Bye, now.”

Okay, now that is taken care of.  I got everything locked up and here we go.  First stop Houston, then Belize.   While they are looking for me in Colorado, I will be making contacts in Belize.