"I've got to go check on Wendy,” she said, wiping the rain from her face. “She's napping."
Harriet ushered Neelie and Kissa into the kitchen; she didn't want to take her any farther into Aiden's house than she had to.
"Can I get you something to drink?” she asked. “Tea or coffee?"
"I'm fine,” Neelie said. She sat down and rubbed her hand across her forehead.
"Are you okay?” Harriet asked. “I mean, besides the baby drama."
"I just need to talk to Aiden Jalbert.” Neelie's chin dropped to her chest. Her hand shook as she grabbed the edge of the table for balance.
"Are you diabetic or something?” Harriet asked as she opened the refrigerator door and pulled a gallon jug of milk out so she could look behind it.
The summer before her late husband Steve died, his nephew Brad had stayed with them in Oakland for a few weeks while he attended a math seminar in Berkeley. Brad was a fragile diabetic, and after half a dozen episodes, Harriet had learned to recognize the signs of low blood sugar. She set the milk on the counter and picked up a carton of orange juice, opened the cupboard she knew held drinking glasses, selected a tumbler and filled it with the juice.
"Drink this,” she said, and to her relief, Neelie drained the glass. Harriet refilled it. “How long has it been since the baby's had anything to eat?"
"A couple of hours, I think."
"Does she drink milk or formula?” Carla asked as she came back into the kitchen, a monitor receiver in her hand.
"Milk,” Neelie said.
"Cow's milk?” Carla pressed.
"Of course. I bought two percent at the grocery store. It was all they had."
"Is that what your sister fed her?” Carla asked, the shock plain in her voice.
"Where we come from she was lucky to get that,” Neelie said defensively.
"Let me fix her a bottle."
Carla held out her hand. Neelie stared at it.
"Don't you have an empty bottle in that bag?” Carla pointed at the tote slung over the other woman's shoulder.
Neelie set the baby on the floor and rooted around in the bag, finally producing a dirty bottle. Carla took it in two fingers and dropped it into the sink. She opened a cupboard and pulled out a clean bottle, nipple and ring, filled the bottle with milk then held it under hot tapwater and finally handed it to Neelie, who set it on the table and took another drink of her juice.
Kissa began to cry and reach for the bottle. Carla picked the child up and tilted her back in her left arm in one smooth move, plugging the bottle into her mouth at the same time. The baby drained it and promptly fell asleep.
Harriet was wondering who had stolen her shy friend Carla and replaced her with this mother lioness. Neelie sipped on the remains of her orange juice and didn't say anything when Carla took the sleeping baby out of the room. She returned a moment later without her.
"Wendy's portable crib is in the front parlor,” she explained. “It's quiet, and that baby looks like she needs a little of that."
Neelie glared at her, but before either woman could say anything, the back doorbell buzzed. Harriet opened it and let Mavis in.
Mavis made a show of taking off her plastic rain bonnet and shaking the drops off in the sink.
"How is everyone doing this fine afternoon?” She took off her coat and hung it on the back of the chair opposite Neelie. Harriet could tell the older woman had sensed the tension in the room. “Carla, honey, could you make me a nice cup of tea?"
Carla turned from the group, banging the kettle onto the stove.
"You must be Neelie,” Mavis said, and held her hand out to the young woman. “Welcome to Foggy Point."
Neelie took it and smiled.
"I guess you don't get too many Africans in your town,” she said in her lilting English.
"That's a fact,” Mavis said. “I'm so sorry you're here under such sad circumstances."
"Yes, it is a terrible thing that happened to my sister."
"It's hard to lose someone close to you. You were close?"
"When we were younger, we were like twins. After we grew up, I moved to the city, and my sister stayed in our village, so we didn't see each other as often as we wished."
"Well, that makes it more difficult, I'm sure,” Mavis said.
"It has been very hard. And also the baby…"
"Beth told me you've brought your sister's baby to Aiden.” Mavis looked her in the eye. “Why is that?"
Neelie sat back in her chair. “I should think that would be obvious. My sister Nabirye told me to bring the baby to her father, and she gave me his name and address."
"So, this was a plan you two had, just in case?” Harriet asked.
Mavis glared at her.
"My sister was very ill. When it became clear she could not live, she asked me to take baby Kissa to her father. There was no plan. It was her wish in death, so I had to do what she asked, though I spent all the money I had paying for the doctor to try to save my sister, an effort that failed."
"If you spent all your money on the doctor, how did you get here?” Harriet persisted, in spite of the murderous look Mavis was giving her.
"My sister's church gave me a ticket and a small amount of money, which unfortunately is now gone,” Neelie snapped. “Things are very expensive in America."
"Let me call Pastor Hafer at our Methodist church and see if there are any emergency funds for this sort of thing. I'm sure he can help us sort this out."
"She can stay here,” Carla said.
Mavis and Harriet both whirled to face the younger woman.
"That baby looks exhausted,” Carla went on, “and they have all kinds of baby stuff in the nursery here for when Avanell's grandchildren came to visit. Besides, they're already here."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea,” Harriet said.
"I can ask Aiden when he calls."
"No!"
Harriet knew her response was a little too loud. Carla's cheeks burned.
"What I mean is, I was hoping we could save all this…” She waved toward Neelie. “…until Aiden is back. He's dealing with a very stressful situation at work, and he can't do anything about this until he comes home anyway."
"They could stay with me at my place,” Mavis offered.
"It's kind of you to offer,” Harriet said, “but I think Carla's right. This place has a full nursery setup and lots of room."
Mavis raised her left eyebrow as she turned and looked at Harriet. Harriet gave her a slight nod.
"Well, honey, if you think it's the right thing to do…"
"I'll show you to your room,” Carla told Neelie as she set Mavis's tea on the table. “You look like you could use some rest."
Neelie got to her feet. She wobbled a little, then followed Carla out of the kitchen.
"Okay, why are you so agreeable about this stranger staying with our Carla? And what's wrong with that girl?"
"We need more information, and what better way to get more information than by having Neelie and the baby where we can keep track of them. Besides, from Carla's behavior, I'm guessing she doesn't think Neelie is taking care of the baby properly."
"I was getting that feeling myself. Neelie looks like she's not doing a very good job of taking care of herself, let alone a baby."
"She was looking pretty shaky before you got here. I asked her if she's diabetic, and she didn't answer, but she did perk up after I gave her some orange juice, so she either was starving or she is diabetic."
"Something about her story just isn't ringing true,” Mavis said. “And by the way, she is the one I saw arguing with the checker-minus the accent."
"I wish Aiden was here. He could clear this up in a minute."
"No sense dwelling on that. If he's not going to be home for a week or so, we'll just have to deal with it ourselves."
"Do you think Carla will be safe here with that woman under her roof?"