Chapter 2

On the fourth day of Drew's hospital stay, I went home for clothes.

The key went into the lock and wouldn't turn.

Jude was the one who finally opened the door.

He still had my slippers on his feet.

"Lock broke a couple days ago. Just got it changed."

I looked at him.

"You've got the new key."

His face stiffened.

"Marcy figured it'd be easier for me, carrying the baby."

I didn't answer him.

The living room had picked up corner guards, floor pads, a pink rocking chair.

After Drew was born, I'd brought up padding the corners twice.

Both times Marcella said it looked ugly.

"Wait till he's crawling."

Joy was only four months old, and the whole place was already wrapped up tight.

I pushed open the door to the nursery.

My feet stopped.

The pale blue walls were still there. The blue mobile was gone.

The closet was full of little dresses.

Drew's crib had been taken apart, the boards stood up on the balcony with two cardboard boxes stacked on top.

That crib was the one I'd taken leave to come home and put together when Marcella was seven months pregnant.

She'd sat beside me with her belly out, directing.

"The left side's too high."

I crouched on the floor, tightening screws.

"Mrs. Gilbert, I fix high-voltage lines, not cribs."

She laughed and nudged me with her foot.

"Then learn. Later, when the baby cries, you don't get to say you don't know how either."

I agreed to it easily back then.

"Fine. I'll learn."

Now the baby was six months old.

And she'd taken the crib apart first.

Jude followed me in.

"Alfred, it's only temporary. Just for Joy to sleep in."

"How long have you been living here?"

His face went a little uneasy.

"Half a month, a bit more."

"Why my house?"

"My place sprang a leak a while back. The walls keep coming up damp."

"And Joy's so little. Marcy said running back and forth was a hassle, so she had me stay here with the baby for now."

"Living here until when?"

Jude paused.

"We'll move once the place is fixed."

I pointed at the nursery.

"Temporary, half a month, and you needed to take my son's crib apart?"

I pointed at the balcony.

"So where does my son sleep?"

There was the sound of a key at the door.

Marcella was back.

One look at the mess on the floor and her face changed.

"What are you doing back?"

"Getting Drew's things."

She came straight over and grabbed my arm.

"Joy's been sleeping really badly lately, and she's fussy about a new bed. I figured, since Drew's over at my folks' for now anyway…"

I looked at her.

"Why is he at your folks' for now?"

That stopped her.

Then the anger came just as fast.

"Alfred, does every single thing you say lately have to have a barb in it?"

"I know it hurts you that the baby's sick, but I didn't starve him on purpose."

"Not on purpose, so it's fine?"

"That's not what I said!"

Her eyes went red at the rims.

"I already bought formula, I already asked the doctor. What more do you want from me?"

"Do I have to get down on my knees and admit I was wrong before you're satisfied?"

This was Marcella.

She'd feel guilty.

But let her stay bowed too long and she'd start feeling wronged herself.

I didn't argue anymore. I crouched and opened the bottom drawer of the closet.

Empty.

"Where's the locket?"

Her face stiffened.

That locket wasn't expensive.

My mother had saved from her medicine money for half a year to have it made for Drew.

His baby name was engraved on the back.

Drew.

Marcella didn't answer.

I followed her eyes.

There was a little glint of gold at Joy's neck.

I walked over to look.

It was the locket, all right.

"Who put it on her?"

Marcella was quiet for two seconds.

"I did."

"Why?"

"On Joy's hundred-day, Jude's parents weren't around. I thought a bit of gold on the baby would be lucky."

"So you took my son's?"

"Just for the one day."

She frowned, impatient.

"I'll clean it when it comes back. What's the problem?"

I stared at her.

"Give it a few more days and are you going to lend him his wife too?"

The room went dead quiet. Jude's face changed.

Marcella's head snapped up.

"Alfred, can you not be so filthy with your mouth?"

"It's one locket. Why are you dragging me and Jude into it?"

"My son's name is engraved on it."

She flared too.

"So a name's engraved on it and it can't be lent out?"

"Joy doesn't even have a mother. I just thought it was too sad, her having nothing on her hundred-day!"

The noise scared the baby into crying.

Marcella turned almost by reflex.

"Shh, Joy, don't cry."

She took the baby out of Jude's arms.

Rocking her gently, patting her back, cheek to cheek, the movements so practiced it hurt to watch.

That day in the hospital room, Drew cried the moment she picked him up.

She didn't know how much milk her own son took in a feeding, but she knew how to hold Joy so she wouldn't spit up.

Suddenly I didn't want to fight anymore.

I packed Drew's clothes and papers into a duffel bag.

Marcella chased me to the entryway.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking him."

"Alfred, do you have to tear this family apart?"

She stared at me for a few seconds, then abruptly turned and pulled out a box.

"Take it."

Inside was a new pair of cold-weather gloves.

The brand I always used.

Under them, frostbite cream.

"The cold came early this year."

Her voice went soft.

"You won't wear the thick gloves up on the mountain."

My fingers paused, and she caught it at once.

"It's not that I don't care about you. I just think Joy's the one who's worse off."

I lifted my head.

"And Drew?"

Her face went white for a second.

I took the gloves and set the old key on the shoe cabinet.

"Don't bother cutting me a new key."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Drew stays with me from now on. You two keep the place."

I turned and got in the elevator.

Marcella stood in the doorway, her eyes rimmed red.

"You're just using the fact that I'm in the wrong to jerk me around on purpose, aren't you?"

"You think I'm jerking you around?"

"Aren't you?"

She bit her lip.

"When have you ever stayed angry more than three days?"

The elevator doors slid slowly shut.

I said, "Then it starts this time."