She wore a yellow ribbon
Part 1: Stolen Innocence
When three month old Molly goes missing at the PX, Denise is beyond hysterics. Will she ever hold her baby in her arms again?
Frank and Denise's home (8 am).
Early Monday morning the sun is shining through the living room. The phone starts to ring.
Denise rushes out of the shower hurriedly puts her robe on and runs to pick it up.
"The Sherwood residence" she answered breathlessly.
"Hi Denise, you ok? You sound out of it," Claudia Joy asked concerned.
"Oh I'm fine, I was in the shower when the phone rang, I thought it might be Frank he told me he'd call today," she replied sounding a little disappointed.
"Oh I'm sorry…."
"Don't be, he'll probably call me tonight anyway, so what are you up to?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing, I feel like I haven't seen you or the other girls in ages! I've been so busy with getting Emmalin ready for college and Michael's rehab that I haven't had much time to myself lately. I ran into Roland yesterday and he told me that you had been feeling a little under the weather lately. How are you feeling now?"
"I'm good it was just a cold nothing major, definitely sound like you've had your plate full. How about lunch later this afternoon?"
"I would love to Denise, but I'm meeting Michael this afternoon there's a group of soldiers coming in today they had some R & R time coming to them we're going to the airstrip to welcome them home ," she said with regret, "but I'm free till mid-morning feel like coffee at my place?" she asked hopefully.
"Sure give me half an hour and I'll be there," Denise replied.
"Great, see you then."
The Holden Residence
Half an hour later Denise was ringing Claudia Joy's doorbell. Molly who had dozed off in her car seat on the way over was startled awake by the sound and promptly burst into tears, just as Claudia Joy opened the door.
"It okay baby girl," she said lifting the infant in her arms trying to sooth her, "hey Denise," She leaned over and gave her a kiss on her cheek, "come on in."
The two walked inside into the living room and by then Molly had calmed down.
"Oh She's beautiful," Claudia Joy said sitting down on her couch, "and look how big she got," she smiled down at the baby in her arms who was staring back at her very solemnly. Molly was a gorgeous baby, with a mop of her mother's dark hair, pouty lips rosy chubby cheeks and big doeful eyes she was like a mini Denise except for the color of those big eyes. She had Frank's amazing icy blue eyes.
Denise smiled, "Yeah it's amazing how much they grow in such a little time isn't?"
"Those eyes… and so serious it's like Frank's staring me down," She uttered looking up at Denise.
Denise chuckled, "She has her father's stare alright," she said as she lovingly caress her daughter's head, "and look's like she's inherited the temper too."
Just then as if on cue, Molly's lower lip started to quiver and tears started to well up in her eyes.
"OK back to mommy now," Claudia Joy handed the baby over to her friend.
After Molly had been calmed down the two had coffee and did some serious catching up for an hour and a half, until reluctantly they had to go run their errands.
"So where are you off to," Claudia Joy asked as Denise helped her carry the plates and mugs into the kitchen."
"The PX and commissary, I need to pick up some diapers and I was thinking on starting Molly up on some formula soon, so I'll be going to check those out too."
"Is she having trouble feeding?"
"No she's fine in fact she's quite content and I intend to breastfeed as long as I can, but I think my poor boobs need a break!"
Claudia Joy chuckled, "I know what that feels like, and I'll come with you I need to get some supplies for Emmalin's party this Friday."
"Great we'll enjoy the company."
The Commissary (10:30 am).
Denise and Claudia Joy were standing in aisle 8 in front of rows and rows of baby formulas. Claudia Joy had her cart full to the brim with party supplies, Molly was asleep in the baby carrier above her mother's cart which was full of diapers.
"Ok I have narrowed it down to these two," Denise said lifting two formula cans for Claudia Joy to see, "What do you think?"
"They're both pretty good, but I would go with the S-26 statistics showed that it had lower cases of allergies amongst babies," she stated matter of factly.
"What?" Denise said confused,
"Oh it was the only formula Amanda could tolerate when she was an infant, I was at my wits end when her pediatrician suggested it, I'm just quoting what he said.." she replied sheepishly.
"That was nearly 20 years ago and you remember it word for word," she asked incredulous
"Well …
Just then there was a crash down the aisle just a few feet away from them. Both women turned to see a heavily pregnant woman lying motionless next to the spilled contents of her cart.
"Oh my God!" in unison, as they both rushed to the lady. As they reached the collapsed woman, Denise hesitated an instant and glanced back at Molly who was still napping blissfully unaware of what was happening around her. She glanced around; they were alone in the aisle. "Oh she'll be fine don't be paranoid," she thought to herself, she was debating whether to bring her cart closer when, the woman on the ground groaned and Claudia Joy called her for help.
"Coming," she squatted at the woman's side, "You'll be okay just lie still for me ma'am."
"Claudia Joy I'll stay with her to make sure she doesn't move around, why don't you go see if you can find someone, we need an ambulance she and the bay needs to get checked out, that was a bad fall."
"Sure honey I'll be right back," she said rushing off.
Less than two minutes later Claudia Joy was back with the store manager and two of his employees to help, by then a few patrons had stopped their shopping to see what was going on.
"The ambulance is on its way ma'am," the stocky manager said, "Just try to lie still. What happened he asked Denise?"
"I have no idea, we heard a crash and when we glanced over she was on the floor." She glanced over at her cart to make sure Molly was okay but from her position on the floor all she could see was a piece of her pink blanket peeking out from her carrier.
"I was pushed," the woman whispered,"Somebody pushed me."
"What!" Claudia Joy exclaimed, "Who would do something like that?"
Denise was growing uneasy, "You guys have got her right?" she asked them, "I have to check on my baby, "she told the manager indicating the cart behind her.
"Sure thanks for your help ma'am"
Denise stood up turned around than froze, the baby carrier was empty!
She felt her heart skip a beat, as the blood drained from her face and her lungs stopped taking in air. "Molly!," she gasped panicked, Claudia Joy hearing the distress in her friend's voice glanced up from where she was sitting on the floor, "Denise?" she inquired taking in Denise's tensed body language. "What is it?" She instantly knew that something was very wrong, she went over to where her friend was standing.
Denise rushed forward to the cart, "My baby! Someone took my baby! Molly," she shouted getting even more panicked by the second, she picked up the baby blanket rushing forward to scan the few people gathered there looking for signs of the infant.
"Oh my God!" Claudia Joy gasped, "Lock down the store," she shouted to the confused Manager who had come over to see what all the commotion was about.
"What?" he asked unaware of what was going on.
"Close down the store now!" she barked, "and get the MPs here her baby has been taken!"
She turned around, Denise was nowhere in sight. She rushed to the end of the aisle to find Denise running around frantically looking for Molly.
She took out her phone, "Put me through to General Holden it's his wife this is an emergency."
By the time Michael showed up 10 minutes later, the MPs had already been on scene and was liaising with the store staff and patrons in conducting a thorough search for the missing infant but to no avail. By then the paramedics who had showed up to assist the fallen women had to forcibly sedate a hysterical Denise who despite everyone's attempts could not calm her down. When she started to physically manhandle everyone demanding to have her baby back, the MPs had no choice but to have her sedated for her and everyone else's safety.
Seeing his wife talking to one of the MPs Michael hurried over, seeing him walking over, "Michael!" she gasped rushing into his waiting arms.
"Claudia Joy, what happened?" he asked concerned "and where's Denise?"
"They took her to the hospital, the paramedics had to sedate her, this is horrible Michael, it's like a bad dream," she said her face crumpling.
She quickly composed herself and told her husband everything that had happened up to his arrival. Just as she was done one of the MPs walked over saying that they had found footage on the store's surveillance cameras of the baby being taken.
They walked into the manager's office where another MP was rewinding the tape, "From the evidence on this tape Sir, the kidnapping was premeditated and not one of opportunity Sir."
The MP played the tape, the screen showed Denise and Claudia Joy talking in front of the baby formulas than a woman wearing grey sweats rushing forward and deliberately pushing the other shopper to the floor. The woman kept running off camera and as Claudia Joy and Denise knelt down beside the victim with her back turned the woman ran back and deftly lifted the baby from her carrier and left.
"Oh my God, she pushed that woman to create a diversion so she could take Molly," Claudia Joy gasped.
"That's not all Sir, Ma'am," the MP said, he forwarded the tape some more then paused to show at various locations in the store the woman in the grey sweat suit with greasy blonde hair had been following the two women who had been oblivious to their stalker. Then finally he showed them footage of the woman quickly walking out the doors with the still sleeping Molly in her arms. Seeing the last footage Michael quickly got on the phone, "How much time has elapsed since she was taken?' he asked his wife.
"About 15-20 minutes, "she answered.
"This is General Holden speaking; I want the Post on complete lock-down as of now. Nobody gets in or out without a full search, a two and a half month female infant was just kidnapped from the Commissary, as of now we are on full Amber alert, we need personnel out on Post to conduct searches, get me touch with the Charleston PD we need to liaise with them right away in the off chance that the kidnapper has managed to get off Post somehow and ….."
Claudia Joy stood watching her husband go in full military mode and although he was acting business as usual she could tell that he was as scared as she was by the slight tremor in his hand holding the phone. Denise and Frank were their closest friends on Post if anything should happen to their child…
"Honey you okay?" she was jolted out of her reverie by Michael's hand on her shoulder.
"I cannot believe this is truly happening," she uttered dejectedly.
"We'll find her, I promise we'll find her," he said giving her a hug.
"Uh…, I need to be at the hospital with Denise when she wakes up," she fumbled in Denise's purse and took a photo of Molly out, "Oh Michael, "she cried glancing at the picture of baby smiling right up to the camera.
Michael soothed his wife with a hug, "here you guys can use this,' she said handing him the photo, "I'll be at the hospital if you need me."
"Claudia Joy wait, I'll have someone drive you over. I don't want you driving in the condition you're in right now."
"Its okay don't worry, I called the gang before you came. Roland's already at the hospital Roxy and Pamela are waiting for me outside they couldn't come in because of the lock down; I'll catch a ride with them."
"I'll be by as soon as I can sweetheart," he said giving her a quick kiss before she walked off.
Mercer medical Center (11:00am).
As Claudia Joy, Pamela and Roxy walked into the doors of the lobby they saw Roland near the reception talking to another tall man in a white lab coat. When he saw them walking over he quickly excused him self and walked over giving them all a comforting hug.
"Hey, have you seen her? How is she doing?" Pamela asked.
"I haven't yet I just got here I had to make arrangement for Sara- Elizabeth, Joan got called away, she's helping with coordinating the search, I did just talk to Dr. Hendricks though, he's the attending for the E.R. She's sedated heavily, she'll be out for a couple of hours at least, and we can go in and see her she's in 102 down the hall."
They walked into her room and Roxy's eyes welled up with tears when she saw Denise lying on the hospital bed. She was so pale her dark hair was in stark contrast on the white pillow, her eyes were red and swollen from crying and there were tear tracks running down her face where they had dried. Her hands were shackled to the bed rails with the restraints and there red scratches on her arms from her struggles with the EMTs.
"Are those really necessary?" Claudia Joy asked incredulous, "she's sedated for God's sake!"
"No, they're not," Roland said as he moved forward to remove them, while he removed the one on her left wrist Pamela preceded to remove the one on her right. Claudia Joy went to the bathroom and came back with a wet cloth which she used to gently wipe the dried tears from her best friend's face.
Mercer Medical Center (2pm)
"Paging Dr. Moore to reception, Dr. Moore to reception…" Denise slowly began to hear the hospital sounds around her as if she was slowly making her way up from underwater. The sensation was weird, she wanted to open her eyes but they felt like lead, instead she tried to focus on the noises around her to try and orient herself. Something was wrong very wrong she knew that much but she could not pinpoint what it was she was so tired still. Then she heard Roland's comforting tone and Claudia Joy's familiar voice, she was with her friends she was safe. Reluctantly she decided to give in to the pull of darkness that was tugging at her senses, and then she heard the name, "Molly." Everything that had happened that day just slammed into her mind and her eyes flew open.
Roxy jumped up from her chair as Denise suddenly sat up in bed and shouting for her daughter. Roland and Claudia Joy were instantly there by her side and the three off them tried to calm the distraught mother. Finally after 10 minutes they had managed to calm her down enough so that instead of screaming and fighting her way out of bed she was crying uncontrollably.
"Honey, Denise, look at me," Claudia Joy had to hold her head to make Denise look at her to get her attention, "I know this is hard but you have to stay with me. You're in the hospital the EMTs had to sedate you at the PX, Roland, Roxy and I will stay with you. Right now you need to calm down just a little for us sweetie; we don't want you to hurt yourself. You think you can calm down just a little?" she asked worriedly.
Denise nodded, and Roland let go of her arms, "Sorry Denise we didn't want Hendricks coming in here, he would have probably recommended the restraints."
"Restraints?" she asked confused, "never mind did they find her?' she asked tearfully.
"I'm afraid not," Claudia Joy explained as Denise started to cry again, "they're still searching, the Post is on lock down, there's an Amber alert out. The Army is liaising with the Charleston PD; both sides are using every available resource they have to find her. In fact that's why Pamela had to go she was called in to help with the search."
"What time is it?" She asked glancing around for a clock; her wristwatch was missing, probably taken off to put the restraints on.
"It's 2:10 p.m, why?" Roxy answered.
"She's been missing for 4 hours!' Denise exclaimed once again dissolving in tears. All they could do was watch and offer their shoulder as she cried incessantly inconsolable from any of their attempts to calm her down. Finally to what seemed like an eternity to them, she managed to stop crying and asked to go home.
"Maybe you should rest a little first, you're still pretty groggy…."
"No Roland I want to go home, I'll rest there please…"
"Okay Denise I'll see to it, I'm just going to have a word with Dr. Hendricks then we're out of here."
"Thank you."
She turned to see Claudia Joy on her phone in the corner of the room.
"Roxy, could you help me to the bathroom please, I wan to splash some water on my face I must be a mess."
"Sure, just lean on me and tell me if you feel like you're gonna pass out ok?"
The Sherwood Residence (4:00 pm)
Roland and Claudia Joy escorted Denise inside her house. The walk through the hospital lobby to the car had been an unpleasant one at best. Denise had averted her gaze from the curious onlookers, although most of the hospital staff who knew her seemed genuinely concerned she could not bear the look of pity on most of her faces. The car ride over had been equally uncomfortable and tense. She silently walked in her house purposefully avoiding the wall of family portrait, she sat on her couch.
"Can I get you anything honey? Tea, coffee..?" Claudia Joy asked
"No, thanks."
"How about you Roland?" she asked turning to him.
"I could go for some coffee right now," he replied "I'll help you in the kitchen," he said following her into the kitchen.
"Is she okay?" Claudia Joy asked concerned, "she seems almost defeated like she has lost all hope; somehow I found it more comforting when she was screaming and fighting."
"The initial shock is ebbing away into numbness," Roland explains "right now she's still in a state of disbelief, which makes it very overwhelming for her take in everything that's happening. She's grieving the loss of he child."
"Grieving? Oh God Roland don't tell me she believes Molly's…" She was too horrified to even finish her sentence.
"No I don't think so at least not consciously, she's probably shielding herself very hard from such thoughts right now, however I think it must have passed through her mind even if fleetingly. Anyway right now she's feeling like her whole world as she knew it has crumbled down around her, Molly was part of that world and its…."
"I understand Roland," Claudia Joy said thinking of her own loss.
"I'm sorry Claudia Joy I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry about it Roland, I can relate more now that you've explained it to me, all I have to do is think of my own experience."
They went back to the living and sat down quietly drinking their coffee each deep in their own thoughts each fervently praying for the safe return of baby Molly.
The Mackenzie Residence (4:00p.m)
Six miles across Post Staff Sergeant Mackenzie, happily rushed up his porch, dropped his knapsack and lifted his wife in the air before giving her a long awaited kiss.
"Oh honey I've missed you so much," he uttered once they broke apart for air, smiling into his wife's blue eyes.
"Not as much as I've missed you soldier," she said standing on tiptoe to give him another deep kiss.
"Well I can get used to that kind of treatment really fast," he replied happily, "honey you've cut your hair," he noted that her long blonde tresses were gone replaced by a shoulder length bob."
"Don't you like it?" she asked disappointed.
"No I love it, let's go inside there's someone I've been dying to meet. Where is she?" he asked eagerly.
"In the nursery asleep," she answered almost nervously, as she looked at him.
"Well let's go take a look at our angel, I hope she's not scared of me," his wife smiled nervously.
Sergeant Mackenzie walked into their house and headed straight for the nursery. It was done in all pink and frills just as he remembered them decorating it before he was deployed. He quietly walked over to the crib in the middle of the room anxious to see his baby girl; he was just disappointed that he would not get to hold her right now because she was asleep. He peeked over the crib and smiled at the tiny little bundle snuggled in a pink blanket fast asleep.
"I never realized how crazy we went on the shopping spree buying everything pink," he whispered looking at his wife, "poor kid," he chuckled. He reached down and moved the blanket so he could get a better look at her.
"She's perfect honey," he smiled proudly; his daughter looked like a little rosy cheeked cherub. "She has your mouth, what's with the black hair though?' he asked with mock seriousness, "Is there something you'll like to confess to me Mrs. Mackenzie?"
"W-what?" she asked almost panicking, " her hair will probably change later on, babies change all the time you know, she was born with blonde hair then it…."
"Jen... I was just messing with you,' he said, "Are you okay you seem kind of tense…"
"I'm fine I'm just tired I guess," looking at his wife the Sergeant did note the dark circles under his wife's eyes and the fact that she had lost some weight, in fact she seemed almost gaunt from the perfect healthy wife he knew.
"Come on lets leave then we don't want to wake her up," they left closing the door to their little girl's nursery
The Sherwood Residence (6:00 pm).
The doorbell rang and Roland got up to answer it. Claudia Joy was in the kitchen preparing dinner, although she knew that no one felt like eating anything, she had decided to prepare something just in the off chance that she might succeed in coaxing Denise to take bite. Plus she felt completely helpless and it gave her something to do, she heard Roxy's voice at the door.
"Hey I brought gumbo in case anyone's hungry," she said as she deposited the container on the kitchen counter
"Thank you Rox," Claudia Joy said glancing ruefully at Denise who was still seated on the couch. The phone rang and Roland went to pick it up, "How has she been?" Roxy asked looking over to where Denise sat wringing her hands on the couch.
"Well she hasn't had anything except for a sip of water, hasn't said a word or gotten up from that couch since we've been home, "she replied her eyes full of sorrow and concern for her friend, "I've seen her glancing down the hall a few times, I think she's afraid that if she gets up from that couch she'll walk to the nursery."
The doorbell rang again and Roland Having just gotten off the phone went to answer it.
"Thanks Roland," Claudia Joy hollered, "poor Roland, he's been answering the phone all day and getting the door. Some people can be so insensitive sometimes," she said with disgust, "he's been barring requests from reporters wanting to interview Denise as well as having to explain to people on the Post who keep showing up that Denise is not up for a visit yet."
"Yeah people are such gossip mongers, and there's gonna be more on the way. I heard the news on my radio on the drive over and they should be reports on the 6:00 o'clock news, right about now." Roxy replied.
Hearing Roxy's and Claudia Joy's conversation in the kitchen, Denise got up and turned the TV on, just as the newscast was reporting on the kidnapping. She sat watching as they showed footage of the kidnapping in progress at the PX. Roxy and Claudia Joy walked into the living room then sitting on the couch next to her to watch the news with her.
"The three and a half month old infant, Molly Laura Frances Sherwood, is the daughter of Denise and Lt. Colonel Frank Sherwood… The newscaster then proceeded to give a detailed description of Molly… While a picture of the infant was placed on screen… "If anyone should have any information on the whereabouts of…Contact number sand hotlines flashed on the screen.
"And in other news…."
Denise bolted up from her seat and turned to Claudia Joy, "Oh my God, I completely forgot about Frank and Jeremy… I didn't want t worry them unless I absolutely had to... but now with the news they're bound to hear about it," she mumbled getting more upset by the minute, "Oh God, What am I Going to tell Frank?" she said putting her hand to her mouth.
"I lost our baby girl, I let someone take her!" she dissolved in tears.
"Denise, it is not your fault," Claudia Joy said moving forward to sooth her, but Denise moved out of her embrace.
"NO! NO!" she shouted, "I'M HER MOTHER DAMN IT! I'm supposed to protect her."
"Denise," she turned around to find Michael and Roland standing in her doorway looking at her.
"WHAT? You gonna order me to calm down huh? I'm not one of your soldiers, General Holden and I can damn well be angry in my home if I want to…" she stopped breathless.
"I know," he said evenly, "I just wanted to let you know that what happened was not your fault, someone took advantage of your caring nature. There is no way you could have known that Molly would be taken when you went to help that woman, we'll find her," he walked up to her and hugged her as she once again crumbled into tears.
"There's something else," he said as Denise sat back down, "I have already contacted Frank and Jeremy, they're coming home."
"What?" Denise uttered surprised ad fearful at the same time.
"I contacted Frank while you were in the hospital. I explained everything that happened and since he already had some time coming up, I made some calls upstairs and we all thought that under the circumstances he and Jeremy should be allowed home. He wanted to talk to you but didn't get a chance; they're on their way they should be here tomorrow afternoon if everything goes to plan."
Denise just stared at him dejectedly instead of the response he had expected, she got up announced that she needed some air and went outside into the backyard.
"What did I do?" Michael asked turning to his wife.
"A little warning would have been good about Frank coming home," Claudia Joy answered.
"Claudia Joy, I wasn't sure I could get Frank out and until then I did not want to get her hopes up," he replied.
"Don't beat yourself up about it General, Denise appreciates it. It'll be good for her to have Frank here, she's just a little apprehensive about him coming home that's all," Roland interjected.
"Why on earth would she be afraid of Frank coming home?" he asked.
"Honey, Denise blames herself for Molly getting taken she's feeling guilty right now, and I'm sure she's glad Frank's coming but…"
"But?" he asked.
"This is the first time he'll be home since she's been born," Roland replied, "Denise probably did not envision Frank's homecoming to meet his daughter like this."
"Oh, God I completely forgot…."
"Your heart was in the right place," Claudia Joy gave her husband a hug.
"Frank does not hold her responsible, I uploaded a copy of the surveillance to him… he saw what happened…anyway he was sick with worry it was only prudent that I remove him from his duties, and he wouldn't have been any good to anybody over there."
"I know Michael, would you like some coffee? How's Emmalin? I haven't had a chance to call her…."
The phone rang Roland went to answer it. Roxy stood and walked outside to the sunroom where Denise stood staring off into the gathering dusk. She quietly walked over to the slender woman and placed a comforting hand on her back.
"I wonder if she's hungry," Denise uttered almost inaudibly, smoothing a hand over her engorged breasts, "I usually give her bath around this time. Then we sit in the rocker while we listen to the tapes Frank made for her, we wanted her to be familiar to the sound of his voice thought it might be easier for her when he comes home."
She went over to the lounge and sat down noticing a teddy rattle on a nearby reclining chair; she picked it up and rattled it bleakly. Roxy just stared at her friend, there was nothing she could say and nothing came to her mind, all she could do was hold her hand and be there for her.
The Mackenzie Household.
Robert Mackenzie turned over in bed and grabbed for his wife under the covers she giggled and slide further away from him, he lunged after her his green eyes filling with mischief, just as he caught her around the waist a piercing cry came from the nursery. Reluctantly he groaned and let go of his wife, as Jennifer went to tend to the baby he got up and went into the shower.
Ten minutes later Rob got out of the shower shaking the water out of his short red hair, he turned on the overhead light so he could shave, but decided to check on Jen and the baby before doing so. Concerned he walked over to the nursery where Jen was, frantically trying to calm a now red faced screaming baby.
"Come on Emma Rose, you're not wet or hungry, why are you crying, settle down! You don't want to be a bad girl in front of your daddy do you?" she asked the baby getting more frustrated by the minute.
"I don't mind a little crying," Robert said, "Here let me give it a try." He extended his arms for the baby.
"I don't know what's wrong with her," his wife said distraught, giving the still crying infant to his husband.
"C'mon now baby girl, you'll be good for daddy won't you?" he asked the little girl in his arms, "Daddy will tell you a story. Once upon a time…"
Robert smiled at his wife, "Will you look at that..." he said, the moment he started talking the baby settled down and looked up at him solemnly as if she understood every word that was coming out of his mouth.
"She's a daddy's girl alright," Jen said almost accusingly as she watched her husband bond with the baby.
"Hey honey I've got this you must be tired, why don't you go put your feet up for a while, I'll put her down." She watched them enviously he made it seem so easy…
She walked into the living room and switched on the T.V just as a picture of a dark haired infant flashed on the screen. The blood drained from her face as the newscaster's voice filled the room," The Infant was taken this morning from…. If you have any information please contact…."
As Robert walked into the living room she quickly switched the television off.
"Hey was that about that missing child?" he asked.
"W-what?" she replied nervously.
"There were roadblocks everywhere on the way home, I heard some of the MPs talking about a missing child on Post, I didn't get much info though, just that she was taken and whoever did it probably did not have enough time to get off Post. Is it a girl or boy that was taken?"
"Oh, I don't know I couldn't watch it. It's too depressing…"she said getting up, "What do you want for dinner?" she asked changing the subject.
Robert walked back into the nursery with his baby not bothering to answer. Jennifer was acting weird since he got home, she dismissed the missing child as if it was a common occurrence, and he couldn't imagine what the family of the missing child is going through right now and a military family at that even though he did not know them he sympathized with them. He was grateful that his family was safe; he brought his daughter closer to eye level to him and stared into her blue eyes.
"Well you are your own little person aren't you?" he said as he noted her light blue eyes, "You're nothing like your mother or me and that temper," he had to smile as the baby kept staring straight at him without a beat.
An hour later Emma Rose was finally down, hopefully for the night and Robert decided to go out for a run. He'd missed the freedom of running feeling the wind on his cheeks back in Iraq. He was on his front porch lacing up his running shoes when Grace one of his neighbors walked up to welcome him back home. They talked for a while until Grace excused herself to go tend to her two fighting kids.
Rob laughed as she tried to settle her unruly kids. "Wait till yours is this age…"
"Oh, mine is a perfect little angel," he chuckled.
"Yeah right with that head of red hair I doubt it; from what I've seen she's all you only thing that's her mother's are those cornflower blue eyes. Jimmy let go of your brother's arm! Have to go, Rob nice seeing you." She said as she hurried off.
Robert went on his run, but Grace's words kept looping around in his mind, "that head ofred hair… those cornflower blue eyes…"
"Grace must have seen the baby," he though, "the child she's describing sounds nothing like his daughter. Emma Rose had black hair, in fact it was jet black hair and although her eyes were blue they were light not cornflower blue like Jen's. No, no… I'm being paranoid Jen said that babies change drastically… and they don't always look like their parents…Look at Jeff's kids the guy has brown hair so does his wife and the kids turned out blonde.. I'm paranoid."
The Sherwood Residence (01:00 am)
The house was quiet, everyone had gone home except for Claudia Joy of course, her friend had fallen asleep on the couch besides her. She got up and pulled Claudia Joy's leg on the sofa, took a blanket from a nearby chair and covered her with it. As she was smoothing the hair away from her face, Claudia Joy opened her eyes.
"Denise what are you doing?" she asked trying to get up, "I should be taking care of you…"
"Claudia Joy," Denise said pushing her friend back down, "you need to rest, you're exhausted. No, I'm okay please get some rest, please do it for me."
"Well I can't sleep knowing you're sitting here alone."
"I can't sleep even if I wanted to…"
"How about we just lie down, c'mon lets go," Claudia Joy said leading her to the bedroom, "at least you can rest your eyes…,"she pleaded.
"Alright," Denise gave in reluctantly. They walked down the hallway and Claudia Joy glanced back as Denise hesitated momentarily besides the closed nursery door. She went over lacing her arm behind her friend's back and steered her towards her bedroom.
Three hours later they were startled by the shrill ringing of the phone in the quiet house. Denise bolted upright in bed, pushing her hair out of her face disoriented by sleep, and as the phone kept ringing she jumped out of bed and ran to pick it up.
"Sherwood residence," she answered breathlessly.
"Hey, Dee, how are you doing?"
Denise sat down when she heard Frank's voice on the other end.
"Dee... you there?"
"I'm here," she whispered.
"We're in transit; right now won't be boarding for another hour. Just thought I might call to see how you're doing," he said matter of factly.
He sounded so matter of fact that Denise could not tell what he was feeling, "Dee? Denise you there?" he asked.
"Oh Frank!" she exclaimed "I'm so sorry I …" she started crying.
"Denise sweetheart, listen to me I saw what happened, I talked to Michael… Honey please stop crying you're gonna make yourself sick… Dee it is not your fault, Jeremy and I are on our way, we're gonna find her," he said finally his voice cracking, "You hear me? We're gonna bring our baby girl home."
Denise started to cry even harder and Claudia Joy had to take the phone from her, "Frank? It's Claudia Joy… She's…. Okay we'll see you guys then, have a safe trip home." She hung up the phone to find that she was alone in the living room.
"Denise?" she called out in the quiet house walking towards the bedroom, finding the nursery door ajar she pushed it open to find Denise playing with the butterfly mobile above the crib.
"She loves this," she smiled giving the butterflies a twirl. "I bought this the day I found out I was pregnant."
"Really! Oh this is the one you wrapped up and gave to Frank?" Claudia Joy asked.
"Yeah," Denise chuckled, "You should have seen his face, when he opened it."
"It's pink, it's like you knew you were having a girl."
"Oh, I was hoping for it," Denise replied wistfully ," from the moment Dr. Snowdon told me I was pregnant, after the initial shock of course, I hoped and prayed it would be a girl," she said remembering that fateful day.
She sat on the examining table nervously wringing her hand, the nurse after taking a blood and urine sample had told her to put on the gown and that Dr. Snowdon wouldn't be long, but waiting only made her more anxious. Choi had scared the crap out of her with his talk of pneumonia and truthfully she was feeling pretty terrible. She had been feeling nauseated and dizzy for the past two days however she had thought that today she had been better until she went to work and the dizziness had set in again. It wasn't like her to be sick more than a day or two, God she prayed it wasn't pneumonia, being hospitalized was not something she was looking forward to. Just than Dr. Snowdon walked in, "Hi Denise," she smiled warmly," so feeling under the weather lately" she asked.
"Yeah I had the flu over the weekend thought I'd be over it by now but I'm still feeling dizzy and breathless at times, thought I'd check in to make sure that it's nothing serious."
"Okay," Dr. Snowdon "any other symptoms apart from the dizziness and breathlessness?" she asked as she started to examine the lymph nodes in her neck.
"Just nausea none today though," Denise replied.
"How about your energy level?" the doctor asked.
"I have been getting tired more easily lately," she admitted.
"Nausea, fatigue dizziness any chance you might be pregnant?" she asked hopefully.
"No chance of that," she replied regretfully she didn't elaborate she knew that Dr. Snowdon was aware of her medical history.
"Okay I'm gonna check your lungs, take a deep breath for me…"
Fifteen minutes later Denise was back in her uniform and waiting for the doctor in her office, she was racking her brain trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong with her. Dr. Snowdon had examined her thoroughly and she had been positive that her lungs were fine.
The slender woman walked back in the office holding a piece of paper which she raised in the air, "The results of your blood and urine tests are in," she said as she sat down behind her desk," and congratulations are in order," she said beaming at Denise.
Denise just stared back at the doctor confused, "Denise you're pregnant" she said smiling at the flabbergasted woman.
"After I got over the shock I went to the pharmacy to get some prenatal vitamins," Denise explained to Claudia Joy, they had migrated to the kitchen where they sat drinking tea, "that's where I saw the mobile and I thought it would be perfect for a little girl," she smiled as she remembered "and Frank's face when I told him that it would be over the crib was priceless. He looked at me as if I had d sprouted another head!" they both laughed needing to ease the tension.
Outside The Sherwood Residence (8:00am)
As Michael parked is car in Frank's driveway, he took a minute to gather himself he needed to confirm the information he had just received from the M.E from Mercer. He finally got out of his car and walked to the front door with a heavy heart, by the looks of it he was not the only one at the Sherwood house. Denise opened the door on his second ring and Michael was heartbroken by what he saw. The woman standing before him was only a shadow of the beautiful vivacious Denise he knew. She was so pale her dark hair was in sharp contrast to her skin, the dark circles under her eyes made them seem sunken, while her eyes themselves were bloodshot from all the crying. What tore him the most however was the dejected look of grief and defeat in her brown eyes. Those were the eyes of a mother who had lost a child, Claudia Joy had had that look for months after Amanda had died and it had torn him inside every time he had looked at her. She silently invited him in, he walked in noting that Roland, Roxy and Pamela were there, he was about to ask where she was when at that instant Claudia Joy walked out from the bedroom.
"Hey Honey," went over to give his wife a quick kiss, "How are you doing?" he asked noting that she had dark circles under her eyes as well.
"Claudia Joy, you have to take care of yourself," he chided.
"I'm fine Michael, just didn't get enough sleep that's all, I'm worried about Denise."
"And I'm worried about you... Have you been checking your levels?"
"I told you I'm alright," she answered exasperated, "and yes I have been eating properly. Denise made sure of that although I couldn't convince her to do the same, she hasn't eaten a single bite since yesterday morning," she looked over to where her friend was flipping through the channels on T.V.
"I'm surprised she's still standing," he said looking at her, "anyway I came over because I need to talk to you in private," he said pulling her to one side, "is there somewhere we can talk?' he asked looking around at the others.
"We could go outside to the sun room," she led the way outside feeling uneasy about the way Michael was wringing his beret; he only did that when he was really anxious.
"What is it?" she asked the moment they made it outside, the look of despair he gave her only made her more fearful.
"There's no easy way of saying this so I'm just gonna say it, I was notified awhile ago that the dogs found something…" he uttered his voice cracking.
"What-what did they find Michael?"
"A body of a three month old female infant was found just outside the North side gates. Identity has not been confirmed, I'm on my way to the M.E's now. Claudia Joy they need next of kin to confirm identity," he finished remorsefully.
"No, Michael this cannot be happening," she sobbed quietly, "They're positive it's a baby girl?" Michael nodded, "and you haven't seen her yet?" she asked.
"No," he replied hugging his wife.
"How did she die?" his wife asked
"That has not been determined yet, and under the circumstances I think we can bend the rules a little and we can go to the morgue and make the identification ourselves, I don't think Denise will be able to handle this…"
"But Michael we'll have to tell her at some point…"
"Tell me what?" Denise asked from the doorway "and what is it that I won't be able to handle?"
They both turned around to stare at the woman in dismay.
The Medical Examiner's Office Mercer Medical Center (9:00 am)
As the door to the morgue opened the first thing that hit her was the smell, it engulfed her until she thought she would suffocate on it. She tightened her grip on Roland's arm making him glance side ways at her, he did not think it possible but he noted that Denise had grown even paler since they had entered the morgue.
Claudia Joy and Michael went ahead to briefly discuss with the medical examiner while Roland and Roxy stayed by the doors with Denise. They all wished she had stayed home, but once she had found out there had been no keeping her away. What worried all of them however especially Roland the seemingly calm way of accepting the fact that her baby was probably on that table.
The doctor walked over introduced himself and said something else none of which Denise registered her attention was elsewhere. Looking in the direction of her gaze Roxy saw that she was staring at the autopsy table set up in the middle of the white room. The table was a regular adult sized one, but instead of an adult sized body it held a tiny little bump right in the middle covered by a white sheet. Just looking at it made Roxy sick to her stomach, she wanted to leave she did not want to see what was under that sheet.
Roland put his arm around Denise's waist, to gibe her more support as the doctor led them towards the autopsy table. Everybody's faces were pretty grim, as they approached the tiny body Denise started to shake uncontrollably in his arms. He stopped but she moved on pulling him along with her.
As they all stood around the table the doctor looked up and said something, Denise was vaguely aware that he was talking to her only she did not hear him. She couldn't hear anybody except her own heartbeats in her ears and her own labored breathing. The doctor gingerly removed the sheet from the tiny body; she stared down at the baby girl. She was perfect, her tiny pouty lips had turned purple while her tiny body had a bluish tinge to it, the unmistakable sign of rigor mortis which made her hair stand out in sharp contrast to her body especially under the harsh florescent light.
The baby's hair was a bright strawberry red.
"That's not my baby," she whispered to the doctor before everything went black.
Mercer Medical Army Center (10:00 am)
"God I'm never gonna be able to forget that poor little baby on that table for as long as I live," Roxy moaned "who ever did that to her should be damned lower than the embers of Hell."
"The baby was shaken Roxy," Roland explained "it was probably someone close to her, most likely her own mother."
"What?"
"Well it happens, first time mums with no support, post partum depression…"
They were sitting in Denise's room; Claudia Joy had gone off to get coffee, after seeing the baby Denise's body had finally given up the battle. She had fainted and despite their attempts could not get a response or wake her up, at which point they had had o bring her to the E.R where the doctors confirmed that she was exhausted and seriously dehydrated. had been administered along with a mild sedative so she could get some much needed rest.
"Here we go, "Claudia Joy announced walking in giving them their coffee.
"Thank you," Roxy answered
"No worries," she said yawning
'You are exhausted," Roland noted, "Why don't you climb in the bed next to Denise and get some rest," he suggested.
"Are you crazy? This is a hospital not a hotel."
"Come on Claudia Joy, we'll close the door no-one will know, you need the rest otherwise you'll be next to Denise on that bed for real."
"Listen to the doctor," Roxy quipped.
"Roland I can't its hospital property…"
"Would you feel better if I asked permission?' he asked serious.
"No I can't…." Roland gingerly got up and left the room he came back five minutes later and announced that he had gotten permission and then subtly ordered her into bed. She protested but gingerly climbed in, "Roxy and I will be here until you two sleeping beauties are up," he promised cheekily before Claudia Joy closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Two hours later (12:00pm)
Denise turned to her side, opened her eyes and saw Claudia Joy slumbering peacefully on the bed bedsides her. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she took in her surroundings, at first she had thought she was home but this looked like a hospital. She sat up and saw Roland with his head against the wall fast asleep as well; Roxy was next to him flipping through a magazine.
"Rox… what happened?"
"Hey Denise, um… you fainted down in the morgue, when we couldn't wake you we brought you up here," she explained, "don't worry about that, " she reassured her friend as Denise glanced at the I.V going in her left arm, "just fluids to rehydrate that's all."
She winced as Denise deftly pulled the needle out of her arm, "What are you doing?" she whispered, afraid to wake the others.
"I need to go to the bathroom," Denise replied, as she lifted her legs over the side of the bed and jumped down.
"Whoa," she uttered as a wave of dizziness hit her. Roxy rushed to support the swaying woman and helped her to the adjoining bathroom where she knelt over the toilet bowl and promptly threw up.
Hearing the commotion Roland walked in to find Roxy holding up Denise's hair as she retched and gagged. He got a damp cool towel which he gave to her when she was done.
"Well that was a waste of fluids," Roxy said almost unhappily.
"I think I need some air," Denise interjected.
"Good idea, I'll go with you. Rox you'll stay with Claudia Joy?" Roland asked.
"Sure, bring me back a muffin and a …"
Roland walked outside with Denise and sat down next to her on a bench in front of the hospital entrance. They didn't talk for a minute or two, "The image of that baby flashed into my mind the minute I realized where I was, and it made me sick," Denise explained.
"You don't have to explain anything to me Denise, I'm here for you."
"Thanks Roland," she said reaching out to hold his hand, "feel like going for a drive?" she asked.
The Commissary (12:00 pm)
Staff Sergeant Robert Mackenzie pushed his cart of groceries to the cashier with the shortest queue of customers and while he was waiting to pay for his commodities he couldn't help but hear the two ladies talking in front of him.
"Yeah, it happened right here, my husband was called out right away. Apparently some blonde woman took her. He told me that the mother was hysterical; I never liked her especially after what she did when her husband was away, but I feel sorry for her. I can't imagine having your baby taken from you like that…"
"Oh God don't even think of such a thing," the other woman replied, "She was such a lovely baby too, gorgeous blue eyes and that ink black hair. I saw her a few days ago at Dr. Snowdon's, Denise had the flu or something, Do you think Colonel Sherwood will come home?..."
"Never mind that, John also told me they found a dead baby!" the other woman interrupted hastily oblivious to where she was or that people could hear.
"What!" the other exclaimed shocked.
"Yes I'm telling you, this place is going to hell, such things would never have happened at Fort Jackson…."
The two women moved on. Robert stood for a minute digesting what he had just heard, he had been so happy to be home that he had not given another thought to the missing child. In fact it was just now that he had become aware that it was a baby that had been taken, he had thought that it was an elementary aged child that had gone missing, kids ran away often enough on a military Posts.
"Colonel Sherwood," he thought, "God don't tell me it's Lt. Colonel Frank Sherwood." He tried to remember the name of the Colonel's wife but it didn't come to him, he did remember however that they had been in a couple of Lamaze classes with him and Jen.
He paid for his groceries and walked to his car still mulling over what he had heard,
"Such a lovely baby too, gorgeous blue eyes and that ink black hair." He felt uneasy but didn't want to go there, the baby they had just described could just as easily been his daughter, "apparently some blonde woman took her…and a dead baby was found, what the hell is going on? Okay stop, you're paranoid. Jen's just having a hard time coping with a new baby, now that you're home it'll be easier and before you leave again make provisions so that she'll get as much support as she'll need until you're back for good. The last thing Jen needs right now is you thinking such things."
He drove home still going over the conversation in his mind and was snapped out of his reverie by the baby screaming from the nursery.
"Jen?" he called out to no avail, placing his bags on the counter he walked into the baby's room to find Emma Rose screaming pink faced in her crib. He picked the baby up soothing her and walked through the house looking for his wife, puzzled and worried when he did not find her. He picked up the phone and was about to call her cell when she came in through the back door.
"Where have you been?" he asked angry.
"Out for a walk, why?'" she asked unfazed by his anger.
"You left her alone in the house!" herdetached attitude was only fueling the rage that was building up inside him.
"She was asleep when I left and I was gone only ten minutes. She was safe in the house…"
"Jennifer you don't leave the house and leave an infant behind period. When I came in she was screaming anything could have happened to her. Good God! You need to be careful especially with babies being taken and being found dead all over the place!"
"W-what?" she asked turning pale, Robert regretted screaming at her when he saw her reaction, "I'm so tired," she started to cry, "I just needed to get away, out of this house for a few minutes and she was sleeping so I…."
"I'm sorry," he said feeling guilty," but you should have waited for me or have asked Grace to watch her. How about I take her out of the house for a while so you can get some rest?"
"NO!" she shouted looking panicked.
He looked at her surprised by her reaction, "There's no need, you can watch her here, I-I don't want you to leave."
He was getting more and more concerned by Jen's behavior, but he agreed to stay to calm her down. After his wife had retired to their bedroom, he made a bottle for Emma Rose and sat down with her on the couch.
"Okay baby girl let's catch up on some T.V shall we?'' he uttered turning the television on.
The Sherwood Residence (6:00pm).
Denise stood and watched as Michael's car drove up the driveway, she was so nervous she was afraid she might throw up again. Roland had taken her to the pier and she had felt much better, by the time they were on their way back Claudia Joy had called to tell them that they back at the house. The search for Molly had intensified with the discovery of the dead baby, the MPs had an unofficial theory that whoever was responsible in the baby's death was most likely responsible for taking her daughter, at least that's what they were hoping. So finding the baby's identity was crucial to finding Molly. Her heart skipped a beat as Frank got out of the passenger's side of the car and tears welled up in her eyes when she saw Jeremy get out behind him, by the time they had walked up to the front door the tears were streaming down her face.
Frank walked through the front door with a heavy heart, General Holden had briefed him every step of the way and he was aware of everything that had happened so far. He was greeted by Claudia Joy in the foyer who gave him and Jeremy a quick hug for comfort.
"Where is she?" he asked his voice cracking slightly.
"She's in the living room, she's been blaming herself for everything, it'll be good for her that you're here Frank," she answered, "We'll leave you guys so you can get some privacy, but if you need us, please don't hesitate to call." She watched as Jeremy walked on into the living room to where his mother stood.
"Thank you Claudia Joy, thank you so much for what you have done for Denise," he paused to clear his throat, "We are damned lucky to have friends like you."
"Don't worry about it Frank, we know you would do the same," Michael answered, "I'll call you later."
He closed the door as they left and walked inside to where Jeremy was hugging his mother.
"Dee?" he whispered almost afraid to break their embrace, Jeremy let go of her and stepped aside so his father could move closer. Frank took a moment and just looked at his wife, "Oh Denise," he cried as he engulfed her in his arms. She fell against his chest and started to cry as if there was no tomorrow, and as he turned to hold Jeremy close as well, Frank's composure crumbled. The three of them stood alone in the now empty house and cried for their lost baby girl holding on to each other for comfort.
Two hours later (8:00 pm)
Frank watched Denise as she dozed on the couch, Jeremy was asleep in their bedroom. Although Frank had suggested that Denise get some rest she had refused giving the bed to him and Jeremy instead. She had preferred the couch where she could keep an eye on the news, even though they all knew that they would receive any news first before it was reported by the media.
"I guess it just gives her something to do rather than wait helplessly," he thought, "Hell I'm feeling damn helpless right now."
He walked over and sat on the edge of the couch. The look of despair and guilt on her face when he had walked into the house earlier had been gut wrenching, but it was the look of dread in her lovely brown eyes that had stabbed at his heart. He knew that he sometimes let his anger get the better of him, but he twenty years of marriage the only thing he had ever raised was his voice. The look in her eyes then had suggested that she was expecting anger or more.
"I would never hurt you sweetheart," he said smoothing her hair away from her face, "I love you too much, our baby's coming home," he bent down and laid a kiss on her forehead, she moaned as he did so and turned on her back looking for a more comfortable position. He looked down at her and felt the sense of powerlessness overwhelm him again. The circles under her eyes were so dark to the paleness of her skin that it made her eyes look sunken in their sockets, she was beyond exhaustion. He had managed to coax her into eating a little of the casserole Claudia Joy had brought over, but not as enough as he would have liked. She started to writhing in her sleep and from the pinched look on her face he could tell that she was having a nightmare.
"Dee, wake up sweetheart," he shook her gently, "Wake up honey it's just a bad dream," he shook her harder.
"Noooo….." she moaned thrashing harder.
"Denise wake up!" Frank took her bay the shoulders and shook her awake.
Her eyes flew open in panic, "It was just a bad dream, Dee it's okay," he assured her smoothing her hair out of her eyes.
"No its not," she said crying into Frank's shoulder, while he tried to calm her down.
The Mackenzie house(8:00pm).
Jennifer Mackenzie walked out of her room into her living room and stopped dead in her tracks. For what seemed like a full minute she could not breathe or move frozen to her spot her eyes glued to the television where a photo of her baby was up on screen. Her eyes darted to where Rib sat completely motionless on the couch in front of the T.V, she closed her eyes and waited for his reaction after the newscaster had signed off, only it didn't come. She opened her eyes, had he seen the news she wondered. She slowly walked around to the front of the couch and let out a sigh of relief. Robert was gently snoring with the baby in his arms, smiling Jen turned off the T.V and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
General Holden's office (7:00am)
Michael had just dismissed everyone when he saw Frank walk into the conference room. He watched as Frank thanked a few soldiers for their well wishes than walk over to where he was standing.
"Frank you should be home with your wife..."
"Sir I think I would be of better use here, doing what I can, I feel so damn helpless at home and to tell you the truth I can't take it anymore…." He stopped as his voice quivered.
'Come into my office," Michael said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "What's up Frank?"
"I can't watch Denise cry and beat herself up anymore, it's too hard. There's nothing I can do or say to make her feel better and I'm trying to be strong for her, but I'm not feeling strong right now. The worst thing is the not knowing there's so much scenarios going on in my head that I know if I stay in that house I'll go crazy. So I need to keep busy help with the search, she's my daughter after all."
Michael looked at his friend and felt for him, "Okay, since no-one has come forward we're gonna do an internal search for Molly here in the fort. We're gonna go from house to house starting with families that have had female infants, up to six months ago. Since she was taken from the Commissary we know that it was by someone who has security clearance to be on the fort, probably a distraught mother who shook her baby. We're hoping that whoever took her is still on base, though I doubt she got out, but in the off chance that she did, Frank there's a real possibility that we'll never find her."
Frank nodded grimly, "I know I'm preparing myself for that, it's Denise I'm worried about I don't think she's ready to accept anything that Molly coming back home…"
"Well we're gonna start over on the North end of the base…"
The Mackenzie House (8:00 am).
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Staff Sergeant Mackenzie walked into his baby's nursery to check on her, noting that she was sound asleep he walked into the kitchen to make some coffee. He then went back to sit on the couch concerned about his wife's behavior the previous night.
'I hardly recognized her,' he thought, 'one minute she's angry the next she's crying and saying weird things.'
He sighed as he got up to pour himself a cup of coffee; from his time in the army he knew that his wife was displaying classic symptoms of depression. He went back to his seta grateful that she was still asleep, frankly he was getting emotionally drained from the emotional roller coaster that she was on, it had taken him nearly two hours to calm her down last night after he had commented that the baby didn't respond her as much as she did him when she couldn't settle Emma Rose down.
'I can't blame her though,' he thought to himself, 'having a baby alone while I wasgone it's got to be hard…'
"Well I'm home now,' he resolved 'and Jen is going to get the help she needs.' He made a mental note to get ant appointment with their doctor later that day as he turned on the television to watch the news.
An hour later
Jennifer awaken by the baby crying, taking a minute to get her bearing she gingerly got up and made her way to the nursery only to find that Rob had beaten her to it, the nursery was empty. She walked out into the living room and froze, her husband was cradling the baby in his arms but his attention was directed on the television where General Holden was answering questions about the missing baby. Jennifer felt the blood drain from her face as she watched Robert watch the news, she slowly walked to the nearest chair frantically thinking of something anything to say, when she noticed the opened baby album on the coffee table.
When the news was over Robert sat completely still for a few minutes assimilating everything he and heard and seen in the last hour. He then turned off the T.V and slowly turned to look at his wife who remained silent in her seat. Seeing the despair and utter remorse in her eyes confirmed it all. In the past hour he had felt a myriad of emotions; first there had been confusion, then horror as it all dawned on him followed closely by denial and disbelief. Finally he had gone in search of proof practically pulling the house apart until he had found the baby album. There were only four pictures inside labeled "coming home," and they had been enough to validate his fear. He had fallen to the floor as he had felt his world come crashing down staring at the pictures. The photos showed Jen in the hospital smiling into the camera holding her baby, getting out of the car, placing the bundle in the crib… and if he had any suspicious the last picture was a close up of the baby staring into the camera. She had bright red hair and cornflower blue eyes.
He was still numb with shock when the baby had cried and he had fetched her not wanting his wife to get near the infant.
"What did you do?" he asked calmly feeling anything but calm at that instant. She sobbed silently frantically staring at anything but him. He purposefully repeated the question. Jennifer took a sidelong glance at her husband as she frantically considered her options the look on his face however told her that she had only one choice, the truth.
The Sherwood Residence (9:45 am)
As the doorbell rang Denise stepped out of the shower, donning her bathrobe on she walked into her room and sat at her vanity table to untangle her hair. She picked up her comb noticing the tremor in her hands. She was so tired her body was past the point of exhaustion but her mind would not allow her any peace. She felt as if her brain was in a car going at hundreds of miles per hour, whizzing from one thing to the next and trying to maintain a calm demeanor on the outside was even more exhausting when she really felt like was scream and tear out her hair. In a burst of anger she picked up her brush and flung it at the wall, when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.
"Come in."
"Hey, mum," Jeremy stuck his head inside, "You alright?" he asked concern furrowing his brow.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Thought I heard something," he replied looking around the room.
"It was nothing, really," she reassured him as he looked unconvinced, "I threw my brush against the wall that's all…"
He walked in bent down and gave her a hug.
"I made coffee," he looked at her hopefully, "and Mrs. Holden and Dr. Burton just arrived and they brought bagels and muffins, banana nut your favorite."
Denise gave her son a rueful through the mirror, "Alright give me five minutes and I'll be out," she answered as she stood up and he left closing the door behind him.
She donned on the first thing she grabbed from her closet tied up her still wet hair and walked into the kitchen avoiding the nursery completely she was too emotionally drained.
"Hey," Roland greeted her as she walked in, "park it here," he said tapping the stool besides him, "there's a muffin with your name on it."
"Hey guys," she went over and gave Claudia Joy a quick hug before sitting besides Roland and giving him a quick peck on the cheek, "you didn't have to come over, Jeremy's here with me, you all have busy lives with families who need you."
"Woman are you serious?" Roland asked over his coffee cup with mock disbelief, he was so comical in portraying his fake indignation that Denise had to smile. Jeremy couldn't help but feel a little relieved his mum's friends were there, as he watched the first genuine smile on her face since he'd been home.
Jeremy busied himself by tidying up around the house, while keeping a watchful eye on his mother. To say he was worried was an understatement, ever since they've been home he hadn't seen her eat a single bite except for the soup his father had coaxed her into eating, but unknown to his Dad, Jeremy had heard her retching in the bathroom later that night. He hadn't said anything to his father, Frank was already frantic with worry, so he figured while his father concentrated on bringing his sister home, he'd stay here and take care of his mother. He went around the house doing anything he thought needed doing, though there wasn't much his mother kept the place spotless, nevertheless it gave him the perfect excuse to periodically go into the kitchen on some menial task so he could see if Mrs. Holden and Dr. Burton had convinced her to eat something. He sneaked a peek at her as he entered the kitchen for the fourth time pretending to get a drink of water. He blushed a deep red when he saw his mother raise one perfectly arched eyebrow at him giving him a knowing look, she then raised her now empty plate containing crumbs of the muffin she had ate.
"Jeremy honey why don't you sit down with us," she said patting the stool next to her, "at least this way you can keep a better eye on what I'm eating," she finished smiling as he managed to get even redder.
Denise gingerly walked into the living room turning on the T.V. rubbing her stomach as she did so; she hadn't eaten anything in so long that the muffin she just ate was causing her some discomfort. She glanced back in the kitchen at the others, Jeremy finally seemed a little relaxed, laughing at some story Roland was telling him. Claudia Joy joined her in the living room, "Jeremy looks more relaxed, Roland's doing a bang up job," she uttered.
"Bless him," Denise replied, "ever since they got home they've been hovering over me afraid I might break into pieces. Frank finally couldn't take it and left," she sighed dejectedly, "and frankly Claudia Joy I don't think I can anymore either." She sat down and Claudia Joy saw the resignation and defeat in her eyes, "I'm emotionally exhausted, I feel like I either accept the reality and try to come to terms with it or go crazy," she paused swallowing back tears, "the thought of never holding her in my arms again fill me with such panic and despair," she said her hand going up to her chest as she fought for composure.
"It feels like this huge black hole in my chest gnawing at everything wanting to envelope me into this darkness and despair. It would be so easy to give in to it, but I have Jeremy and Frank, I have to try and stay sane even if it's just a little bit for my husband and my son,' she finished her voice quavering.
Claudia Joy saw the resignation in her best-friend's eyes and realized that she had resigned from the notion that she will ever see her daughter again, "Denise don't give up hope ," she said scooting closer placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"It's been too long Claudia Joy she's been gone for three days now… its better if I try to prepare myself now then to keep on hoping…" fighting tears she got up from the couch and went to stand at the window looking out turning her back to the room.
She stared out onto her front lawn, it was another bright day, perfect for a picnic everything was as it always was, as it should be contradictory to the turmoil she was feeling inside. Sighing in disgust at the bright scene she was about to turn away when she noticed a green SVU parked across the street. She stepped closer to the window to get a better look at that instant the driver a young man stepped out of the car. She watched confused as he just stood there watching her house, she took in his close buzz cut, he was lanky but she could tell that he was well muscled there was no doubt in her mind that he was a soldier. She kept watching as he seemed to be deliberating something, was he here to deliver some news, Denise thought. She decided to go find out for herself as she walked to her front door, "I'm just gonna get some air, I'll be in on the front lawn," she told Jeremy as he looked up with a questioning look on his face.
She walked towards the end of her driveway looking at the young soldier and as each step drew her closer to the curb, she realized that instead of looking away like most people did these days he was looking directly at her; in fact he was holding her gaze. She stopped at the curb looking at him, she had an inkling that he was vaguely familiar and that she should know him somehow. She tilted her head to the side, "Can I help you?" she asked confused as to why he was here.
He looked at her with such regret and remorse that Denise was momentarily afraid that he was the bearer of bad news until he uttered the words, "I am so sorry for what you went through Mrs. Sherwood, so deeply sorry," before turning to open the SUV's back door and bending to retrieve something from inside.
Denise just stared at him perplexed by his behavior, until he straightened up and she saw the bundle in his arms.
For what seemed like a full minute she stood frozen to her spot afraid to breathe, afraid to move, staring at the soldier with the baby in his arms. She was unable to move as he walked across the road and lowered the pink bundle for her to see. Tears welled up in her eyes as she slowly raised a shaking hand to push aside the blanket and looked down at the infant in his arms. She gasped, when she saw the telltale chubby red cheeks and jet black hair peeking from the bonnet, "Molly, my baby," she sobbed as she reached down to take her in her arms. As if on cue the baby opened her big blue eyes and started to cry as Denise heard the front door open, she hugged her baby to her chest and she instantly calmed down as Denise felt her nuzzling her breasts.
As Jeremy, Roland and Claudia Joy reached her, Denise looked at the young man who seemed so dejected and mouthed a silent, "Thank you," before she and Molly were engulfed by them.
Mercer medical Center (10:45 am)
Frank rushed into the clinic frantically looking around for his wife; he could hardly believe everything that had happened in the last half-hour he was still whirling from it all and he wondered how Denise was doing. They were out conducting their search when the call had come out from the MPs that Molly had been found safe and sound; he and Michael had listened flabbergasted as the Officer on the other end gave a detailed account of what had happened. They had then driven straight to Mercer where the MPs had taken Denise and Molly so that the baby could have a full medical check up.
"Dad over here," Jeremy called out waving his father over past the reception to one of the examination rooms.
He rushed over to his son; fleetingly noting that the others were in the waiting area, as he glanced inside the room Jeremy was directing him to he let out an audible sigh of relief. Denise was standing with Claudia Joy next to the examination table holding the baby's hand while a doctor was looking her over. Sensing his presence Claudia Joy looked up and smiled reassuringly as he walked into the room.
"Colonel Sherwood," Dr. West greeted him, as his wife looked up and saw him.
"She's fine," he responded to Frank's inquiring look, "just a little fussy maybe she's tired and from the looks of it hungry as well," he finished as Molly proceeded to put her fist in her mouth and suck on it wholeheartedly. He thanked the doctor and walked forward to get a better look at his daughter.
"Hello Princess,'" he uttered smoothing the silk hair on her head, as she cooed and look up at him, Frank felt his ayes well up with tears. Claudia Joy and the doctor discreetly left the room giving them their privacy.
"Dee she's beautiful," he said looking at his equally teary wife next to him. Denise picked the infant and carefully placed her in Frank's awkward arms, "Molly meet your Daddy."
Denise had to laugh at the panicked look on Frank's face as she did so, "Dee take her, I'm afraid of dropping her."
"Frank you won't drop her," she replied laughingly gesturing Jeremy into the room.
"Remember what happened with Jeremy?" he asked his wife.
"W-what happened with me?" Jeremy asked alarmed, as his parents shared a look between them.
"Did Dad drop me?" he demanded getting more agitated when his parents burst out laughing.
"No, honey, your father is just pulling your leg, I swear," Denise reassured her skeptical
Son, "in fact he was so afraid of hurting you that he did not pick you up from your crib until you were well over four months old."
Frank smiled at his still unconvinced son and winked at him, "Got you didn't I? Come on let's take our baby home."
They walked out into the lobby towards their waiting friends and as they did so, Denise saw the young red haired soldier sitting alone staring miserably at the floor.
Her attention was soon caught by her friends and as Frank and Michael went to the side talking she handed Molly to Claudia Joy and walked over to the young man at the other end of the room. Through the whir land and commotion of having Molly home and from her home to the hospital, she had learnt the whole story of what had happened. She sat quietly next to the Soldier Staff Sergeant Robert Mackenzie, and slowly took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
He looked up at her then eyes full of sorrow for the baby girl he never knew and would never get to know, "Thank you for my giving me my daughter back," she said her voice breaking a little, "I would never be able to express the magnitude of my gratitude."
"It was the right thing to do Ma'am, even if I wanted her to be mine because if she wasn't it would mean that my little girl was…" he stopped fighting back tears, "It was the right thing to do. I'm just sorry that it took so long for me to realize what was going on, if I'd figured it out sooner it would've saved you and your family a lot of pain and anguish."
He turned to watch as an orderly and a doctor escorted his now dazed wife out of one of the examination rooms and he reluctantly stood up as the doctor called him over.
"Thank you once again, and I'm so sorry for your loss," Denise whispered feeling the young man's pain, giving his hand one last squeeze she stood and joined her family.
Sherwood Residence (11:30 p.m)
Frank turned in his sleep reaching out for his wife only to have his hand fall flat to where Denise should have bee. He sat up in the dark room wondering where she could be, he got up and walked out onto the hallway pausing when he saw the light streaming from the nursery's open door.
Denise was seated in the rocker Molly cradled in her arms; an involuntary smile crept on his face as he watched them. His wife was smiling at the infant who was sucking her fist with renewed gusto.
"Don't tell me you're hungry again?" she asked amazed, "I just fed you a minute ago," staring down at the infant who promptly burst into tears raising the tiny fist that had offered her no relief in the air angrily.
"Whoa, alright, alright," Denise whispered, switching the baby to her other breast, shhh… you'll wake Daddy," she whispered as she settled Molly in the crook of her arm to feed her.
"Oh forget about that," Frank responded, laughing as he saw Denise's startled expression, "Daddy's been up for a while and enjoying the show."
"Frank," Denise chided blushing feeling self conscious that he was watching her feed Molly, "you scared me."
"Oh sweetheart," he chuckled walking into the room, "I think its sweet that after twenty years of marriage you still blush whenever I look at you," kissing his wife on top of her head, he pulled the foot stool over and sat on it looking up at her over the top of their baby's head.
Denise smiled and glanced down at the infant, "She has you temper and from the looks of it appetite too."
"Yeah she's a Daddy's girl alright," he replied caressing her silky hair.
"Frank."
"Um…" he replied reluctantly directing his gaze away from his daughter.
"What do you think about having her baptized, while you and Jeremy are here?"
"That's a great idea Dee, we can take advantage of the fact that we're all together as a family. So who are we thinking of as God parents, the Holdens?"
He looked at Denise and raised his eyebrows in surprise when she shook her head, "Claudia Joy is your best friend I didn't think there'll be any one else in mind for you."
"She is, but they're already Sara-Elizabeth's God parents I wouldn't feel comfortable asking them. Plus what would the others say? I was thinking of the Burtons what do you think?"
"I think they're great, they'll make excellent God parents for our baby girl."
"Okay its settled then, I'll make dinner tomorrow night and invite them over."
"Good its settled then, looks like someone is out like a light," he uttered gazing at Molly. Denise placed the infant on her shoulder burped her then tenderly placed her in her crib. They both stood there for a while watching their daughter sleep grateful and happy that she was home safe before returning to their own bed.
The end….