God, Joan, and an Unexpected Event Chapter 3.
Helen walks from the kitchen to the Living Room.
She sees Adam holding the baby.
"Joan Girardi,what the heck is going on here?"
"Mom, please don't use that language in front of baby Hope."
"What? Did I miss something Joan?"
"I think that you better sit down Mom."
Helen sits down in the chair across from Joan
"Alright Joan,I'm waiting."
"Well, I opened the door and found baby Hope in a basket on the doorstep this morning."
"What are you going to do with her honey,because you certainly can't keep her."
"I guess that I will have to keep her until we can find her a good home."
"Honey,we are legally obligated to turn the baby into the police."
"I know Mom,but I think that I can find her a good home."
"Honey,your father is not going to like the idea of you keeping this baby."
"I know,but can't you talk to him?"
"I can help Jane take care of baby Hope, Yo."
"That's nice of you Adam, but I don't remember asking you anything about this!"
"I'm sorry Mrs. Girardi, but I was only trying to help."
"Ok, Joan you can keep the baby for now, but you need diapers, wipes,formula and bottles."
"Grace brought me all that stuff,so that's not a problem at the moment Mom.
"How did Grace know that you needed the stuff?."
"I called and asked her to bring the stuff Joan needed." Luke responds.
"Where is Dad anyway?" Joan asked."
"Last night, your father told me that he and Kevin would have a lot to do today and that they would probably be going to the gym afterward.
"Back to the baby Joan."
"How did she get the name Hope?"
Luke chimes in.
"I believe that every baby that is born, brings a little bit of Hope into the world and that's why Joan named her Hope."
Adam hands baby Hope back to Joan
"I better be going,coz I got a lot of stuff to do at home."
"Adam leans in kisses Joan,who returns the kiss quickly and softly."
"I love you Adam"
"I love you too."
Adam leaves after this.
Luke heads upstairs,changes his clothes comes back down & heads out the door.
"Luke Girardi,where are you going?"
"I am going to Freidman's house to play video games,see you later Mom.
"Can you hold baby Hope, while I fix her a bottle?"
"Yes."
Joan hands her Mom the baby,then walks into the kitchen and fixes the bottle.
A few minutes later,she walks back to the living room with the bottle
"What do I do?"
"The first thing that you should do, is to test the milk in the bottle on your wrist to make sure that it isn't hot."
"Like this Mom,she says as she drops some milk on her wrist."
"Exactly like that."
"Hand me the bottle and I'll show you how to feed her."
Joan hands her Mom the bottle.
Helen test the milk on her wrist too and looks at Joan.
"It's not too cold or too hot,but just right.
Joan sits down on the couch and watches her Mom feed the baby.
"After you have fed the baby,you need to put her on your shoulder to burp her"
"Thank's for your help Mom,because I don't know much about taking care of a baby.
"I know you don't,but this could be an interesting and useful experience for you.
"What do you mean by that Mom?"
"Well,you might get married someday and decide to have children of your own,so this experience could come in handy.
"I knew that I shouldn't have asked you that question."
"Don't you ever think about the possibility that one day you could be married?
"Alright geez Mom, you got me."
A slight knock comes from the front door.
Helen yells come in!
" Joan doesn't notice it, she just keeps talking.
"I think about being married all the time and I can't wait to be Mrs. Adam Rove,now are you happy!"
"Jane!"
Joan bolts straight up completely embarassed." To her horror Adam Rove is standing in her living room.
"What are you doing here again,didn't you tell me that you had a lot of stuff to do at home? We just said goodbye ten mintues ago! Joan snaps at Adam.
"Cha I do have stuff to do at home, but I just remembered what I came here earlier for."
"Why didn't you call me?"
"I tried but the line was busy."
"Excuse me for a minute"
She walks to the kitchen,then comes back with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Rocket Boy forgot to hang the phone up after he called Grace."
"What do you want Adam?"
"I um,um, um,"
The tone in Joan's voice gets softer.
"Adam can you come into the kitchen with me for just a minute?"
"Sure Jane."
They walk to the kitchen together.
"I'm sorry for being rude to you Adam,but my Mom and I were just talking about something.
"Please tell me that you didn't hear what I said."
"I can't do that Jane,coz I heard every word
"Great,now I'm really embarassed"
"You shouldn't be embarassed Jane?"
"Why not?
"I think that it is sweet that of all those other guys you could have imagined being married to that you picked me and want to be Mrs. Adam Rove."
Joan is speechless for a minute."
"I better be going, yo."
"Wait,I didn't get to give you a proper goodbye earlier."
"What did you have in mind Mrs.Rove?"Adam says jokingly.
She wraps her arms around his neck, he holds her close they kiss deeply, passionately but still no use of tongue."
"Now that's a proper goodbye Mrs.Rove, uh I mean Jane "
Adam walks back to the living room,followed by Joan."
He stops as he finally remembers the question he came to ask earlier.
"Will you and your family have dinner with me and my father tomorrow?"
"Yeah sure Adam. Mrs.Girardi and Joan say at the same time.
"See you then. Bye Jane Mrs. Girardi.
Adam leaves.
"I can't believe that I lost my temper and told you one of my most private thoughts Mom!
"I take it that Adam heard everything you said.
"Duh Mom do you really think so?"
"Of course, he heard every word I said. I know he did coz I asked him."
"Do you know how embarrassing that was Mom?"
"I can imagine."
"How did Adam respond, when you asked him what he heard?"
"What he and I discuss is private and just between the two of us!
"Well Joan, you asked me to talk to your father about you keeping Hope until you find her a good home,but if your going to cop an attitude. I don't think I will.
"Please talk to Dad about letting me keep the baby for the time being."
"I'll think about it honey, but I want you to lose the attitude in the meantime."
"Helen hands the baby back to Joan.
A few minutes pass.
"Oh great!" I feel something warm and wet in my lap.
"My Mom and my boyfriend know one of my most private thoughts,now the baby just peed on me.
"I'm really batting a thousand today!"
Helen laughs.
"What is it Mom?"
"I think that someone put the diaper on inside out Joan.
'That would be me Mom."
"Hand me the diaper and I will show you the right way to do it."
The cotton goes next to the baby's skin and the plastic goes on the outside.
"Have you got that honey?"
"I think that I do."
Joan diapers the baby correctly this time and is rewarded with a smile from Hope.
"Where do you plan on the baby sleeping honey?"
"Isn't there a crib in the attic?"
Yes,I think that there is.
"I'll put her in the crib and the crib at the foot of my bed.
"That's a good idea."
"When Rocket Boy comes home,I'll ask him to get the crib for me.
"Why not ask Kevin instead?"
"That's right,I forgot that there are some heavy boxes that will have to be moved before we can get to the crib and Kevin will be better suited for that task.
"can you watch Hope?"I need to change my clothes."
She goes and changes her clothes.
She comes back and stretches out on the couch with the baby in her arms and turns the T.V. on.
Joan and Hope fall asleep to the sound of the T.V.
What time is it? Joan mutters to herself as she wakes up at 12:00 P.M.
She lays the still sleeping baby in the basket and goes to the kitchen to get something to eat. She washes her hands,fixes herself a ham sandwich and grabs a Pepsi form the fridge before heading back to the living room.
The back door opens and closes.