God,Joan and an Unexpected Event.
Chapter 4.
Authors Note: Will does not work for the police department;rather,he is president of the Bank of Arcadia. I am also tired of him being such a jerk all the time, so I made him a nice guy. Everything in italics is either Joan's Dreams or her thinking to herself.One thought is actually Helen's.
Kevin and Will enter the back door.
Kevin enters the living room.
He sees the baby in the basket.
"Cute baby Joan,but where did it come from?"
"I found her on the doorstep early this morning."
"Does she have a name?"
"Yes,I named her Hope."
"What do you plan to do with her?"
"I'm hoping that Dad will let me keep her till I can find her a good home."
"I wouldn't count on it," Kevin said.
"Mom is supposed to talk to him about that."
"Is there something I can do to help?"
"Now that you mention it, there's one thing."
"What is it?"
"Could you get the crib out of the attic for me?"
"Sure,but we better find out what Dad is going to say."
Will walks into the living room.
"What's this Joan?"
"It's a baby Dad.
"I know that, but where did it come from?
"I found her on our front doorstep early this morning.
"Can I keep her Dad?"
"There is no way that you are going to keep this child,because you are only 16 years old and you have school and work."
"Dad, I only want to keep her until I can find her a good home."
"Well, that's different."
"I should make you turn this baby into the police, but I think that this could be an interesting experience."
"So I can keep the baby?"
"I must be crazy for this,but I am going to let you keep this baby.
"Thanks,Dad.
Helen walks into the living room.
"Kevin,did you have fun at the gym?"
"Yes, Mom I had a good time at the gym."
Will looks at Helen.
"Joan found a baby on our doorstep."
"Will honey, she would like to keep the baby until a good home can be found for her.
"What do you think?"
"Helen,I already told her that she can keep the baby until then.
"I'll get the crib out of the attic for you Joan."
"Thanks, Kevin."
"No Problem."
Kevin leaves to get the crib from the attic.
Joan sits down on the couch to relax and finishes her sandwich,then she walks to the kitchen, throws her soda can in the recycling bin and walks back to the living room.
The baby wakes up and starts to cry.
Joan picks her up.
"Ok sweetie, what is it?"
She lays Hope back down in the basket.
She decides that the baby is probably hungry,so she grabs the empty bottle and heads to the kitchen to fix the baby another bottle.
When she returns from the kitchen, to her surprise her Dad is holding the baby in his arms.
Will has a nostalgic look on his face.
"This baby kind of reminds me of when you were a baby."
Will hands the baby back to Joan
Joan sits down on the couch to feed Hope.
"Don't drink so fast, because the bottle isn't going anywhere."
A few minutes later,Joan sets the empty bottle on the coffee table.
She gently puts the baby on her shoulder and burps her.
"Good job honey", Will says from his favorite chair.
"I think that I am beginning to get the hang of taking care of a baby Dad."
"That's good."
"Where do you want this Joan?" Kevin asked as he brings the crib in to the living room.
"In my room."
"Thanks Kevin."
"I'm glad that I could help.
Later that night,Joan watches as her Mom gives Hope a bath in a dish pan.
An exhausted Joan goes to bed at 9:00 with the baby at the foot of her bed asleep in the crib.
She tosses and turns, because she is having a weird dream.
In her dream she sees a teenage girl standing in a beautiful place,but she can hear a young man crying and he is calling for the girl to come back to him. The young girl doesn't seem to have the strength to fight anymore.
Just before anything else can happen, she bolts up to the sound of the baby crying at 6:30 in the morning.
"I'm coming Hope."
"Are you hungry,wet, or something else.
"She picks Hope up, and soon she knows what the problem is."
The baby has a dirty diaper. She grabs the box of wipes from the floor, cleans up Hope,puts a clean diaper on her and lays her back down in the crib.
She walks to the bathroom, throws the diaper in the garbage can,washes her hands and goes back to her room. Before she goes back to bed she checks on the baby who is already fast asleep again.
Joan decides to go back to bed. The weird dream she was having earlier continues.
This time she hears two male voices.
"One voice says, I'm and the other voice cuts him off."
"I know who you are."
"What do you want?
"She wanted me to tell you something.
"I don't believe you.
"Stop wasting your time son,because she may not have a lot of time left."
"I can't lose her! the voice sobs."
"You have taken so much from me already."
Joan wakes up with a Painful, burning,sensation in her chest.
What's wrong with me! Joan thinks as she sets up in bed.
Just as suddenly as it came the sensation disappears.
"Im not eating Doritos before I go to bed again."
"First,I had a crazy dream." "Now I think that I just had my first case of indigestion."
"Pizza a good idea."
"But Doritos before bed." "I will never do that again."
I wonder if that dream meant anything.
It probably meant that I shouldn't eat Doritos before I go to sleep at night."
Joan lays back down and goes back to sleep, but she doesn't dream the same dream this time.
This was a mistake! We don't belong together,maybe we never did.
I took a chance on a relationship and all you can do is fuss at me for playing video games.
Well,if you had paid more attention to me instead of that stupid game.
Joan wakes up for the third time that morning.
Two crazy dreams in one morning.
There's no since in going back to sleep,because there in no telling what I could dream next.
She grabs her CD player from the nightstand and puts the headphones on.
She doesn't turn the volume up very high,because if Hope should wake up and start crying, she wants to know it.
"Bryan Adams just what I need", Joan says to herself.
She listens to "All for Love" and "Everything I Do."
Joan removes the headphones and puts her CD player back on the night stand.Then she gets out of bed walks over to her computer desk sits down and turns it own, she connects to the net then decides to check her e-mail. Joan isn't surprised to see that she has some junk mail and porn, but a message from Iris is surprising.
She checks the boxes to delete the unwanted e-mails.
I guess that I should see what Iris has to say.
Joan clicks on the message.
Hey Joan,
How are you?
I love Texas and my Dad says that we probably won't have to move again.
I am very happy about that.
I have been dating my old boyfriend Jason.He is a nice guy,but here's the most important part he loves me and I love him.
Please don't be mad at me for asking you this.
How's Adam?
I hope that you and Adam are both as happy as Jason and I.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely, Iris.
Joan clicks the new message button to compose an e-mail to Iris.
Hi Iris,
I am fine.
I was glad to hear from you.
I am glad that your Father thinks that your family won't have to move again.
Adam is doing fine.
I am glad that you found a nice guy and he loves you and you love him.
Take care of yourself.
Sincerely, Joan
P.S.Adam and I are very happy together.
She clicks the send button.
Your message has been sent to:
artist33@hotmail.com
Joan visits a few websites then does a google search about the meaning of dreams and comes up with a bunch of unrelated results.
"I just love google, because they are always so helpful," Joan says to herself sarcastically.
Just as she disconnects from the net.The baby starts crying.
"I'm coming."
She picks Hope up.
"You don't feel wet and you don't have a dirty diaper,so you must be hungry."
She slowly walks downstairs to the kitchen with the baby in her arms.
"Hey Joan, how's the baby?"
"I think that she is hungry."
"Will you hold her while I fix her a bottle?"
"Sure."
She hands the baby to Kevin.
"How did she sleep last night?"
"She slept through the night, but she woke up at 6:30 this morning.
"What a bummer."
"Not really,because I was having a weird dream anyway."
She pulls the bottle out of the microwave and test it on her wrist.
Kevin hands the baby back to her and she sits down at the table to feed her.
"What was your weird dream about?"
"I don't really know."
"I know one thing.
"What's that?
"I won't eat Doritos before I go to bed again."
"Maybe it was the combination of Pizza and Doritos."
"Have you thought about that?"
"Could be, but I'm leaning more toward the Doritos."
"I have eaten pizza plenty of times before bed and I have never had weird dreams before."
Joan sets the empty bottle on the table.
"What are your plans for the day Joan?"
"The whole family has been invited to have dinner with Adam and his father,"Joan says as she burps the baby.
"What time are we supposed to be there?"
"I don't know,because he forgot to tell me yesterday.
"What time is it?"
Kevin looks at his watch.
"It's 8:00.
"Luke walks into the kitchen.He grabs a bowl,a box of cereal,a spoon from a drawer and the milk form the fridge. Then he sits down at the table.
Kevin, would you hold the baby while I change clothes?
"Sure."
Joan leaves changes clothes and returns to the kitchen.
Kevin hands the baby back to her.
She walks into the living room and sits down on the couch.
Joan shifts the baby from one arm to the other, so that she can grab the remote with her free hand.
She is flipping through channels when Kevin enters the living room. He sits down on the other end of the couch.
"Can you believe it?" "I mean, we finally have cable and there is still nothing to watch."
"Wait, because it just hit me there is something that we can watch,"Joan says.
"What's that?"
"I taped "Tru Calling" on Fox Thursday night,so we could watch that.
"What's that about?"
"Tru Davies, the main character works in a morgue and dead people ask her for her help and the day rewinds, so she tries to stop their death from occurring.
"Let's check it out",Kevin says.
Joan plays the tape.
Luke walks into the room and sits down in a chair.
"What are you guys watching?"Luke asked.
"Tru Calling", Joan says.
"Friedman thinks that Tru is hot",Luke says
Helen walks downstairs and sits down on the couch next to Joan.
"How's the baby?"
"She's asleep right now", Joan says as she looks at the sleeping baby in her arms.
"What are you watching?"
"Tru Calling", Luke says.
Later that day, the phone rings.
Helen is holding the baby, so Joan decides to answer it.
"Hello,"Joan says as she answers the phone.
"Hey Jane, how are you?"
"I'm fine."
"How are you?"
"I can't complain, yo."
"You and your family are coming for dinner?"
Yes,I guess so, but you didn't tell me what time you wanted us to come.
"I didn't."
"No.
"6:00."
"Is that a good time for you and your family?"
"That's fine Adam.
"How's Hope doing?"
"She's fine.
"Well, I better let you go."
"I'll see you at 6:00."
"I'll see you then.
"Bye."
"Bye."
Joan walks back to the living room.
"Who was that on the phone honey?"
"It was Adam, Mom."
"What did he want?"
"He wanted to know if we are coming to dinner and how the baby was."
"Joan, that was so sweet that he asked you how the baby was."
Helen thinks to herself. Joan would have to be out of her mind to ever dump such a sweet boy.
"What time are me supposed to be there?"
"6:00."
"That's ok isn't it?"
"That's fine honey.
"At 4:30 Helen and Joan give Hope a bath in a dishpan and dress her in a pink sleeper that belonged to Joan when she was a baby.
"At 5:00 Joan heads upstairs. She showers,dresses,brushes her hair and walks back downstairs to relieve her Mom from taking care of the baby.
At 5:30 all five Girardis head to Adam's house.
Will knocks on the door.
Adam answers the door. He is wearing tan Dockers and a striped Polo shirt.
Hey everyone, come on in.
Adam and everyone walk into the living room.
Guys,I want you to meet my father Carl.
Dad, this is Will, Helen,Joan, Luke and Kevin Girardi.
Carl notices Joan holding the baby and he looks at her, then at Adam with a funny expression on his face.
"Who's this?" Carl asked as he looks at the baby.
"Hope is Joan's baby",Luke says with a laugh.
Everyone shoots Luke a warning look.
Luke clears his throat.
Adam walks over to Joan and puts his arm around her shoulder.
"Jane's my girlfriend."
"I kind of figured that one out son.
Carl extends his hand to Joan.
Joan hands the baby to Adam, so she can shake hands with his father.
"I am very pleased to meet you Miss Girardi,Adam has told me so much about you.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rove."
Joan takes the baby back from Adam.
"As a matter of fact, it's nice to meet all of you,"Carl said.
"Now if you will excuse me, I need to check on dinner."
"Everyone take a seat please",Carl says as he leaves the room.
Carl walks back into the living room and announces that dinner will be ready in a few minutes.
A few minutes later, everyone sits down at the kitchen table to eat.
Later, after everyone has finished eating.
Joan comments on the meal.
"Mr. Rove, that sure was a good meal."
"Would you call me Carl?"
"I wish that I could take all the credit, but Adam did most of the work."
Joan looks at Adam who is sitting beside her.
"I didn't know that you could cook."
"I taught myself how to cook a long time ago, yo."
"Dinner was very good."
"I'm glad that you liked it."
On the other side of the table.
"So Will, what do you do for a job?"Carl asked.
"I'm a bank president."
"What about you?"
"I'm a construction worker."It's hard work,but the pay is excellent."
"Helen,do you work?
"I'm basically just a glorified secretary, but I also teach art at Arcadia High."
"How about we go in the living room?"
"It's more comfortable," Carl said.
"That's very nice of you Mr. Rove, but I will have to decline," Will says.
"We need to be getting home, since the kids have school tomorrow.
"It was very nice to meet you Carl",Will says as he stands up and shakes hands with Mr. Rove.
You and Adam will have to have dinner with us at our house house soon",Will says.
Everyone else stands up.
"I'll look forward to that",Carl says.
Adam looks at his father
"Dad,is it ok if I walk Jane home?"
"That's fine."
Joan and Adam walk out the door ahead of everyone else.
As they walk along in silence, each one tries to think of something to say. Adam breaks the silence.
"Thanks for coming to dinner Jane, because it really meant a lot to me."
"Thanks for inviting me and my family."
"Your welcome, yo."
"I'm really glad that I met your father."
"I'm glad you got to meet him too."
Adam walks Joan to her front door.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"See you then."
He kisses her on the cheek, because the baby makes it difficult for any other kind of good bye.
"Good Night."
"Good Night."
Adam leaves and Joan walks inside.
She walks upstairs and lays the baby down in the crib.
She walks over to her computer and connects to the internet,then she opens up AIM.
She receives an instant message from someone with the name Master of the Universe.
Joan can't believe her eyes.
Hey Joan,I want you to take the baby to the Department of Human Services and talk to Mr. Price tomorrow at school.
Joan quickly responds.
How do I know that this is God?
She clicks the send button.
It takes a second, but she receives a response
Do you always have to have proof? Well, here you go. You and your family had dinner with Adam and his father tonight. You had Roast beef, green beans, mashed potatoes and chocolate pie for dessert.
Wow! you really are God. Why should I do that?
She clicks the send button.
She receives this response.
Because it is the right thing to do.
Joan quickly types a response.
How do I know that whomever gets this baby doesn't have a criminal record"?
She clicks the send button.
This is the response she receives.
"I know how much you want the baby to find a good home,so I am going to make that possible.
Joan types a response.
"So you want me to take Hope to the Department of Human Services and talk to Mr. Price."
She clicks the send button and receives this response.
That's right Joan. Now you need to get off this thing and go to bed,since you have school tomorrow.
Joan hears the closed door sound which lets her know when someone has left.
She shuts down her computer and gets ready for bed at 7:35.
She sets the alarm on her alarm clock and goes to bed.
Joan sleeps peacefully this time and doesn't have any crazy dreams.
The next morning, Joan is awakened by the sound of her alarm clock and the baby crying.
Joan walks over to the crib and picks the baby up.
Joan changes the babies diaper.
Hope is still crying when Joan picks her up and takes her downstairs.
Luke is already sitting at the table when Joan enters the room.
"Hold her while I fix her a bottle."
"Well, good morning to you too."
"Good morning."
"Hold the baby."
"Joan fixes the baby a bottle in the microwave, remembers to test the bottle on her wrist and takes the baby back from Luke.
After she feeds Hope the bottle, she hands the baby back to Luke and goes upstairs to change her clothes.
Luke looks at the baby in his arms.
"Joan's crazy Hope, so be glad when she finds you a new home."
The baby grins at Luke.
"So you think so too huh?"
Joan comes back into the kitchen and takes the baby back from Luke.
"Hand me a Pop Tart, would you?"
Joan opens her mouth to say something else and Luke sticks one end of the Pop Tart in Joan's mouth.
Joan mumbles,"very funny,Luke" and turns for the door.
Adam's blue truck pulls up outside and he gets out.
"Hey Jane,"
"Hey Darling",Joan mumbles.
"I'll give you a hand,yo."
Adam leans in close to Joan baby and all.
He takes a bite of the Pop Tart from the other end, then Joan takes a bite and they keep doing that until their lips meet in a fairly passionate kiss.
"If you wanted a Pop Tart, Adam then why didn't you just ask."
"Because that was way more fun than me just asking for one, yo."
"I'll agree with that."
"Can I give you a lift to school?"
"Would you?"
"Sure,Jane."
"I need you to go somewhere else first?
"Where's that?"
"The Department of Human Services."
"Why?"
"I have to drop the baby off there."
"Let me guess, God told you to."
"How did you know that?"
"I figured that since he told you to open your door that he must have told you to do this too."
"Come on let's get going", Adam says as they walk over to the truck and he opens the door for Joan. Adam gets in on the drivers side.
"Cool a car seat", Joan says as she sees the car seat in the middle of the seat.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I found my old car seat when I was cleaning the garage Saturday."
"I thought that it might come in handy for the baby's trip to school today."
"How did you know that I would take the baby with me to school?"
"I just assumed that you might", Adam says as he helps Joan put Hope in the car seat.
Adam starts the engine and pulls out of Joan's driveway.
"I've watched you with her,Jane and I think that you will make an excellent Mom some day."
"I bet you wouldn't think that if you knew that I put Hope's diaper on inside out the first time I changed her."
"I was there, but I didn't notice that",Adam said
"Here we are", Adam says as he pulls into the parking lot of a big building with a sign that says Department of Human Services on it and parks.
Joan unbuckles the car seat and takes the baby out.
"I'll be back as soon as I can."
Joan walks through the door.
She sees a middle aged black woman sitting behind a desk.
Yes Miss, how can I help you?"
"I need to leave this baby here", Joan says as she looks at the baby in her arms.
First, Miss you will have to fill out some forms. The lady says as she leaves the desk.
I don't have time for this,Joan thinks to herself.
The lady almost bumps into a very young cute guy on her way to get the forms.
Cute Boy God walks over to the desk and sets down.
He winks at Joan.
Joan, there's no paper work for you to fill out.
All you have to do is hand the baby to me and walk out that door.
Joan looks at the baby in her arms.
"I won't ever forget you." "I love you",she says to Hope as she kisses her on the cheek.
Joan hands the baby to God and he hands her a business card.
"Your going to need this."
"Now hurry, because Adam is waiting for you and you don't want to be late."
Joan runs out the door to Adam's truck and gets in.
Adam cranks the truck up and they exit the parking lot.
Twenty minutes later, they arrive at school and Adam parks the truck.
"Are you crying", Adam ask as Joan exits the truck and runs a sleeve across her eyes.
"Only a little."
Adam exits closes the door, then he walks around to her side.
"Jane, take my handkercheif", Adam says as he hands it to her.
They walk into school holding hands.
Joan heads for her locker and Adam heads for his.
The bell rings and Joan's alarm on her watch goes off,just as they get their books out of their lockers.
Mr. Price comes around the corner.
Miss Girardi, you are late!
Can I see you in my office?"
"I need to get to A.P. Chemistry."
"Right now, the only place you are going is to my office,Miss Girardi."
Joan sighs and puts her book back in her locker and slamms the door.
Could we?"
"Lead the way."
Mr. Price opens the door to his office and sits down in the big leather chair behind the desk.
Joan sits down in a charir across from the desk.
All I can say for you young lady is that you better have a good reason for being late and it better be the truth.
"Very early Saturday morning, I opened my front door and found a baby in a basket on the doorstep." "In the basket there was a note from the baby's mom and the note said that she couldn't care for the baby and that she didn't think she had any other choice,so she left the baby on my doorstep." "My dad said that I could keep her until I could find her a good home." I learned how to feed her,change her diaper and love her." "This morning I dropped Hope off at The Department of Human Services in the hopes that they could find her a good home." "Well, that's the reason that I am late."
Yes,Miss Girardi, I'm sure it is.
"That sounds like a farfetched story to me.
"Do you have any proof?"
"You can ask my Mom."
"That's a good idea."
Mr. Price pushes a button on the innercom. Jenifer, tell Mrs. Girardi that I need to see her in my office.
Right away sir.
Five minutes later,Helen walks into Prices office.
"What's the problem, Mr. Price Helen ask as she sees Joan sitting in the chair across from the desk.
Miss Girardi was late this morning and she appears to have fabricated a story as to why.
"Is this true Joan,did you fabricate a story as to why you were late this morning?"
"I dropped Hope off at the Department of Human Services this morning and that is why I am late."
"Why did you do that, honey?"
"Because I didn't want to get anymore attached to her than I already was.
"I'm sorry that you got so attached to the baby,honey
"What baby Price ask in disbelief?"
Helen turns to face Price.
"Joan found a baby on our front doorstep Saturday Morning.
"Well,Miss Girardi It seems I might owe you an apology.
"I accept your apology,Joan says.
"Did you say that the baby's name is Hope?"
"I did", Joan answers Mr. price's question."
"Mrs.Girardi, I am going to call the Department of Human Services to verify Miss Giradrdi's story."
"Joan remembers the business card that Cute Boy God gave her earlier.
"Here", she says as she removes the business card from her pocket and walks over and hands the card to Price.
"Now what would I need this for, Miss Girardi?"
"In case you don't believe me and my mom."
"Mr.Price flipps the card over in his hand."
"Oh... uh, thank you, Miss Girardi.
.....
Joan's mother breaks the silence.
Joan is going to be late for another class, Mr. Price.
Oh..um, you both can leave now.
Joan and Helen both exit Prices Office.
Price picks up the phone and calls the number on the business card.
State of Maryland, Department of Health and Human Services. Child welfare Division.
How can I help you?"
Yes, I need to know if a sixteen year old girl with brown hair brought a baby in with the name Hope.
Yes, someone matching that description did bring a little girl in by that name.
Are you intrested in adoppting this child, sir?"
Price sees his wife happy that they are expecting a child,then he hears his wife cry out in pain as she loses the baby. He can again hear his wife happy and he sees himself rubbing his wife's stomauch with his had,so he can feel the baby kick. Then he sees his wife in horrible pain again as she loses their second child. The memories are painful.
He is snapped back to the pressent by the voice on the phone.
Sir,I need an answer are you interested in adoppting this child?
"Yes,I am."
"Can you come down to the office and fill out some forms."
"I can't do it know,but how late will you be open?"
"We'll be opened til 5:00 Sir.
"Thank You.
Mr.Price,from now on you would do well to listen to Joan when she is telling the truth.
Have a nice day.
"You too."
Hmm...How did he know that?"
"Well,maybe I just imagined it."
Later on at night, Joan connects to her computer opens AIM and receives another instant message from Master of the Universe.
Joan, Price filled out all the paper work and in six months the addoption will be officail.
Joan guickly types a response.
So that's why I had to talk to him huh?"
She clicks the send button.
Then receives this response
That's right.
Joan types a response.
Price will give the baby a good home then?
She clicks the send button.
This is the response that she receives.
Yes, Price and his wife will give the baby a good home.
I'm proud of you Joan, but Adam's another matter.
Joan quickly types a response
What's wrong with Adam?
She clicks the send button.
God doesn't respond. He just signs off of AIM and Joan hears the sound of a door closing.
THE END.