Hugh, worried, looked for a familiar face in the choas of onlookers. Finally, he ran into his father.
"Dad? What's going on?" Hugh asked, relieved to see his father.
"Bob came by for a neighborly visit, and had a heart attack," Charlie explained. "Amita called 911."
"I thought something had happened to you, Amita or Suruli," Hugh said.
"We're all fine," Charlie assured him, as the ambulance left, and checked on the baby.
"I was gonna go feed Keeland," Hugh told his father.
While watching TV, Hugh gave Keeland his bottle, who spit up after finishing.
"Ugh!" Hugh groaned. "This grosses me out more than changing your diaper." The baby just squirmed in response.
Hugh's cell phone beeped in a high pitched squeal.
"Looks like I got a text." Hugh shrugged, and read it.
It was from Josh. "Let's do something."
Hugh responded. "Can't, w/baby."
"We could watch a movie."
"Let's do that here."
"Okay."
So, Hugh changed shirts, and put the baby down for a nap. Soon, Josh arrived.
The two paused the movie several times because of the baby's crying.
"Let's go to the Santa Monica Pier. It'll be a change of place," Josh suggested. He was the only one of Hugh's friends willing to put up with the baby.
"Sure." Hugh quickly packed the baby's things again. In his hurry, the teenager forgot to put a hat on the infant.
Santa Monica Pier had stalls, stands, street performers, games, and other entertainments. Hugh pushed the baby's stroller, while Josh walked along side. The two teenagers stuffed themselves, played carnival games. Hugh even won a large teddy bear.
"That was a lucky throw!" Josh said.
"I'm gonna give this to Hanna," Hugh smiled. Soon the three ran into a cartoonist, who had his stand, next to a dancer, who act consisted of doing contortionist movements.
"Could you draw my kid?"
"Sorry, I don't do kids," the man said.
Rolling their eyes, Hugh and Josh continued their walk, until they ran into someone who did mini sculptures of people.
"Could you do one of my kid?" Hugh asked.
"Sure."
As they waited, a man came up to them.
"I don't usually butt in, but shouldn't the baby have a hat on?"
"Oh s***!" Hugh opened the diaper bag in a panic.
"Next time you babysit, remember that babies have more sensitive skin," the man warned, and walked away before Hugh could thank him.
"Here ya go." Hugh put it on the baby. It was floppy and turquoise.
09809809808098080800
Hugh's cell phone rang early the next morning.
"Hugh! What the hell were you thinking?"
"Huh?"
"Thanks to you, the baby's sunburned! He's in pain and doesn't want to nurse. I'm on my way to the pediatrician with my sister."
"I'm so sorry!" Hugh apologized perfusely. "I forgot his hat."
"Sorry isn't good enough," Hanna said. "He woke up crying!"
"I'm on my way to the pediatrician," Hugh promised, and got up very quickly.
"What's going on?" Charlie asked as he saw Hugh run towards the door.
"Keeland got sunburned!" Hugh replied.
"You forgot his hat, didn't you?" Amita asked.
"Yeah."
"How bad is it?" Charlie asked with concern.
"Hanna says that the baby won't nurse."
"Let us know what the doctor said."
"I will."
09809809800890809
"It's just a mild sunburn," the pediatrician assured them.
"He won't nurse," Hanna answered, worried.
"He'll recover soon," the doctor promised. "Next time, don't forget his hat."
"I won't," Hugh promised. "Is there anything we could give him?"
"Unscented lotion should do the trick." the kind doctor said.
They, after thanking the doctor, went to the reception area to pay a hefty fee. Hanna paid with her debit card.
09809809
Eventually a live in nanny, who was a UCLA graduate and wanted to take time off before going to graduate school for her masters in child psychology, was hired to take care of the baby while Hanna was at school. She already had childcare experience and had the references to prove it. Don checked her records and they were clean. Before they knew it, October was nearing its end. Both Hanna and Hugh struggled to be good students and parents at the same time.
"So, you and Keeland are coming to the house for Thanksgiving right?" Hugh asked one lunch time.
"What about my family? My parents are hosting this year, and my grandparents are coming all the way from Miami Beach? Your grandpa sees Keeland almost every week."
"But.."
"Your parents, stepmom, uncle, aunt, cousin and grandpa are more than welcome," Hanna interrupted him.
"I'll let them know," Hugh said, sighing inwardly He had visions of watching the Thanksgiving football game with his father, uncle, grandfather, and Keeland, and then eating his grandfather's cooking.
234234242
Charlie, Amita, and Suruli went to thanksgiving at the Bellamy's home. The large mansion was crowded with varous relatives of Hanna. Little Keeland, now five months old, was dressed in a blue jumper and played with two other babies his playpen. Hanna helped her parents host, while Hugh gave his family a brief tour of the mansion. It had been built in the style of a tropical mansion with tall palm tress in the front, an office white color, and a large yard.
After a while, a couple came up to Hugh.
"We'd like to speak with you and Hanna."
"About?"
"Keeland."
"What about him?"
"Let's find Hanna."
Hugh excused himself from his family, and followed the couple, until they found Hanna buslting about.
"What do you want to talk with us about?" Hanna asked Dinah. She was Jane's youngest sister and she lived in San Francisco,working as a pediatrician.
"Your Uncle and I can't have our own children, despite many efforts and treatments," Dinah told them. "We were thinking that maybe if we had to adopt, it would be ideal to adopt a family member."
Hanna was puzzled. "Why didn't you ask me before?"
"We were thinking that maybe you needed to experience motherhood to realize just how maybe how hard it is and over your head youv'e gotten yourself."
"With our parents' help, Hugh and I have managed fine," Hanna told them, a touch offended.
"Your grandma told me that the baby got sunburned," Dinah pointed out. "Because Hugh forgot about putting on a hat."
"That was one time!" Hugh grew defensive.
"And that you get overwhelmed."
"Women twice my age get overwhelmed sometimes when they have a baby," Hanna said with annoyance.
"But you're so young, you're missing out on a lot. When's the last time either of you went out with friends? Or just had a fun night out?" Ted, Dinah's husband asked. "And what about college? "
"Hanna and I are going to college," Hugh said.
"If I wanted to give up Keeland for adoption, I would have done it already," Hanna added. "I've got my parents and a nanny to help me."
"You're a child raising a child," Dinah said.
"I'll be eighteen in spring," Hanna reminded her aunt.
"Look, you and Hugh would still be able to see Keeland," Dinah promised. "Anytime you want. Your uncle and I are only a short plane ride away. Don't you miss the freedom you used to have? To hang out with friends, study, focus on yourself?"
"With us adopting you get the freedom I'm sure you'd like, but still get to see the baby," Ted said.
With, that, Dinah wrote down, on a piece of paper, her cell number. Hanna reluctantly took it.
"College is going to be very hard, especially with a kid to think about." Ted told the young couple. "Think about it."
TBC