Randall Wedding. Judy Christenberry

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      No response. He lifted the blanket from the baby. He could see the baby breathing, but the infant’s eyes remained closed. The woman didn’t open her eyes, either. Okay. He couldn’t take them both up at once. He’d carry the baby up first and turn on his gas fireplace. The heating was already on, of course.

      After he’d released the seat belt, he opened his door and slid out into the storm, the baby carrier sheltered against his chest. He kept a hand on his truck as he went around it. Then he reached out to find the stairs to the apartment. Afraid he’d fall and harm the baby, he kept a tight hold on the banister and climbed slowly.

      Once he was inside, he put the carrier on the sofa and crouched down to start the gas fireplace. Then he took the blanket off the top of the carrier. The baby stirred, but then settled down again. He was relieved.

      He left the baby and headed out into the storm again. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he opened the passenger door of the truck. “Lady, you’re going to have to help me. Are you awake?” he yelled over the storm. He pulled the mink coat back on her shoulders and fastened the hook.

      She accepted the coat, but as he pulled her out, she lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Lady, we’ve got to get upstairs to the baby. Come on. Hold on to me. We’ll be fine.”

      Despite his request, she wasn’t much help. But they eventually reached the top of the stairs. He dragged her the few steps to the front door and opened it, then got her to the sofa and lowered her to the cushions. He felt her face again and headed to the small kitchen for some pain reliever and water.

      After giving her the pain reliever and some water, he moved the baby carrier and let the woman lie down on the sofa. He covered her with the mink coat. The baby opened its eyes and suddenly let out a yell.

      “So, we’re hearing from you, are we?” He stared at the baby, not sure what to do for her. “Hmm, Mom said your name is Angel. That would make you a girl, wouldn’t it?”

      Of course, he received no answer, though the baby continued to scream. He’d thought the mother had passed out, but she pushed herself up and reached for the baby. “Whoa!” Russ said. “You can’t go anywhere. What do I do for the baby? Change her diaper? Feed her?”

      “Bottle,” she mumbled.

      “Where is it? In the back of the truck?”

      She turned to look at him. “I…I don’t know.”

      “In the boxes? We loaded boxes from your car in the back of my truck.”

      “Yes. I…I think so.”

      He zipped up his coat and pulled on his gloves and hat. “Stay under your coat and relax,” he said. Then he hurried out into the storm again, which showed no indication of letting up. He grabbed two boxes. One was diapers, the other appeared to contain bottles. He carried them up the stairs and set them inside. The baby was crying, but the woman was sleeping. He made two more trips, bringing up the suitcases and a third box.

      Each time he entered, the baby was still yelling and the woman still sleeping.

      He opened the box labeled “feeding system.” Fortunately there were instructions that were fairly easy to follow. He put the milk mixture in the microwave and heated it for the time given. Then he put the nipple on it and shook it. He felt like a pro when he tested it on his arm the way he’d seen his mother do.

      “Okay, baby, I think it’s ready. You want to try?”

      He stuck the nipple in the little mouth, which instantly clamped on. He held the bottle with one hand and unfastened the straps holding the baby in the carrier. He should pick her up, shouldn’t he? Then he reached for the phone, leaving her in the carrier. He dialed a number with one hand, knowing it by memory.

      “Mom?” he replied to the voice he heard. He was lucky that one of the women on the ranch answered.

      “I’ve been wondering about you, Russ,” Janie, his mother, said. “I called half an hour ago.”

      “I know, but I just got in. I have a problem. Do you pick up a baby when you’re feeding it?”

      Janie remained silent, apparently stunned by his question. Finally she said, “You have a baby?”

      “I picked one up on the highway with her mother. The mother is passed out with a high fever. The baby was screaming. I followed directions and fixed the bottle and she’s eating, but—”

      “How old is the baby?”

      “I’m not sure, but she’s really little.”

      “A girl?”

      “I think so. Her mother said her name is Angel.”

      “You haven’t changed her diaper?”

      “No. Should I do that?”

      “Yes. Halfway through the bottle, burp her on your shoulder. Then change her diaper. Then finish feeding her and burp her again.”

      “Okay,” he said, staring at the baby. Then he said, “Thanks, Mom.”

      “Wait! Don’t hang up. Is there anything I can do? Do you want your father to drive me into town?”

      “No! The storm’s really bad and it’s not ending anytime soon. I’ll call you later when I get this feeding taken care of.”

      “Okay, dear. I’m proud of you.”

      Russ shook his head. He hadn’t done anything to make his mother proud. Anyone would’ve figured out how to feed that screaming machine. He put the phone down and pulled the bottle out of Angel’s mouth. Immediately the screaming started again. “Baby, you’ve got a siren like I’ve never heard.”

      He shrugged out of his jacket, then picked up the baby. That change of behavior startled the baby and she took a breath. Any hope she was going to stop screaming disappeared, however. He put her on his shoulder and patted her back. She continued to cry, but it wasn’t nonstop.

      Her mother stirred and Russ didn’t know what to do. Then a large burp ripped out of the baby. He drew her down from his shoulder, staring at her. This delicate little bundle had made that sound? He hurriedly laid her down on the carpet and grabbed the box of diapers. Then he undid the sleeper and undid the tapes on the diaper.

      “Ooh! Definitely ripe, young lady.” He set the dirty diaper aside and spread out the fresh one. It wasn’t too hard to figure out. Finding the right snaps on the pajamas was more difficult. Especially when she continued to scream. He quickly offered the bottle again.

      Peace! Her mother stopped trying to get up, now that the baby had stopped screaming. Russ felt as if he’d scored a real success. When the baby got close to the end of the bottle, its little rosebud mouth stopped working. He eased the bottle back, and the little jaws started working again. The third time the baby didn’t move. He thought about skipping the burping again, but he was afraid that would harm the baby. So he put her on his shoulder and burped her again.

      This time, after burping, she fell asleep and remained asleep. With relief, he put her in the carrier and covered her with the blanket.

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