ii

‘What should I do now?’ she considered as she watched over the now sleeping child curled up under her patchwork quilt on the couch. It was still early and peace had returned to the park. She went into the bathroom, leaving the door open and the fan off so that she would hear if the child stirred. She doubted that it would, it was obviously exhausted. As soon as she had cleaned the child up a bit and slipped one of her old, smallish t-shirts over its emaciated form it had curled up on the couch and promptly fallen asleep. It had barely uttered a sound and she still wasn’t quite sure if the child was male or female. It was so thin and its clothes were so dirty. She wondered where it had come from, perhaps it didn’t speak English, ‘why hadn’t it tried to talk?’ She puzzled over a thousand questions as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped her towel around her steaming skin. She peeped at the still dozing child on the couch. She had decided to call in sick, she was exhausted anyway, no on would miss her, but what should she do about the kid? “I should at least get it checked out by the doc,” she said to herself softly as she reached for the phone. She’d have to concoct a story about the child, ‘how to explain…?’

“Hi, Kate McBride, I’m here with Jo, we have an appointment with Dr Evette, sorry we’re a bit late,” she said as she presented herself and “Jo” at the front desk. “No problem Ms McBride, have a seat, it’s been a busy morning and all the doctors are running about ten minutes behind anyhow. You were lucky to get an appointment today,” the receptionist replied. “Yeah, I guess,” Kate replied as she made her way to the kid’s corner with the child, “Thanks.” She sat down with the child; it showed no inclination for the toys or books. It was looking a little wary and afraid. ‘Whatever could have happened to you?’ she wondered as she ensured it was comfortable and thought over what she was going to tell the doctor. “Ms McBride and Jo,” the doctor called as he stepped out of his room. ‘Time’s up,’ Kate thought to herself as she grabbed her bag and directed Jo towards the now open door.

As they entered the room and the doctor closed the door the child was cowering behind Kate. “Shy little mite you have there Kate, what’s up?’ Kate liked Dr Evette’s casual approach to medicine, it assisted most patients to feel at ease, and she made her way to the seat nearest the doctor’s desk. The child stood awkwardly beside her, “My cousin dropped Jo off at my place last night. We had an uneventful night, but Jo was out-of-sorts this morning, so I thought I’d best come for a check-up at least,” Kate began. “I see, well, let’s have a look then,” Dr Evette replied, “You’d best stick close Kate, don’t want to frighten little Jo, do we now?” The doctor smiled at Jo as he placed the stethoscope into his ears, “Can you just raise Jo’s shirt for me?”

The doctor’s visit had been uneventful, the child was healthy, just a little underweight and with a few cuts and bruises. It was a boy; they were now shopping for some appropriate clothes. Although the days were still fairly cool the weather would warm up soon…. They stopped by the supermarket on their way home. The boy had his new cap pulled tightly over his head, he seemed a little sensitive to light. ‘He still hasn’t uttered a sound,’ Kate thought as they ambled up and down the supermarket aisles. Suddenly the boy became animated, he grabbed Kate’s shirtsleeve and gesticulated towards the choc-chip cookies on the shelf. “So, you like cookies,” Kate remarked, “these one’s?” she inquired, holding up the packet for the boy’s inspection. He grabbed the pack and grinned. “Easy to please,” Kate smiled and continued down the aisle with the trolley.

A car squealed past as they exited the supermarket and the boy gasped and ducked behind Kate’s legs. “Hey there,” she soothed, “Don’t panic, just a silly driver. Let’s get home, I feel the worms biting, time for lunch.” They were at the car and Kate belted up the small boy. “There, home soon,” she said as she eased the car into reverse and they entered the traffic. She adjusted the radio to an easy listening station and they were home in ten minutes. Kate whistled the last tune that had been playing on the radio, “Gonna catch that plane and fly…” she sang. The boy was happily munching on a Strasburg and tomato sauce sandwich, ‘always sure to please,’ she thought as she joined the boy at the table with her own sandwich and cup of tea. “I’m tired, how about you? Been a busy morning,” she looked at the boy curiously. Again, he hadn’t made a sound since he had gasped at the supermarket. “You are a mystery,” she said aloud, passing the boy a few cookies and a glass of milk. “Time for a nap, I think,” and she gently eased him back to the couch. She knelt down and pulled off his socks and shoes. Then she tucked the quilt under his chin and smoothed his hair, “I’ll just be in the next room, ok?” He looked like he understood, but Kate wasn’t quite sure, ‘why doesn’t he speak?’ she wondered as she took off her shoes and flopped down on the bed. She didn’t bother with the quilt and she was asleep by the time her head hit the pillow.