Maybe I had a second set of eyes. too, because it only took one glimpse of her to know she was wading about in a pool of worry.
"Did you see him?" she asked almost before I stepped through the door.
"Yes. He's so tiny, but he has Miguel's hair." I said quickly. Miguel laughed, but Mommy held her expression of deep concern.
"I did every-thing I was supposed to do. I ate right. I don't smoke. and I didn't even have a glass of wine for nearly nine months. Those vitamins," she told Miguel. "we should have them analyzed. Vitamins and health foods are not inspected and analyzed by the government. Maybe they weren't what they were advertised to be."
"It's not the vitamins," Miguel said softly, closing and opening his eyes. It makes no sense to flail about searching for some demon, Willow. You gave birth and that's it. He'll be fine. The doctor assures us."
She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with the face I knew my real father hated, the face that made a liar, a dreamer, a procrastinator swallow back his or her words. Miguel called her "lie-proof."
"Fibs and exaggerations bounce off and come back at the people who send them in her direction." M
iguel told me often, leading rue to think he was trying to warn me never to attempt to deceive her.
He raised his arms. "What?" he cried.
"They don't keep a baby as long as he wants to keep Claude under observation. Miguel. Too early is too early. Please. You're not talking to an idiot."
"All right, all right. Still, it will be fine. You will see."
"I hope so." she said and turned to me and finally smiled, "He is beautiful, though, isn't he. Hannah?"
"Uh-huh," I said even though my idea of a beautiful baby were the babies I saw in television commercials.
"You finally have a little brother, When I was growing up. I longed so for a sister or a brother. Most of my friends had one or the other, and even though they were always teasing or arguing with each other. I knew they at least had someone, had family. I'm sorry we waited so long to give you a sibling, honey. But you will be older and wiser and almost a second mother to him."
"When he's my age. I'll be thirty-four." I said. "I'll probably have my own children by then."
"Yes." she said. "But he will love having nieces and nephews, too. You'll see. If I've learned anything from marrying Miguel, it's how important and wonderful family can be. You'll see." she promised.
"I was thinking I would run back to the college and attend that faculty union meeting. It's important." Miguel said. "I should only be an hour or so."
"It's fine. Miguel. Hannah can stay a while with me." "You're not tired?"
"I'll doze on and off. I imagine, but I wouldn't mind the company, if you wouldn't mind staying a while. Hannah.-
"No. I want to stay," I said quickly.
"Fine, then." Miguel said. He walked to the door, turned, and raised his shoulders and puffed out his proud father's chest.I'll be back." he added. pretending to be Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Both Mother and I laughed at his poor imitation, and then he left.
"Are you going to have Miguel bring Uncle Linden here to see him?" I asked her.
"No. I think it would be better if we just waited until we bring Claude home, Then we'll either have Linden over or take the baby there."
"Why? He can come out and go places." I said sharply. "We take him to restaurants, don't we? Why can't we bring him to a maternity ward?"
She scrunched her nose like she had just sipped some sour milk.
"I don't think it's a good idea to bring him to hospitals of any kind. Hannah. He doesn't feel good about that. Too many unhappy and unpleasant memories from his time in clinics and such. Why do that to him?" she asked.
"We leave him out of too many things," I complained. She smiled. "He's not being left out."
"Yes, he is," I insisted.
No one stands up for Linden like you do. Hannah. That's very nice."