Baby Love Lite by Andrea Smith

several broken ribs and a head injury, which had
rendered her comatose for the time being. Cathy said that the
doctors had hope that the swelling would go down in the next week
or so. I asked that Cathy keep me posted as to her mother’s
condition and I got her room number at the hospital. I was reeling
with shock. How could something that terrible happen to someone so
sweet like Jean? What kind of monster would simply drive off?
    The truth was that since I'd been home since
Preston's arrival, I'd really come to depend on Jean’s help with
her those three days per week she was scheduled. The things that
came up with the new house, as well as handling the bills, shopping
and running errands for Trey had been made possible because Jean
was more than willing to watch Preston on the days that she was
scheduled at our apartment. I couldn't think of anyone else that
I'd trust with Preston other than Jean or family.
    My thoughts were interrupted when I heard
Preston start to fuss. I finished dressing her for Gina’s visit
putting her in a cute little yellow sun suit. I lifted my freshly
diapered and dressed baby from the changing table and cuddled her
against me. I was rattled from the news about Jean. Preston had
taken well to Jean. She'd been a big help to me in many ways.
    I headed to the living room, baby in arms. We
settled on the couch as I turned the television on with the remote.
I got her situated for her feeding. There was something very
unsettling about the whole incident. I realized that things like
that happened every day, particularly in large cities but this just
seemed so random and yet close.
    Once Preston finished feeding, she drifted
off to sleep. I placed her into the crib in her bedroom and decided
to phone Trey to let him know about Jean. I talked to Tonya; Trey
was in depositions. She promised she'd have him phone home as soon
as he was free. I went to the kitchen and started making chicken
salad for our lunch. I'd been tempted to call Gina and re-schedule
but decided I needed the company of a friend right now. Right after
I'd finished making the chicken salad and had just put the
croissants into the oven to warm, Trey phoned me back. His voice
had the uncanny ability to soothe and calm me.
    “ How’s my baby?” he greeted
me when I answered the phone.
    “ Oh, she’s down for the
count at the moment. I expect she'll be waking up any time
now.”
    “ I meant you, baby,” he said
in his smooth and silky voice. My heart fluttered.
    “ Not so well,” I admitted.
“I had a phone call earlier from Jean’s daughter Cathy. Jean was
hit by a hit-and-run driver last evening as she crossed her street
from the bus stop. She's in intensive care.”
    “ Oh, God, that’s horrible,”
he replied. “How bad is she?”
    I relayed to him everything that Cathy had
relayed to me. Trey said he would phone the hospital and the police
precinct to see if any new information had come in. He instructed
me to relax and stay calm. He asked if Gina was still coming over.
He seemed to relax when I told him the plans for lunch were still
on. I could tell Trey knew I was stressed about the thing with
Jean. “I'll be home on time this evening, baby,” he assured me.
“We’ll talk more then, okay?”
    “ Okay,” I
replied.
    “ Hey, I love you,” he said
softly.
    “ I love you, too,” I
replied.
    “ Give ‘Bobbin’ a kiss from
Daddy, okay?”
    “ I will,” I said,
smiling.
    Right after I'd gotten off of the phone with
Trey, the doorman buzzed letting me know that Gina was on her way
up. When I opened the door to Gina I knew immediately something was
wrong. She had her sunglasses on inside of the building. “What is
it, Gina?”
    “ I caught Ian fucking around
on me,” she said unable to hold the tears back. “I'm going to kill
him and the bitch!”
    “ Oh my God, Gina, what are
you talking about?”
    I grabbed her hand pulling her over to sit
down. I'd never seen Gina distraught about anything. The fact