Bundle of Trouble

“My address is on the registration,” I said.

“They were probably looking for money. I’ll write a report for you. The best I can tell you is to file an insurance claim.” He pulled out a notebook. “Your name?”

“Kate Connolly.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Connolly?” He frowned, flipped through his book, and read an old entry.

My heart tightened. Could this officer be looking for George?

The officer scribbled something. “Is this car registered to you?”

“My husband, actually. My car. .” I took a breath. “My car’s in the shop.”

I didn’t have the guts to tell him my car had been broken into outside of Michelle’s house. What if George was behind this? Was he looking for his bags? Would he really break into my car and Jim’s?

Was I getting paranoid?

Could it be a coincidence? I’d lived in San Francisco my entire life and had never had my car broken into. Now twice in two days?

The officer copied information off the registration. “Like I said, I suggest you file an insurance claim.” He handed the registration back to me, his eyes narrowing.

“Meter’s expired.”

I watched in silence as he crossed the street and pulled open the door to El Paraiso.

•CHAPTER SEVEN•

The Second Week-Crying for Assistance

I awoke, still groggy, to Laurie’s hunger cries at 3 A.M. I leaned over the bassinet and picked her up. She was soaked all the way through her little jammies.

I poked Jim. “You’re the night shift, remember?”

“Yeah,” he murmured.

“She’s wet. She needs a full costume change.”

No answer.

“Jim! Wake up.”

“Mmmhmm.”

Laurie wailed. I put her right next to his ear. No movement.

“How can you sleep through this?”

Men!

I walked down the dark hall, to her nursery, bumping into the walls as I went. Somehow it seemed easier to get out of bed and change Laurie myself than try to get Jim up.

I switched on the light, rousing Laurie and me into wakefulness. She continued to complain throughout the entire diaper and pajama routine.

I was so exhausted I buttoned her pajamas wrong and had to undo everything, then redo it. I vowed to buy only pajamas with zippers in the future.

I made my way back to our bedroom, now fully awake, thinking about our cars getting broken into. Could George have done it? I couldn’t imagine George breaking into our cars; besides, how would he even know we had his bags? If not George, then who?

I recalled the mundane items in the bags. Why would anyone want them? Had I missed something?

I collapsed into the rocker with Laurie, trying to soothe her into quiet mode.

Michelle hadn’t returned my call. Maybe I should go over there tomorrow. After all, what else did I have to do all day?

Sleep?

Ha.

I filled the time the best way I could and dialed the only person I could think of that would be up at this ungodly hour, my girlfriend, Paula, in France. Paula and her husband, David, had relocated several months ago. David worked for a top consulting firm. In order to move up in his career, he’d been “asked” to take an assignment in France and relocate his family.

I jiggled Laurie in my arms and listened to the phone ring. With no sleep, I felt incapable of doing the math on the time difference. I figured it must be sometime in the afternoon. Her voice mail kicked on and I left a sluggish, incoherent message.

I logged on to the computer and emailed her.

Tried to call you. Lots to tell, but its 4am here and even though I can’t sleep because Laurie is awake I can’t really type with her in my arms either. Thinking of you. Call or email when you get the chance.

XOXOXOX.

I finally successfully placed Laurie in her bassinet and crawled back into bed as the alarm went off at 6 A.M. Every earlier attempt had been fouled by Laurie’s startle reflex; as soon as I set her down, her little arms would shoot straight up as though she were falling.

Jim jarred awake. “Were you up all night?”

“Practically.”

He rubbed my back. “Oh, honey, why didn’t you wake me?”

“I tried.”

“You did?”

My eyelids felt like sandpaper, and my arms and back were sore from rocking Laurie. “Yeah.”

He stroked my hair. “If she wakes up again tonight, get me up.”

If she wakes up again?

“Nite-nite,” I whispered, falling into a fitful sleep.

The phone woke Laurie and me. I glanced around, surprised to see that Jim had already left for the office. The clock glowed 9 A.M. No wonder. Had I really slept three hours straight? I felt much better. What a difference a little sleep made.

I grabbed the ringing phone.

“Where have you been? I called and called yesterday.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“What have you done with my granddaughter? I need to see her before she doesn’t recognize me. And I finished her knit cap.”

Uh-oh.

“Green?”

“No. I ran out of that yarn. Orange.”

I laughed. “Come over. I need to run a couple errands.” After yesterday’s ordeal with Mr. Creepy and the cars being broken into, I didn’t want Laurie in tow. Just in case.

I made my daily list while waiting for Mom.

To Do:

1. Find George.

2. Ask Michelle if she told George I have his bags.

3. Learn how to use hideous breast pump.

4. Catch up on z’s.