Then, Aunt Carol offered to take the baby.
She remembered the baby’s toes were all
crooked at first, but then they were suddenly
straight.
25
It was busy with all the newborns getting
checked, so she didn’t pay too much
attention to them, if the crooked toes weren’t
there
ط الصلصلبيصبي ططط
<
there, she wouldn’t have noticed.
“Were there any other boys born that day?”
“Just one. Young mom, but her family wanted
to leave, didn’t give us a chance to
recommend anything. They left with the baby
as soon as they could.”
She was shaking, eyeing my bodyguard.
“Miss, I told you everything I know…”
I waved the bodyguard away. “I believe you.
But, you can’t talk to anyone about this.”
I slipped her ten grand to keep quiet.
I didn’t breathe a word of this to anyone,
especially not my parents.
Time to get Mikey back.
I looked at the baby sleeping peacefully in his
crib, wrapped in the silk blanket I picked out
for him.
But he was thin and pale, and sure enough,
his toes were straight.
Mikey had definitely been switched.
Aunt Carol was watching them carefully, so I
had to wait until the baptism to make my
move.
The two babies were born on the same day,
and so we had one party.
I told the nanny ahead of time: “Mikey’s
asleep. It’s gonna be a long night. let him rest
く
up and don’t let anyone bother him.”
“But Miss, if your dad asks…”
“He’ll be out front greeting people, too busy
to notice.”
The second floor was dead silent.
I grabbed the baby and headed for the guest
room.
Shelly wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed
home.
Her husband, Cousin Jake, was dragged off
by Uncle Frank to meet some “important
people.”
Aunt Carol was there by herself.
L
I waited outside, and soon enough, her phone
rang.
Some friends were badgering her to play
cards.
Aunt Carol made up excuses, but eventually
gave in.
Before leaving, she called Jake to come
upstairs.
But I’d already paid someone to intercept
him.
He wouldn’t pass up a million–dollar deal.
I slipped into the room.
The baby was swaddled in a scratchy cheap
r
The baby was swaddled in a scratchy, cheap
blanket that looked like it came from a thrift
store.
I moved fast, switching the babies.
When I unwrapped Mikey, his toes were crooked.
It was confirmed, Mikey had been switched.
I grabbed him, and maybe it was because of blood, but the little guy smiled and started sucking on his fingers. So cute.
I opened the door and was about to go downstairs when I heard Jake’s voice.
He was coming up the steps.
<
Crap!
No time to get out of there.
I darted into the room next door.
“Mom, stop nagging, I’m here. Why’d you call
me up here? He’s not my kid! I don’t care if
he lives or dies!”
The walls were thin, and Aunt Carol’s voice
was clear. “Keep it down! Someone could
hear! Pretend for a while at least, what if we
get caught? Our family will be ruined!”
“We thought that dingbat, Lisa, wouldn’t
inherit the company, so we’d get Jake to cozy
up to your uncle, and the money would all be
ours! But then he had another baby! A boy!”
Jake scoffed. “So what? Now he’s my son!
Nobody’s taking him from me! When your
brother dies, the house and the money are
ours!”
Aunt Carol cackled. “That’s right. Then
everything will belong to us. No one will laugh
at us for being leeches!”
“Lisa can be as smart as she wants, but so
what? I’ll make her life hell! I’ll find some
cripple for her, and she can marry him!”
I heard a door slam, then Jake yelled. “Sleep!
All you do is sleep! Like a pig! You better not
cause any trouble, or I’ll kill you!”
“Heh heh, that’s right, then my son will be
safe. If they ever found out, they can’t claim a
retard as a son.”
The baby started wailing, a heartbreaking
sound coming from such a little kid.
I felt a pang of guilt.
