Leopard's Baby

“I’ve got to pee again,” Tammy said as she struggled to get to her feet. The third time in the last hour, she thought. You’d think being a were-leopard would make child-bearing easier, but no. C’mon, baby, stop kicking my bladder. I can’t get anything done if I have to jump up every few minutes.

Tammy and Jeremy were meeting in the university student center, as they did almost daily. This day they were studying for an exam coming up in two days. Being nearly ready to deliver was making the spring term even more trying than the fall semester had been. It was a warm early April day. Tammy was wearing a thin, cotton tee shirt that visibly moved as the baby kicked.

“I think you have a soccer star,” Jeremy said. He put his hand on Tammy’s belly as she squeezed by him. “Or maybe an MMA title contender. He or she is kicking to beat the band.”

“Yeah and using my bladder as the soccer ball,” Tammy said as she waddled toward the ladies room.

“Your girlfriend looks like she’s ready to pop,” the redhead at the next table said to Jeremy. “When’s she due? She’s not wearing a ring. Are you two going to get hitched after the baby comes?”

“She’s due any day now,” Jeremy said. “And she’s not my girlfriend.”

“Oh,” the girl said. “My mistake. I see the two of you together here a lot. I just assumed…”

“Does she know who the father is?” the redhead’s blond friend asked. “Will he show up for the delivery? She’s lucky to have you if the guy finks out. Will you be in the delivery room with her?”

Jeremy started to respond and stopped when he spotted Tammy approaching. He rose and pulled out Tammy’s chair.

“Thanks, Jeremy,” Tammy said. She patted him on the cheek and took a seat. He helped her move up as close to the table as her distended abdomen would allow. She winced.

“What’s the matter?” Jeremy asked, a bit louder than necessary.

“Just a twinge,” Tammy said. “The real problem is my back hurts.”

“Give her a massage,” Blondie said. “When my sister was pregnant she said nothing made her feel better than a back rub.”

“Not a bad idea,” Tammy said.

Jeremy shot to his feet and began rubbing her back. He rarely missed an opportunity to touch her. There was a gap between her shirt and pants. His hands moved under her shirt. The girls at the next table giggled. Tammy sighed.

“That feels great,” Tammy said and closed her eyes. Suddenly she threw her shoulders back and scrunched up her face, as she exclaimed, “Oh God!” Water cascaded down onto the floor.

“Ew, she’s pissed herself,” Red said as she jumped up to avoid the liquid.

“That’s not what happened,” Blondie corrected. She took out her phone. “Her water broke. Labor has started. I’ll call 9-1-1.”

“No need for that,” Tammy said. She took out her own phone. “The contractions aren’t close together yet. Jeremy will drive me to the hospital. I’m going to call my mother.”

She got to her feet. Then she gasped, sucked in some air, and leaned over the table with her face contorted. After about forty seconds she relaxed, breathed deeply, and said, “That was a big one. Let’s go, Jeremy.”

Jeremy put his arm around Tammy’s shoulders and they started toward the door. They heard Red say, “If I were about to have a baby the last person I’d want in the delivery room is my mother.”

***

“So that’s the itinerary for our Eastern European junket,” Desiree Martinez said to Olivia. “Eight countries in three weeks. We leave in about a month. What do you think?”

“It looks fine,” Olivia replied. “I don’t know why you need me. The host countries will provide security and a Secret Service detail will be going along with the congressional delegation.”

Martinez’s gun control bill died in committee as most people had predicted. SF Security rated her danger as no more than normal for someone in Congress, even given the notoriety she’d received from the video showing Olivia body-slamming Martinez’s assailant. Nevertheless, Martinez was of the opinion that a minority congressperson was more of a potential target for white supremacists and other unbalanced individuals than Caucasians in congress, and therefore should have extra protection. Harrison Tenber was not one to turn down a good paying customer. When Martinez requested Olivia, he’d assigned her to Martinez on a more or less fulltime basis.

“Are you getting tired of me, Liv?” Martinez asked with a grin.

“Not at all. I’m just trying to save you some money. I’m expensive.”

Martinez started to respond when Olivia’s phone buzzed. “My daughter,” Olivia said after briefly talking on the phone. “She’s going into labor. I have to call the obstetrician and head to the hospital. You’ll be fine in the office building. I’ll have SF Security send someone to escort you home.”

“Congratulations, Grandma,” Martinez said. She patted Olivia on the back. “I’m sure everything will be great. Let me know the results. Take pictures.”

Olivia took two steps toward the door and stopped. “Shit!”

“What?” Martinez asked.

“The other grandmother. Senator Roberts’s wife. I can’t stand her, but she deserves to know.”

“I’ll call the senator,” Martinez offered. “You go ahead.”

“Thanks Desiree. I appreciate it.”

“Not a problem. Besides, it won’t hurt to score some brownie points with him.”

***

Jeremy brought his car to a screeching halt outside the emergency room. He opened his door, jumped out leaving the door open, and shouted, “Sit tight, Tam! I’ll have someone here in no time!”

He ran into the hospital, pointed toward his car, and screamed, “There’s a girl in labor out there! We need help! Now!”

An orderly nonchalantly took a wheelchair from against a wall and wheeled it outside with a nurse trailing behind. Jeremy couldn’t stay still. He bounced from foot to foot. In the meantime Tammy had extricated herself from the car and was leaning against it, obviously experiencing a contraction. When it ended, they helped her into the chair.

“What’s your name, honey?” the nurse asked.

“Tamara Roberts,” Tammy said. “Tammy.”

“How far apart are the contractions?”

“About three minutes.”

“You’re in active labor, Tammy, but there’s no need to panic. First child?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’ve got time, but just in case we’ll take you straight up. Who’s your doctor?”

“Morris Levinson.”

“Has he been called?”

“My mother was going to do that. She’ll be here too.”

The nurse looked at Jeremy and grimaced. “Will Daddy be with you in the delivery room? In my experience having the husband and mother of the patient in the room at the same time is not always a good idea.”

“I’m not the father,” Jeremy said. “I’m just a friend.”

The nurse glanced at Tammy’s ring-less fingers, patted her on the shoulder, and said, “Don’t you worry, Tammy. We get a lot of unwed mothers here and we take just as good care of them as anybody else. Do you know who the father is? We’ll need it for the birth certificate.”

“I’m a widow,” Tammy said. The nurse’s mouth fell open. The orderly’s head whipped toward her. Tammy closed her eyes as she experienced another contraction. When it was over she said, “I was married to Brendan Roberts, the son of Senator Curtis Roberts. Brendan’s the father.”

***

“One more push, Tammy,” Dr. Levinson said. “That should do it.”

Tammy grunted and pushed while Olivia held her hands. With a scream from her the baby came out and immediately began to cry. “Healthy baby boy,” Levinson said. He cut the cord and handed the baby to a nurse, who took him to a table and began cleaning him up. Levinson delivered the placenta and made sure there was no hemorrhaging.

A nurse announced, “Nine pounds, three ounces, twenty-two inches.” She brought the swaddled baby to Tammy, who placed him on her breast. He made sucking motions with his mouth.

“Mother and son are doing fine,” Levinson said. “Huh. You’re already producing colostrum. That’s good. Do you have a name for him?”

“Brendan Sandar Roberts. Sandar is my maiden name.”

***

Tammy was propped up in bed holding Brendan. Olivia, Tyler, and Tammy’s eleven-year-old sister, Tiffany, were with her. Her stepfather, Cary Selinson, her stepsisters Megan and Amanda Selinson, Tyler’s girlfriend, Candi Lockwood–a seventeen-year-old emancipated minor who lived in the Selinson household–were in the waiting room along with Denise Mitchell, the Selinson’s housekeeper, and Jeremy. They were all anxious to see the newest member of their family, but only a few at time were allowed in.

Senator Curtis Roberts, his wife Jennifer, and his daughter, Karla, entered the room. Tammy could see the Senator’s security detail just outside the doorway. Karla raced over, hugged Tammy, and gazed adoringly at Brendan, who was sound asleep.

“How are you little nephew?” Karla said as she gently touched his cheek.

“Why aren’t you in school?” Tammy asked.

“Daddy called and told me you were in labor. I blew a year’s clothing allowance and chartered a plane.”

“The amount you spend on clothes could charter a fleet,” the Senator said. “And you know I’ll pay for the plane. I can’t have my daughter running around in rags.” He laughed and added, “Like that could ever happen.”

“It happened in Italy last summer, Daddy,” Karla said.

“We don’t need to discuss that period,” Jennifer said. She glared at her daughter and then approached the bed. “May I hold my grandson, Tamara?”

Tammy was reluctant, but could think of no good reason to refuse. “Be gentle,” she said, as she handed the baby over.

Jennifer’s eyes flashed angrily, but she spoke in a level tone. “Do you think I would toss him around like a football? I know how to take care of a newborn. I have had two children of my own.”

Jennifer took Brendan to a chair and sat with him in her lap, his head against her chest. She reached into her purse, took something out, and briefly placed it into the baby’s mouth.

“What did you just do?” Tammy hollered, as she sat up straight and threw the covers back.

“Nothing to be alarmed about, Tamara,” Jennifer said. She placed a Q-tip into a container and closed it. “I would never do anything to endanger my grandson. I merely used a sterile piece of cotton to get a cheek swab.”

“You have doubts about his paternity?”

“Not really, but one can never be too careful. He does stand to inherit a substantial fortune from us.”

“I told you I don’t want any of your money.”

“Maybe you don’t, Tamara, but your son may feel differently. We plan to set up a trust fund for him. Would you deprive your child of what is rightfully his?”

“I suppose not,” Tammy said, reluctantly. “If you have no doubts that your son is my son’s father, why the need for a DNA test?”

“Our lawyers will insist on it, Tamara,” Jennifer said. She paused and touched her lips to the baby’s head. “Already three people have tried to extort money from us by claiming their illegitimate children were the offspring of either Curtis or Brendan. Twice with Curtis and once with Brendan. In each case DNA proved them wrong. This situation is common with wealthy families. I know Brendan was in love with you, or at least he thought he was, so I have little doubt as to who the father of this little guy is, but, as I said previously, our attorneys require proof.”

Dr. Levinson entered the room and said, “How are we doing, Tammy?”

“Is that the royal ‘we’ doctor?” Tammy asked.

Levinson laughed. “Just habit. Your delivery was remarkably easy and the baby seems fine. There’s just one matter that’s cause for some concern. It’s probably nothing, but I’ve called for a hematology consult. It’s late today, but she should be here sometime tomorrow afternoon. Now if the rest of you will clear out, I’d like to exam my patient.”

“Is there something wrong with the baby’s blood?” Jennifer asked as she pushed up right next to Levinson.

“Who might you be?” Levinson asked.

“I’m Senator Curtis Roberts,” the senator said. “This my wife, Jennifer. We’re the paternal grandparents of the child. If there’s something wrong with him, we have a right to know. I can call in the best doctors in the country.”

“I know about the blood abnormality,” Olivia said. “Everyone in our family has it. It’s just a slight mutation, and it’s completely benign.”

“That’s a relief,” Jennifer said. “I think. Nevertheless, I’ll feel better if he’s examined by someone we know at Johns Hopkins. After your consult, of course. Now while you examine Tamara, I’ll carry the baby to the nursery.”

“No you won’t!” Tammy declared. “The baby stays here with me. Also, I’m not seeing any hematologist. Brendan and I are checking out tomorrow morning. Mrs. Roberts, please return Brendan to me.”

Everyone started talking at once. As voices got louder and more shrill, the senator’s security detail tried to push their way into the room, but Olivia blocked them. One of them reached for his hip where he had his weapon, but before he could touch it Tyler joined his mother and prevented the security man from drawing his gun. The baby began to cry.

“SILENCE!” Olivia roared.

There was immediate quiet except for Brendan, who wailed even louder. Moving rapidly, Tiffany snatched him from Jennifer. “How dare you!” Jennifer said indignantly.

Tiffany took the baby to Tammy, who placed one of her nipples in his mouth. He immediately began to suckle.

“I think it’s time for all visitors to leave,” Olivia said. “Next week there will be a bris at our home. You will all be welcome if you wish to come.”

“You’re going to make him a Jew?” Jennifer said. She put her hands on her hips and her face turned red. “Without consulting us? Don’t we have some say in the matter?”

“You have no say,” Tammy said. “We’re not ‘making him a Jew.’ He’s already Jewish. I’m Jewish, and Judaism is matrilineal.”

“We’ll see about that,” Jennifer said through clenched teeth. She whirled and headed for the door, shouting over her shoulder, “Curtis, Karla, we’re leaving!”

Before following her mother out, Karla kissed Tammy and her nephew, and promised to come back the following week. The Roberts’s left.

Tiffany, watching the baby nurse, said, “That looks so cool.” She lifted up her shirt and said, “Hey, I think I’m getting boobs. See?”