Leopard's Baby

Tammy changed Brendan’s diaper, fed him, and handed him to her sister, Tiffany. “Play with him, Tiff, while I shower and get dressed. Don’t let him nap. I want him to be sleepy during the final so he won’t disturb the other students.”

“You give me all the rotten jobs,” Tiffany said. She tried to keep a serious expression on her face, but couldn’t help grinning. Brendan giggled when Tiffany blew a raspberry on his belly. She loved taking care of her nephew.

Tammy did her ablutions in the bathroom in under five minutes, quickly got dressed in Bermuda shorts and a sleeveless shirt, and put on her baby carrier. She scooped up Brendan, put him in the carrier, and headed downstairs. While standing, she downed a glass of orange juice, sliced a bagel, and smeared cream-cheese on it. She went out the front door and walked down to the gate while eating her bagel. Jeremy was already there. He opened the back door of his car for her.

It was a warm early May day, and Tammy was headed to her last final of her junior year. Jeremy had taken his last final the day before. He had a baby carriage in the trunk of his car. The plan was for them to go for a celebratory lunch after Tammy’s final.

Jeremy stopped in front of the history building. He got out of the car and once again opened the door for Tammy. “I’ll be in the library. Give me a call when you’re finished.”

“See you in a couple of hours,” Tammy said. She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. With the baby in the carrier in front of her, he couldn’t hug her. Instead he stroked her bare arms and looked longingly into her eyes. She gave him another kiss and headed into the building.

He’s a really nice guy, Tammy thought. I’m just not sexually attracted to him. I sort of wish I was. It’s almost cruel to breastfeed in front of him, but the one time I hinted it was a bad idea, he acted really hurt. He’s willing to take any crumbs I throw him.

***

Samuel Lawson, Assistant Professor of History, was finishing his breakfast when the phone rang. His wife got up from feeding their toddler, answered, listened briefly, and handed the phone to him. “It’s Dean Caruthers,” she said.

I didn’t think he knew I existed, Lawson thought as he took the phone. Into the receiver he said, “What can I do for you Dr. Caruthers?”

“I understand you’re giving your American History final this morning Dr. Lawson,” Caruthers said. “Is that correct?”

“Yes it is,” a puzzled Lawson replied. Do they want me to switch rooms with someone who has more seniority? There are sixty-four students in the class. That would be a major pain in the ass.

“There’s been some complaints,” Caruthers said.

“I don’t understand. Complaints about what? Grades? Shouldn’t they wait until finals are over before they go running to you? Why wouldn’t they go to my chair first? In fact, they should’ve come directly to me before burdening you with such a routine matter.”

“It’s not about grades. It seems you’re allowing students to bring babies into the classroom. Some of the people in the class find that distracting. Especially during a final exam.”

“The only person who brings a baby is Tamara Roberts, one of my best students. The one time the baby fussed she immediately left. Other than that, the baby has always been quiet. Nobody seemed to mind.”

“That one time shows you can’t depend on the baby not raising a ruckus,” Caruthers said in a strident tone. “Students deserve the utmost quiet during a final.”

“But sir,” Lawson protested. “The final starts in an hour. I can’t make alternate arrangements for her at this point. It’s too late to go to the Academic Support Center.”

“The Academic Support Center wouldn’t be appropriate anyway. She doesn’t have a handicap or anything.”

“Who are the complainers? I’ll speak to them myself. I’ll make them understand having a quiet baby in the classroom won’t be a problem.”

“I’ve been specifically asked to keep this anonymous,” Caruthers said. He cleared his throat. “They’re concerned you’d retaliate against them by lowering their grades.”

“That’s unbelievably insulting,” an outraged Lawson said. “My integrity has never been questioned before.”

“What’s going on?” Lawson’s wife asked as she started to clear up the mess her toddler left. “Why are you yelling? Especially at the dean.”

I’ll tell you later, Lawson mouthed as Caruthers was saying, “It’s not about you. It’s about the baby.”

Lawson sighed and said, “I suppose I can put her in my office to take the exam.”

“No, that’s out,” Caruthers said. “There’s too much chance she could cheat.”

“Cheat? Tammy Roberts? No way. If you’re concerned I’ll ask a colleague to proctor.”

“Listen Lawson,” Caruthers yelled with enough volume that Lawson’s wife could hear him loud and clear. “Roberts gets to take your final only if it’s in your classroom. It must be today, and without the baby.”

“I’ll give her a makeup at a later date.”

“Absolutely not! What part of ‘it must be today’ didn’t you understand? No special privileges for her unless she’s physically unable to take the exam today. Do I make myself clear?”

“But…”

“No buts!” Caruthers shouted even louder than before. “Just remember. You’re up for tenure next year. I assume you know how difficult it is for a history professor to get a job. If you want me on your side, you will do what I order you to do.”

“Yes sir,” Lawson said meekly.

“Good!” Caruthers said with a bit less volume. Lawson heard a dial tone.

***

Tammy entered the classroom for her final exam one minute before it was due to start, only to find Lawson blocking her path. Three other students slithered around them and hurried to their seats. Tammy stopped, waiting for Lawson to move. He didn’t. She stepped to her left. He moved to his right, continuing to block her.

“Excuse me Professor Lawson,” Tammy said.

“I’m sorry Ms. Roberts,” Lawson said. “You won’t be allowed to bring your baby into the classroom for the final.”

“I don’t understand. You had no problem with him being here during regular class sessions or the last hour exam.”

“Finals are different. It’s forty percent of the grade. The other students deserve to have total quiet.”

“He won’t make any noise. He’ll sleep the entire time just like he did during the hour exam.”

“The final is three hours. He’s much more likely to awaken than during an hour exam. If he does, he’ll disturb the other students and break their concentration.”

Tammy’s hands clenched into fists. She took a deep breath trying to control her growing agitation. Lawson’s eyes opened wide and he stepped back away from her. He bit his lower lip and started to sweat.

He’s afraid of me, she thought. Somebody got to him and I can guess who. I’ve got to calm down or I’ll become a leopard on the spot. If I did that the cat would probably tear him to shreds. Aloud she asked, “Is there another room I could use?”

“I’m afraid not,” Lawson said. “If I allowed you that privilege without a note from student services I’d have to let everybody do it and that would be chaotic. Can’t you get someone to watch him for a few hours?”

Mom is in Europe, she thought. Tyler and Tiffany are in school. Jeremy would probably do it, but security might be an issue. If he stays in crowded areas Jennifer wouldn’t be able to kidnap Brendan. I doubt I’ll need more than two hours for the final anyway. He should be safe for that long. I hope. “I’ll call a friend of mine,” she said.

“Good,” Lawson said. He took a deep breath and wiped sweat from his forehead. His relief was obvious. “Just remember. During the exam all phones must be turned off.”

Tammy stepped into the hallway and called Jeremy. She descended to the ground floor to await him. A few minutes later he arrived, pushing the baby carriage ahead of him. She warned Jeremy to stay in the most populated areas he could find, settled a still sleeping Brendan into the carriage, and hustled back to the classroom. The other students were hard at work. Lawson, with shaking hands, handed her the exam book. She scowled at him, muttering curses under her breath as she took her seat and opened the book. He’d taken his jacket off and she could see his armpits were soaked.

***

“Just as we planned, the kid’s with the geek and she’s not around,” the voice in Covington’s phone said.

“Keep an eye on them,” Covington instructed. “I’ll go see Sheriff Clarke now.”

Covington knocked on the sheriff’s door, heard a muffled voice from inside, and entered. He was accompanied by a fortyish, slightly overweight woman with brown hair. The sheriff, paunchy with the broken capillaries of a drinker on his nose, was standing behind his desk. Covington strode up to him and handed some papers over.

“This is the court order I told you about,” Covington said. “Temporary custody of the child is to go to his paternal grandparents until the court can determine permanent custody. This is Ms. Burnham. She’s a nurse. The child is to be given to her. I have a man watching the baby waiting for your men to arrive. Also, as promised, here’s a check from Mrs. Roberts made out to your reelection campaign. A subsequent donation in a similar amount will be made as soon as the court awards full custody to the Roberts family.”

Clarke gazed at the check for several seconds before sliding it into his shirt pocket. It came close to doubling the amount he’d been able to raise up to that point. He skimmed the court order, making sure he would be on solid ground. He recognized the signature of the judge. He’d seen it numerous times in the past. He picked up his hat, barked out orders to three deputies sitting just outside his office, and headed out.

***

Jeremy wheeled the carriage through a crowded, grassy area of the campus. He was enjoying himself. There were many attractive college girls lying on blankets, wearing bikinis, sunning themselves. Brendan was a chick magnet. Several of them came over to view him. Jeremy bantered with them as he explained he was merely the babysitter.

“What’s your relationship with the parents?” a good-looking, bikini-clad blonde asked.

“His mom is a friend of mine,” Jeremy replied. “She’s a widow. I’m just watching him while she takes her history final.”

“A friend with benefits?” Blondie asked.

“I’d like to be,” Jeremy replied wistfully. “She’s gorgeous. But, alas, no.”

“How does she compare to me?” the girl asked. She leaned into him, taking Jeremy’s arm with both her hands and pressing her left breast against it.

Jeremy grinned and was about to reply when a screeching sound came from the nearby road. Four uniformed men poured out of two sheriff’s cars and raced toward Jeremy. One of them grabbed the carriage handle away from Jeremy. Two others grasped him by the arms and pulled him back. The fourth man, the sheriff himself, arrived after the first three. He was red in the face and puffing. Behind him came a woman wearing a nurse’s uniform.

“I’m Sheriff William Clarke. Is this baby Brendan Roberts?”

“Yes,” Jeremy replied. “His mother…”

“I have a court order granting custody to Senator and Mrs. Roberts,” Clarke interrupted. He waved some papers in Jeremy’s face. “Ms. Burnham, get the child.”

“You can’t do that!” Jeremy screamed. He struggled to get loose, but was being held tightly by two deputies.

“This paper says we can,” Clarke shouted over Jeremy’s protests.

Burnham picked up Brendan who began to cry. As she brought him to her shoulder he flailed at her with his arms and legs, but at five weeks old there was little he could do. The nurse, the sheriff, and one deputy headed back to the sheriff’s cars, while the remaining two continued to hold Jeremy’s screaming, struggling body.

The deputy with Clarke got behind the wheel of one of the cars. Clarke got in the passenger seat. Burnham and Brendan, now screaming as if he were being set on fire, got in the rear seat. The car took off, siren blaring.

The deputies holding Jeremy shoved him to the ground and headed toward the remaining car. Jeremy, crying with snot coming out of his nose, ran after them. He seized the arm of one and was immediately knocked on his backside.

“Do that again,” the deputy warned, and we’ll arrest you for obstruction.”

***

Tammy was just finishing question five of the seven question essay exam when Jeremy burst into the room screaming, “They took him! They took Brendan! I tried to stop them but there were four of them.”

Tammy bounded out of her chair. “You couldn’t get the police to stop the kidnapping?”

“They were the police!” Jeremy said. He was crying so hard he could barely get the words out. “They said they had a court order. I’m sorry Tammy. I tried to stop them, but they knocked me down and threatened to arrest me.”

“It’s not your fault, Jeremy. I should’ve figured that fucking bitch would try something like this. I underestimated her. I should’ve blown off this exam. Who gives a shit if I fail this course.”

“Ms. Roberts,” Professor Lawson called. “You haven’t finished the exam. If you leave now you might lose your A in the course.”

“My exam paper is on my desk,” Tammy yelled as she and Jeremy headed out of the room. Over her shoulder she shouted, “Take your A and shove it up your ass. This is your fault Lawson. If you had the balls of a chipmunk I never would’ve had to be separated from my son. I’m going to remember this!”

Tammy and Jeremy disappeared out the door. Lawson’s face turned white and he staggered back against his desk. With shaking hands he retrieved Tammy’s exam book from her desk. “What have I done?” he said as he sat in his own chair, tears streaming down his cheeks.

***

Jeremy’s car came to a screeching halt in front of the Roberts Virginia house. Tammy was driving. Without bothering to turn the engine off, she bolted out of the car and headed toward the front door. Five men, wearing the uniforms of a security firm and armed with submachine guns, barred her way. She could see several similarly dressed and equipped men patrolling the grounds.

“I’ve come to get my son!” she bellowed as she pushed one man to the ground. “Get out of my way!”

A second man seized her by the arm. She picked him up and threw him ten feet away. Once more she started toward the door. The racking of guns being cocked sounded behind her.

“Take one more step toward the house, and we’ll shoot,” a man called.

Tammy glanced over her shoulder and saw three submachine guns trained on her. She felt a tingling all over her body and had to take a step back and a deep breath to keep from changing on the spot. She knew under the circumstances the sudden appearance of a leopard would turn an already terrible situation into something much worse, but the temptation to strike out at those thwarting her was difficult to suppress. Keep a low profile, keep a low profile, keep a low profile, the mantra her mother had instilled in her, ran through her mind. More rent-a-cops were headed in their direction. It took supreme effort but she was able to back off from the brink of disaster.

Covington stepped out of the house. He held up a piece of paper and called out, “I have a court order granting sole temporary custody of Brendan Roberts to Senator and Mrs. Roberts. The court will hear arguments for permanent custody in two weeks. You will receive a formal notification by certified mail. At that time you may present your case to the judge.”

“Let me see my son to make sure he’s all right,” Tammy demanded.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Covington said with a half-smile on his face.

Tammy could feel the rage building up in her again and took a step toward Covington. “You miserable, fucking son-of-a-bitch! What right do you have to keep me from my own child?”

“You’re showing the reason right now, Tamara,” Covington said. “The court has deemed you so volatile you would be a danger to the child. In two weeks you’ll have the opportunity to show otherwise. In the meantime Mrs. Roberts will care for him.”

“You and the entire Roberts family better watch your step!” Tammy screamed.

Sheriff Clarke stepped out of the house. “You’re threatening one the most prominent families in the United States young lady. You can be arrested for doing so, and if Mr. Covington wants to press charges I’ll do just that.”

“I think we’ll let it go this time,” Covington said. “Tamara is clearly overwrought. However if it should happen again, it will be a different story. Tamara, I think you and your little friend should leave now.”

The anger in Tammy was nearly overwhelming. She bared her teeth and growled. Covington involuntarily scuttled backward. The sheriff put his hand on his weapon, but did not draw it. Tammy barely felt Jeremy tugging on her arm.

“C’mon Tammy, let’s go,” he urged. “Getting yourself arrested or killed is not going to help.” Feeling more helpless than she’d ever felt in her life, Tammy left with Jeremy.

***

This time Jeremy insisted on driving. Tammy was too worked up. He said he was afraid she’d drive recklessly. She didn’t argue. He headed toward her family home. Tammy sat next to him crying silent tears. Her phone buzzed. Karla. Tammy didn’t want to talk to anyone, but maybe Karla would have news about Brendan. She answered.

“Oh Tammy, I’m so sorry,” a tearful Karla said. “My mother just came into the house with Brendan. She and Covington were gloating about how they put one over on you.”

“They haven’t won yet.”

“I told them that. They said the judge who’ll be hearing the case owes his job to my father’s influence with the general assembly. I said a court decision wouldn’t stop you and they should consider offering shared custody.”

“I’ll never give up even partial custody of my son,” Tammy yelled into the phone.

“Think about a compromise Tammy,” Karla begged. “I promised I wouldn’t reveal your secret and I won’t. But I know you. If you can’t come to an agreement either you or my mother, two of the people I love most in the world, could wind up dead.”

“Tell that to your mother.”

“I did. She doesn’t know your true nature.”

“Pray she doesn’t find out,” Tammy said and ended the call.

“Secret? True nature? What’s she talking about?” Jeremy asked. Tammy didn’t respond and Jeremy didn’t press the point.

***

Olivia, Martinez, and two other members of congress were finishing dinner when Olivia felt her phone vibrate. Tammy. “Excuse me,” she said to the others. “I have to take this call.”

“They took him, Mom,” Tammy said, barely coherent through her tears. “They took Brendan.”

“Who took him?”

Tammy related the story of the Roberts family getting custody of Brendan.

“Don’t give up hope and don’t do anything rash,” Olivia said in as soothing a voice as she could manage, though she was just as outraged as her daughter. “I’ll be home tomorrow. We’ll work something out.”

Olivia returned to the table and said, “Family emergency. I have to leave immediately.”

Martinez stood up, took both of Olivia’s hands in hers, and said, “Good luck. If there’s anything I can do let me know.”