Mike was stunned. "He what?" he asked.
"After the baby was born, they gave her to me, and I held her for a while. Then I gave it to him to hold. He took it and went into the hallway for a moment. He said he wanted to be alone with her for a moment. Then the nurse came in and asked me where the baby was. They haven't seen either of them since," Nicole said from within his chest, where her head laid buried.
"Peter?" Mike asked. "Peter took the baby?" He was finding this impossible to believe. That was not something he would have expected. Skipping out, maybe, though that was still doubtful. But taking the baby?
"I know, I can't believe it," she said, finally pulling herself away from him. "I thought he was different," she said, and, beginning to sob, she threw herself into his arms again.
Mike was still in a state of shock. Why would Peter leave? he kept thinking. But somewhere in the back of his brain, something clicked.
What if it wasn't Peter?
Back in the waiting room, Micky awoke with a neck ache. He rubbed it and looked around. It took a moment for him to realize where he was and what was happening. Then he remembered that Nicole had been having the baby and he'd come down here with Mike and Thomas. There was Thomas, sleeping next to him on the chair. But where was Mike? Had the baby been born? He stood up and stretched to try to get the kink out of his neck. Then a noise came from behind him.
"Did you bring Thomas?" Nicole was asking. Mike heard but barely registered the meaning of the words. "Mike?" she asked again.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, he's in the waiting room with Micky. They were both sleeping," he said, snapping himself back to reality.
"Not any more we're not," came a familiar voice from behind him. Mike turned and saw Micky standing in the door way with Thomas. Thomas was rubbing his eyes.
"When did you get up, sleepy head?" Nicole asked Thomas. Mike looked at Micky. Something was strange about him, now. 'Oh boy', he thought. But then he saw what it was. He had a strange look in his eyes. A mischievous look. The same one Peter'd had in his eyes the past few months....
"Did the baby come?" Thomas was asking. She nodded. But Thomas didn't ask where it was like she'd thought he would. Instead he looked at her sympathetically and nodded.
Micky, however, did ask. "So where is it?" he asked.
"Gone," she said simply. Micky looked confused.
"Peter took the kid and skipped town," Mike explained. Micky's eyes grew wide with surprise.
"He what?" he managed to stutter. His face showed pure shock. "Peter?" he asked. "Took......are we talking about the same Peter?" he asked.
Mike nodded, keeping his face neutral. Micky looked at him carefully to see whether or not he was kidding him.
Thomas was sitting on the chair on the other side of his mother's bed. "Now what happens, Mommy?" he asked. All eyes turned to her.
"Well, I suppose we go home. They've already called the police and they're out looking but there isn't much more to do here," she said.
"They won't find them," Mike said. Everyone looked at him.
"Why do you say that Mike?" Nicole asked.
Mike looked at her. He blinked and thought a moment. "I don't know," he said. "I just have a feeling."
Micky rolled his eyes and put a hand over his face. "Oh great. Not another one," he said.
