Dina Santorelli - Baby Bailino (Baby Grand Trilogy, Book 2)

BABY BAILINO

By Dina Santorelli

Copyright 2016 by Dina Santorelli

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any print or electronic form without the authors permission.

ISBN: 978-0-9977191-3-0

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Cover design by Natanya Wheeler

Production management by Stonesong Digital

For daydream believers everywhere

BABY BAILINO

Baby Faith stuck her chubby fingers into the bowl of fruit and shoved a fat, ripe strawberry into her mouth. Her lips, which formed a natural pucker, closed over it, her new teeth clamping down to release the sweet juice, which dribbled down her face and onto the coloring book.

Careful, sweetie, said Jamie, who was watching her from the living room sofa. Dont forget to use your napkin.

The little girl reached for the paper napkin on the coffee table and gave her mouth an obligatory wipe before dropping it onto the floor and plunging her hand back into the bowl. This time, she came up with a slice of banana. She stuck that into her mouth, too, and grabbed a broken blue crayon with her sticky fingers, drawing a series of lopsided circles around a connect-the-dots image of a princess.

Jamie flipped through the magazine on her lap without really reading it. She felt warm, but had already opened all the windows in the room, the curtains flapping in the light breeze. The shadow of a man passed across them, his image silhouetted by the beige linen, and Jamie tightened her grip on the magazine. Even after a year in her new place, she still wasnt used to the steady foot traffic that traveled across the windows of the first-floor apartment in Queens, a far cry from the relative calm of the suburbs. She heard a familiar set of keys jingle, and the doorknob of her front door turned.

Edward doorbell, she called, closing the magazine.

Right, sorry, her brother said, closing the door and stepping back out.

Jamie had given her brother the key to her apartment for emergencies only, and although he had been trying to give her some space for the past two years, Edward was set in his ways. She got up from the couch as the doorbell rang.

Who is it? she said.

Very funny, Edward said as Jamie swung the apartment door open.

See? That wasnt so difficult, she said.

Edward entered the living room and placed several plastic bags of groceries on the floor. Theres my girl! he said, spotting Faith near the coffee table. He swooped down to pick her up.

At the sight of Edward, Faith lifted her hands into the air, and he spun her above his head like a propeller.

You are getting so big! Edward said.

Careful, shes got a mouthful of fruit. Jamie picked up several of the grocery bags.

Fruit, shmoot. Edward tossed Faith into the air. Cmon, give your Uncle Eddie a big fat, mushy kiss right here. He pointed to his face, and Faith plastered her wide open mouth onto Edwards cheek like a suction cup.

Take it easy, Uncle Eddie. Youre going to reinjure your shoulder.

Shoulders fine. Good as new.

Yeah, sure it is.

Edward had been back to the orthopedist three times in the past six weeks, according to Trish, but Jamie knew he wasnt about to tell her that, probably because he didnt want her to worry.

There were no agents outside, Edward said, trying to hide his concern. They left already?

Theres no reason for them to be here. They need to go help some other damsel in distress, Jamie said with a forced smile. She had to admit, she had grown accustomed to the FBI agents protecting her and Faith for the past two years, but today was to be a new day, and she was ready to get on with her life, alone with her daughter. She carried the bags into the kitchen, placed them on the table, and began pulling out the grocery items.

What are you feeding this girl, James? Faith was sitting on Edwards shoulders as he walked into the kitchen, a big, red circle stamped onto his cheek, courtesy of Faiths fruity kiss. I think she gained ten pounds from last week.

Looks like Ill be feeding her cereal, Jamie said, eyeing the six boxes of Cheerios Edward had bought.

Hey, I had a coupon for those. Couldnt pass them up.

Edward placed Faith into her high chair at the kitchen table, and the little girl scrambled for the security strap, which she quickly pushed behind her back.

Wait a minute, little one, Edward said. We have to strap you in.

She doesnt like being strapped in, Jamie said. Youll have to

Well, sometimes we gotta do what keeps us safe. Edward reached behind Faiths body to pull the strap forward, and the little girl slapped his hand.

Noooooo, Edward said sternly, pointing his finger at her. No hitting. He shot Jamie a look as Faith began to cry.

Edward, dont give me that look. All babies do that. It doesnt mean anything.

Faith, her face all blotchy, raised her hands into the air so that Jamie could pick her up. Jamie reached for a pop-up book that was lying on the kitchen table and placed it on the high chair tray. The little girl immediately stopped crying and opened to the first thick laminated page, unaware that Jamie had reached behind her for the seat strap and buckled her in.

See? Problem solved, Jamie said.

More like problem averted. Edward crossed his arms. We have to teach her not to do that, you know. Shes not always going to get her way.

Cmon, Edward, youre making a big deal out of nothing. How would you feel if you were being strapped in and held against your She caught herself. Im sorry.

Edward shook his head. Dont be.

I mean

James, really, its all right. Its behind us.

Jamie blocked the image of Edward hogtied and gagged in the back of the Ford Flex from her mind and returned to unpacking the groceries. She pulled five cans of soup from the third plastic bag. Another coupon? she asked with a smirk.

I like soup, Edward said.

Wait, does that mean youre Jamie furrowed her brow. Edward, honestly, you dont have to.

Im staying.

But you

I already told Trish, he said adamantly. Im staying with you and Faith just for a few days. Till I know everything is okay. And thats it. He jammed the plastic grocery bags into one another, placed them in the recycling bin, and left the kitchen in a huff.

Faith lifted her eyes from her book to watch Edward go. Her splotchy face was regaining its cheery color. The little girl smiled, her upper and lower eyelids meeting sharply at the corners and making the gaze of her dark brown eyes intensify. Jamie felt a familiar pang in her chest; she smiled back at her daughter, although it took every ounce of strength for her not to turn away. Faith looked more and more like him every day.

Edward returned with the rest of the groceries and placed them where he knew they belonged in her cupboard. Now, Im the one whos sorry, he said, closing the last cabinet.

Jamie put her arm around him. Arent we a sorry pair? she said. Dont worry about it.

The telephone rang, startling them, and Edward reached for the phone.

Dont answer it, Jamie said.

Why not? Edward looked at the Caller ID. Private number.

Its the press. Im sure of it. Theyve been calling all morning.

How did they get this number?

Jamie shrugged. She had changed her number three times in the past six months, and the media managed to figure it out every time.