Haven

Water splashed down as Ella held the baby close. She caressed the small hands as they clasped her thumb. Tears flowed from her swollen eyes as Noah drove around the lot once more. The storm that had passed through the coastal town had caused many power outages. The world moved around the beat-up Chevy where they had once used to escape and make love. Now the car was refuge before a goodbye. She could not let go just yet. Yet she could not go home. Her parents would never accept a baby born out of wedlock. Noah he could not handle fatherhood. They both were barely old enough to work. Parents they could not be parents now! She knew all of these facts, yet under her breath her response was “not yet!” when Noah asked.

Brynne maneuvered her Volvo through the fog and downpours. Roads were treacherous as she headed up the coast of New England. She packed the car to get away maybe for more than weekend or a week. The latest guy had also turned out to be a heartbreak. Two years she had devoted to hear “need space!’ Two years and now she was about to turn forty. All she had wanted, was to be a mom. Yes, she could adopt but she wanted a baby. She knew to adopt alone would probably not be part of her future. She needed to be away. To leave the sorrow that encompassed her. Yet here she was, tears flowed down her cheeks as she pulled off the road.

Harry planned to close the Gas-N- Go early because of the storm. He had power but wanted to get home before an entourage of folks started to come through the door. Weather channels had forecasted the storm. For once they were on the money. He just was not up to people today. Past storms brought out the best or the worst of people. They could help each other out or blast each other for the last gallon of water. Maybe he had too much beer yesterday. Not enough sleep. He just wanted to go home. He stood at the counter just about to take a smoke break when a car pulled up to pump three. He wrote down the plate on the front page of the newspaper spread across the counter. Always a pattern when an outer stater came by. Eyes rolled as he watched the woman, walk towards the door.

“Massachusetts of course!” Harry turned the newspaper over. Shades on as though she was a star.

“Honestly lady no one cares who you are!” he muttered as he looked at the swear jar one of the granddaughters had set up. Harry had to drop a buck for every unacceptable word he let out.

“Money for the shelter, Pops! They should be able to feed everyone for a year, because of how many bad words you say!” she laughed.

“Damn” he through a buck down the mason jar.

“How may help you?” he asked as the woman stood by the counter.

“Twenty on three please.”

“Surely, we offer free coffee for any gas order over seven gallons. “

“Do you have expresso?”

Eyes rolled as Harry poured a cup of regular black coffee.

“Surely ma’am! Express – so that comes to one dollar seventy-two cents.”

“Thought you….”

“Ah that was for regular coffee. Express-so does not count.”

The woman pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head.

“Yeah, don’t really need those on a day….” Harry stopped as he saw the puffy red eyes of someone who was broken.

“Okay how about a free donut – my lady bakes them fresh every day?”

The woman nodded, “Restroom?’

“Leak at ours, free to use the one at the emergency care center next store.”

She followed Harry as he waved arms to the complex next to the Gas N Go.

“All the Emergency Responders are out on the road because of the storm.”

She nodded and returned to her car as the sky opened. Downpours started once more.

Harry watched as she put her coffee and donut away. Pumped the gas and walked through the puddles to complex next door.

Ella held the bundle next to her chest. Noah shut off the car.

“Now or never, Elle. We can’t keep a baby! School? Parents? Our plans!”

Ella nodded as she opened the door and water pelted down her face. Water from the sky covered the tears. She walked towards the Safe Haven Box located at the end of the Emergency Care Center. She held the baby and closed her eyes one last moment.

“Love you always,” was all she could muster as she opened the door and scooted the bundle over. She closed the door but could not get the clasp to lock. She started to shake. Fear took over. She ran back to the car. Noah already had the door open. She flew to the seat as Noah sped out of the lot.

Brynne felt dazed as she left the restroom. There was an alarm buzz but no personnel at the complex. She saw the red glow cast over a button called Safe Haven Box as she walked out the back door. She then saw the same glow come from the wall across from the Gas N Go when she turned the corner. Slowly she approached the small door that swung back and forth. She held up the shaky encasement to see the sweet small eyes of a baby. She reached and a hand clasped her thumb. She pulled the bundle close and felt as though the world had called her to be here. She held the newborn to her chest. Downpours around her. Yet she was at peace. She turned around to see anyone and found the eyes upon her. The eyes of that clerk at the Gas- N- Go. She looked down, away and then she ran towards the woods.

Her moment, her dream of motherhood here now. No, she would not let go. Baby at her chest. She ran away. They were both soaked. All she knew was she could care for the baby. Her dream could happen. There was a way she knew. There was a way that she could be a mother. She found a spot under a tree to keep from the wet weather. She sat and planned as she held the baby close.

“What the F ….?” Harry screamed out. Then remembered the swear jar. “Awe crap, what the fuck? She took the baby! She took the baby and ran! Sh…oot!” Swear jar. He crushed a butt of the last smoke on the ground. “My cell? Where the hell? Should have closed early! Damn, she took the baby!”

He ran towards the counter. He found the cell under the newspaper on the counter. Hands trembled as he called local emergency. As soon as someone answered, Harry started.

“A woman she took a baby from the Safe Haven Box and ran…."

Just then Harry looked up to see the soaked woman and baby by the front counter.

“He was cold.” She muttered. Harry saw the wounded eyes once more as she handed the baby over and ran out the front door. She sped away so fast Harry could not tell where she was headed.

“Harry we can send a car?" The woman on the phone yelled. Harry shut off the cell.

He pulled some clean towels from the back room and wrapped the newborn. Cops soon came, as they had a case to work.

“Harry tell me about the woman? Local or not?”

“Do not know." Harry tossed the newspaper towards the recycle can.

“Thought you always account for everyone who comes here.”

“Old now, Dave. Play Law & Order somewhere else.”

“Okay Harry catch you later, case worker has the baby and once checked he can be adopted."

Harry nodded and looked away.

"Hey Harry any donuts left?”

Harry tossed a couple of honey glazed to Dave as he waved goodbye.

Harry took a breath, put a twenty down the swear jar, and closed the Gas- N- Go for the day.