Week 10 Short Story: Clifford's Baby

WC:  850


   Clifford Thomas had decided that having two first names meant he should pass on one to his stolen baby. Baby Thomas was Clifford’s first and only crime. Baby Thomas was also the only achievement. 
 

“You’re going to grow to be something great, just you wait and see T!” Clifford said flashing a toothy smile down into the stroller where Thomas lay.

“Simple Clifford they always said. Not anymore, nope, not anymore not with you T. They’ll all see. Just you wait and see,” Clifford said as they turned the corner. The sun was bright, the breeze felt good, and it was Spring. It was no better day to be living than this very moment. Clifford waved to a couple jogging by, interracial, and was even more pleased by this.

“The world’s ready T. No waiting on that. Just you and me son, against this world. Just wait and see is what I’ll tell ‘em. Just wait and see.” Clifford paused as the couple stopped to admire the baby in the stroller. It was the black female jogger that observed something amiss.

“Lovely day,” she said, “keep hydrated” and she tilted her head to her counterpart and they were off.

Clifford stood there watching them for a moment, noting the encounter hadn’t felt completely right but once he saw they were gone he kept on walking to the park. He was anxious to get his baby there. To have fun with the others.

Just as Clifford approached the park entrance, the gated arch was like a welcome smile. “It’s been waiting on us T. Just waiting, you see,” Clifford said as he leaned into the stroller and pointed toward the arch. As Clifford smiled for the twentieth time in the span of five minutes he noticed a police officer rounding the corner. Clifford ordinarily wouldn’t have cared, in fact he might have smiled if not for the same black female jogger standing next to him, looking his way and slowly raising her arm to point at-

Clifford diverted the stroller elsewhere, quickened his pace and went toward one of the more tree filled trails for the shade. He felt warm all too suddenly.

“SIR!” Clifford heard someone call from behind, much far behind, really really REALLY far behind as he kept trucking past casual walkers on the trail. Up ahead there was a less traveled trail, one carved out by those who like to go ‘rugged’ in the park or maybe just couples that were feeling frisky and expeditious.

Clifford looked into the stroller as it bounced on the bumpy ground, worried the vibrations might wake a sleeping Thomas. “Shhh, shhh T, don’t you worry, just wait T, just wait and you’ll see…” Clifford whispered, his voice dropping as he found a spot to park the stroller. He carefully removed Thomas and sat against a tree.

Clifford unwrapped the blanket to expose Thomas’s face and he smiled as he admired his beautiful baby. HIS beautiful baby boy. Clifford stroked his face, nuzzled his own face to Thomas’s and smiled for all the world to see. He was happy. He was finally happy.

But the moment was interrupted by a strong cologne. Clifford turned slowly and watched as the officer and a few other people, including a small girl had come there. He quickly turned his face back around and sought the comfort of his baby.

“You see this T, we’ve got an audience,” he whispered to him.

“Cliff,” came a woman’s voice that Clifford recognized but refused to acknowledge. Instead the officer cleared his throat.

“Mr. Thomas,” the officer started then paused. Clifford hadn’t turned back around but could hear the shuffling, the whispers, and understood enough to know what this resembled. He was black. The baby was white. And the woman… that voice.

“Excuse me mister,” said a tiny voice.

“Claire,” hissed another voice, likely the child’s mother, “back over here… NOW…”

“Pretty baby you got there Mr. Thomas,” said the officer.

Clifford’s ears perked at this, “He’s going to grow up to be something real special some day. Just you wait and see… they’ll see T. Just wait.”

The officer was there, standing beside Clifford who still sat leaning against the tree, “I agree. But you know what, there’s a little girl here who has the same hopes and dreams for her own baby.”

Clifford looked down at Thomas whose eyes were still closed.

“In fact I bet that little girl probably loves that baby just as much too. It’d be a shame, really, don’t you think, if something ever happened and you couldn’t find them.”

Clifford began to rock slowly, he held onto Thomas but the plastic only pinched him back. The warmth was leaving him.

“Cliff, baby,” said the voice he recognized earlier and slowly felt as real heat encroached onto him. Arms wrapped around him and suddenly the baby was gone from his own arms but tears bled onto his cheek, moistening his dry skin.

“It’s going to be okay baby,” the woman whispered to Clifford in broken sobs, “just wait. Just wait and see.”