Closing Time

“Why did I move to Michigan, why did I agree to close up?” I yelled at myself.

I was alone at the store and had never been so close to quitting in my life. Everyone else had families which left me as the unlucky soul to shove the last people out the door and close up. The wind picked up causing the windows to shake and I headed to the employee exit so I could just go home. I could practically start dreaming about a hot shower and the heating pad laying across my stomach.

“I need to get out of here, hopefully my crappy car starts.“ I mumbled while I near sprinted for the exit. The store never failed to be eerie at night, it was so big and the sounds would echo off the walls.

“WAAAA” A cry pierced the eeriness of the dimly lit store.

“Who the hell is in here?” I grabbed a whiffle-ball bat from a nearby display and crept towards the noise.

“I’m armed. This better not be a joke.” I yelled into the store while getting closer to the crying noise, rounding a corner I dropped the bat in surprise.

“Is that, seriously a baby? Why just why?” I started to panic and my stomach cramped from the shock. Not liking the yelling the little one began to wail even louder, shocking me out of my panic. I moved over to pick her up, realizing she had to be cold from laying naked on the dingy white-tiled floor.

“Give me just a second little one. I need something to keep you warm.”

I looked around for something to wrap this little girl up in. The only thing remotely clean was my blue work apron so I slipped that off and wrapped the little one in it. The baby stopped wailing and watched my frantic movements with clear blue eyes.

“Okay, we need to get out of here.” I started to head for the exit but stopped short. I can’t leave, my car has no heat, my driving in the snow is spotty at best, I didn’t have a car seat for the little one, and the store didn’t even carry them.

“Okay lets call for some help.” I said to the baby while attempting to balance her and pull my phone out. The screen was flashing no service and 5% critical battery life.

“Great this is how I die.” My frustration set the little one off again and I realized I might have to wait it out until the opening shift arrived in about eight hours.

“You need baby stuff, I think, shit where is a convenient diaper bag when you need it?”

I headed towards the kid’s section attempting to act calm, but this whole situation was making my stomach hurt.

“Baby aisle, where the hell?” I look at the top of the baby’s head. “Shit, I probably shouldn’t say hell around you.”

I ripped open a package of diapers to put one on her, followed by a pink onesie,  and wrapped her up in an actual baby blanket.  As I began looking for the formula, I found a large puddle of clear fluid and blood. I set the little one down on a thick blanket and went closer to inspect.

“Ouch” I slipped and fell in the fluid only to become covered in what I then realized was water breakage.

“That is so gross” I screamed, which caused the baby to begin crying.

“Shit, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I said while scrambling over to the baby, wincing at the newfound pain in my ass.

While picking her up, I realized there were little drops leading away from the larger puddle.  I followed the drops as they became further spaced apart and began leading towards the kitchen section. There I found a placenta and the other half of the cord tied off with butcher’s twine. A large kitchen knife was laying beside the mess.

“How on God's green Earth was someone able to give birth in here without me knowing?” I was so confused and it kept building until I couldn’t breathe. All the pain in my body was amplified and I forgot how to breathe. As the panic began to build, I felt a little hand smack my chest. That little thump reminded me how to breathe, but my stomach still hurt.

“Where is your momma? Why did she leave you?” I asked the little head asleep on my chest. Her blue eyes opened and she began to suck on her fist.

“Shit she’s hungry, please don’t cry yet.” I said while fast walking back to the baby section. I found some formula and made a bottle using a bottle of water from a nearby aisle.

“C’mon please drink.” I said while trying to get the little one to latch on. As she began to drink, I wandered over to the furniture section and settled into a chair.

“There we go” I murmured patting her butt and as the exhaustion of the day caught up to us, we both drifted off to sleep.

“Ma’am, ma’am. Do you know what day it is?” I woke up to a bright light shining directly into my eyes.

“Tuesday, I think.” I said groggily while blinking the brightness out of my eyes. As I looked around at my surroundings, I saw a brightly lit basic room with what looked like a little rolling box in the corner.

“It’s Friday, but you were found on a Tuesday. A little confusion is normal after a surgery.” The woman, wait are those scrubs, nurse replied while helping me sit up in my bed some.

“Why am I in a hospital? What surgery?” I asked while trying to get my eyes to following the rapidly moving woman around the room.

“You had a surgery to remove the retained placenta, it was causing an infection which nearly killed you.” She replied matter of factly.

“Placenta, what…. Where’s the baby?”

“Your daughter is right here, she’s a little trooper.” The nurse replied cheerily while bringing the rolling box, closer. Inside was a baby wearing a pink onesie, staring at me with the clearest blue eyes.