Free Hush Little Baby by Caroline B. Cooney Page B

just as much of a jerk.
    He had let Kit drive off into the unknown— truly unknown! He himself had said that these people are seriously hiding from their fellow humans — and he’d let his nine-year-old sister go along! All they knew of Cinda, Burt, and Ed was that Kit was afraid of Ed, and Ed expressed himself by driving over flower beds.
    Rowen comforted himself with the fact that Ed Bing really was Dusty’s cousin. Therefore the whole thing had a certain in-the-family safety net. But why had Dusty disappeared? Why hadn’t the adopting parents gotten the baby at the hospital? Had Dusty changed her mind about giving up Sam the Baby? She had certainly made up her mind fast enough when she had a chance to give the baby to Kit.
    Rowen had not even wanted to touch the baby. It was too little. It didn’t look like babies in ads for tires or insurance. It looked all red and sunken. Even its little sob was scrawny. Had he ever been that little?
    And when he was, had Mom and Dad tossed him here and there, driving away, forgetting to tell people his name?
    Mom and Dad were out.
    But Aunt Karen and Uncle Anthony were home.
    He wanted to ask them what they thought, but he knew what they would think. They would be furious and appalled. They would not even waste time yelling at him. They might actually call the police. He might have to admit to the police that yes, his nine-year-old sister, an unknown baby, and a teenage friend of his had driven off into the back of beyond because of one phone call from a strange voice. And he, Row, had said huffily, you’re being dumb — and then let them do it. He should have insisted on an adult’s advice before Kit took off, and if Kit wouldn’t change her mind, he should have gone, too.
    He had had them all in his own car, and he could have done the driving, or simply driven to a better destination — Aunt Karen and Uncle Anthony’s.
    He changed radio stations, hoping to be distracted by some decent music. But it was news hour everywhere. The ATM scam was big stuff; events were unfolding at this very moment. Police were expecting to make arrests shortly. Things, said the spokeswoman importantly, were happening fast.
    If something happens, thought Row, and I’m not there …
    But what could happen?
    What was he afraid of?
    He drove aimlessly.
    Usually Rowen found this totally satisfying, exploring every road, testing every intersection. Now he circled near Kit’s father’s house, trying to remember the directions Cinda had given over the phone. Route 80 West — and then what?
    Route 80 went all the way to California.
    Muffin was pleased with the new family.
    The house was the kind that would be full of happy dogs and sleeping cats and stuffed teddy bears and baskets of rose petals. There would be a refrigerator jammed with nibbly things; and the new mommy would want them to sit down and have something yummy to eat and get to know the baby together and talk about everything, but none of this mattered.
    What mattered was that Muffin needed to go to the bathroom.
    Bad.
    Cinda was clapping and opening the door. “Oh, here’s my baby! Here is my baby! Oh, he’s so beautiful, he’s so perfect!” She leaned over Muffin without even seeing her. She undid Sam’s straps and lifted him across Muffin’s lap and out of the car and up onto her shoulder, still laughing, and now kissing as well.
    Muffin had forgotten to get her camera ready, but Kit had not. That was another nice thing about being older; you didn’t forget stuff. You paid attention. Muffin reminded herself to pay attention.
    Kit focused the gaudy yellow box on Cinda’s face and caught a perfect picture of a mommy’s coo when she first saw her son. Muffin was happy. There was nothing Muffin liked better than sitting on Gramma’s lap and looking at Muffin’s own baby books.
    Cinda jounced Sam the Baby — a little too hard for Muffin’s taste. On the other hand, Muffin really had to go to the bathroom and all bouncing was a