Just Babies

Just Babies

 1850's 

“Isn’t this a lovely park Mallory, it’s so nice to finally be here in California.”  The mother jostled her small child in her arms as they strolled through the Union Hotel’s manicured grounds.  It was a bright, dry sunny afternoon and the grounds were filled with flowers and large trees. Mallory looked around with her big antiqued green eyes taking in the cloudless blue sky and lush green grass.  It was peaceful and quite away from the downtown noise and clamor of the wagon they had been bumped along in for days. Elizabet had insisted her husband go and finalize their travel plans without her.  She just wanted to enjoy some quite before they had to get on a train to New Orleans.  All the change had upset Mallory and she was looking forward to just letting her beautiful child explore and play.   Elizabet sat her daughter down in a large sand pit and the curios girl immediately started running her fingers through the new texture.   She quickly became completely occupied.  Using her rattle to dig through the sand she built up small piles, then destroyed them with a big squeal. She occasionally looked up at her mother with joy written all over her angelic face.   A boy around her age waddled into the sand pit. He had not yet conquered real steps but really was concentrating hard to get his feet and balance under control.  He leaned back and forth on the ball of his feet like someone on a tight rope finding balance before he plopped down. Falling hard like only a baby with a well padded seat that didn’t have far to fall could.  He looked straight at Mallory with his iceberg blue eyes and gave her a big double dimpled smile.  “O what a flirt, and that smile!”  Elizabet exclaimed to the boy’s mother as she sat down next to her on the wood slated bench.  “He gets those dimples from his father.  He smiled at me and it wasn’t until that moment that I found out I had a weakness for them!  Hi, I'm Lucy and this is Fin." The women shook hands lightly. "Well good morning that is Mallory and I'm Elizabet so nice to meet you" She was genuinely pleased to see another mother.  They had been isolated on the move from Oregon to here and conversation with someone other than her husband was welcome. "I’m surprised to see Fin smile like that truthfully, he hasn’t been very confident around other children," Lucy confessed.

Mallory lifted up her chubby little finger covered in granules of sand and poked the boy right in his dimple and both toddlers started to giggle.  “This is so lovely they seem to like each other,” Lucy said. Are you staying here at the Union for long maybe we could get them together again during our stay?  We are starting a vineyard and are out in the middle of no where and never get to mingle with other people let alone babies.  Mallory was showing Fin how great it was to destroy sand piles and they were working together to make a giant pile.  Elizabet replied, “yes look at that just like they do this everyday!  I have been isolated as well and it is a great thing to see her play with another child, but we are just moving through. We will be getting on a train to go to our new home in New Orleans tomorrow. My husband has been asked to come teach medicine at the medical college of Louisiana. We are very excited to be moving to such a large and busy city it is a big change for us.   My husband will be busy all day so we can at least stay her and visit today!”  She rustled through her enormous bag and pulled out needles wrapped into a bright yellow, purple and green yarn.  The babies teamed together in getting as much sand scooped on each other that they could laughing and cooing to each other in a private baby talk conspiracy.  Completely lost with the joy of each other they were startled when a few ducks started a commotion when they landed in the small pond on the edge of the grounds.  Both Mallory and Fin looked at each other with raised eyebrows and squealed in shock and delight.  Mallory used Fin as a ladder to pull and tug herself to a standing position.  She managed to get herself upright with only one little hand clutched to Fin’s shoulder for balance.  Her mother waited on the edge of her seat to see if her help was going to be needed.  Mallory looked over towards the pond and to the loud squawks that were just out of sight, eyes sparkling with curiosity.  She tugged up on Finn’s shirt grunting a little.  Not as confident of his coordination yet he started to get up by rolling forward to his knees and hands.  Next he manipulated his rear end into the air but was stuck with his hands and feet still on the ground.  Mallory took charge and grabbed him by the waist and pulled.  Both mothers were trying not to laugh shocked and fascinated by this team work.  The tug did it and they were both on their feet.  Fin turned in Mallory’s arms and they held each other in triumph leaning back and forth until both stood solid without each others aid.  Fin grabbed Mallory’s arm and they faced the pond and started trudging slowly towards the mysterious noises.  The mothers looked at each other, “I guess we are going to the pond!”  Elizabet announced.  “O will you catch up with them I will get some bread from the hotel so they can feed the ducks!”   Elizabet dutifully quick stepped to catch up to the wobbly toddlers.  If one fell the other kept hold of their hand and tried to help them up.  If both fell they would try crawling for a bit then get back up to their feet again.  It was a slow process one little white head next to a dark one bopping along, but both mothers were patient and the pay off when the ducks were discovered was worth it.  Delighted shrieks mixed with the happy dance of both feet stamping in place was quiet a delight for everyone.  The toddlers wouldn’t let go of each other except when it took both hands to tear pieces of soft white bread and attempt to toss it at the ducks.  The ducks didn’t mind if it didn’t get right to them and raced each other to shore to greedily snatch up the easy meal delighting the children.

So the day went on the mothers let the children splash a bit in the water while they shared their fears and hopes for their children and the future. Both continued to comment on how well the young ones got along, bonded.  Soon the sun started to lower and both children who had been spooning in a wonderful nap woke up and turned to each other smiling.  They played with each others fingers continuing the gurgles and chirps that seemed to be understood by them.  “Well I hate to end one of the most peaceful afternoons of Fin’s short life but if I don’t drag my husband away from his study we will never get dinner.  Lucy had collected all of her things and had placed Fin on her hip.  “It was so lovely to meet you I hope you have a safe trip to New Orleans”  “Thank you so much good luck with all your endeavors.”  Elizabet replied as she began to collect her things and ready them to leave as well.  Mallory pushed herself up to a kneeling position surprised to see Fin taken away from her.  She looked at her mother brows arched, then Fin who was looking back over his mothers shoulder.  Fin smiled at her cooing but Mallory flashed from a blank wide eyed face to full panic.  Her face started to go bright red, tears raced each other off her cheeks.  Mallory tried to stand up and walk after them and fell hard to her knees bringing on deafening screams of frustration and anger.  Finn started to worry and tried to struggle out of his mothers vice grip grunting and huffing but his mother added the other arm around him and he couldn’t escape. His limbs flailed in all directions, and tears burst.  Mallory’s mother herded her between her open arms preventing her from going any further.  She tried to pick her up but Mallory would just shove her away.  Her mother frustrated stepped away and left Mallory stunned.   Fin got one last look at Mallory before they went over a hill.  She stood alone arms outstretched grabbing for him with both hands screaming.