The Wal-Mart Baby: Chapter 3

After receiving the call from Cristal, that Summer and her mother had been located, we met up at Wal-Mart to buy some things for the baby. 

We heard that Summer needed formula, because mom had currently been feeding her whole milk and pizza. 

We also got her diapers and medicine, because Summer supposedly had a bad diaper rash. 

We got her some warm clothes because we heard that she had no clothes. 

We also picked up a few things for the mom. 

I followed behind Cristal's car to a location far out in Adelanto. We arrived at a small, run down apartment that Summer and her mom were crashing at with some friends. I felt very uncomfortable and awkward going into this apartment because I felt that all the people lounging around were staring at us.

This is when I saw Summer for the first time. I didn't know what to expect because I had never asked Cristal if she was Caucasian, or Hispanic or African American.

Summer was buckled in her stroller and her mom had parked her in the corner of the room. Even though it was November, she was wearing a thin onsie and a pair of short coveralls. 

Cristal asked the tenants if we could borrow a back bedroom so we could talk privately. They gave us a nod and so we all went into a total strangers messy room and we sat on the floor as Cristal began to ask mom what had happened and how she was doing. This mom, who is in her middle 20's, has the mentality of a 13 to 15 year old, and in between tears, she told Cristal a long, sad story of her current circumstances and how she was going to jail because she got caught stealing, and many other sad events, including the story of how her parents forced her to use drugs and prostitute herself. 

Mom was bruised up from her recent beating at the hand of Summer's daddy, and she seemed to still be on some sort of drug. Summer's dad was in jail but he was scheduled to be released soon and so mom was frightened. She was also trying to keep Summer from being taken away by CPS. She already had an open file and CPS was currently monitoring her situation. Mom said she had no place to go and no way of taking Summer to her doctor appointments or buying formula and diapers. Mom was very despondent and listless. 

Cristal introduced me and told mom a little bit about us and our family and Cristal suggested that perhaps mom would consider letting Summer stay with us for a bit while she found herself a place to stay and got herself cleaned up. Mom said that her lesbian sister was already in the process of filing for the guardianship of Summer but mom did not want her sister to have custody of Summer. She said that the sister had accused mom of letting men change Summer's diapers for money. We were not sure if this was true or not, but Summer did have a very bad rash and yeast infection when I changed her diaper at the apartment. 

Mom went on to say that she wasn't going to let anyone take Summer away from her, and she had thought of running away to hide from CPS. Cristal assured mom that we wouldn't be taking Summer away and it was just a temporary solution so mom could get herself together. It was for Summer's safety because her dad was getting out of jail soon. At this point, mom, who had been in a haze for most of the conversation, seemed to perk up and have a moment of clarity as she began talking out loud of how she could maybe enroll in college if she didn't have Summer to take care of. She also commented that CPS would probably let her keep Summer if she saw that she was being cared for and had clothes and food. Cristal agreed and assured mom that Summer would be well taken care of and we would take Summer to the doctor right away.

All this time I had sat quietly.
After a short pause, Summer's mom agreed to let me take her home.

Mom sat up straighter and began to dry her tears. She asked if I would bring Summer back to her every weekend. Before I could answer, Cristal gently reminded mom that she needs to focus on her recovery right now and we would be taking Summer to church on the weekend. Mom, who used to go to church and was even baptized once, understood and seemed relieved that Summer would be going to church as well.

While this conversation was taking place, I had been changing baby Summer's diaper, making her some formula and playing with her on the floor. The dirty floor was covered in choking hazards. Pennies, cigarette butts, tabs and other things covered the floor. In the time I was there, I made a large pile on the bedroom night stand of items that Summer had put in her mouth as she was crawling on floor. 

Summer was so cute though. She was 7 months old and she had big gray eyes and short wispy blonde hair. She smiled a lot and she was very active. She had a little outie belly button, and I remember thinking how chunky her little thighs were compared to my kids' noodle-y limbs. Summer was in pain however, from her diaper area being so inflamed, and so she would smile and then she would cry. I gave her a bottle and she gulped it down in record time. I also gave her some Gerber puffs and she swallowed them without chewing.

Mom got up and began to locate Summer's social security and medical cards. Cristal asked mom to sign a letter giving Sean and I permission to care of her daughter and a medical release to be able to take her to the doctor. Mom readily agreed and handed over Summer's pertinent documents and signed the letter.

I don't even remember what I was thinking at this point, everything was happening so fast and all I could think about was getting the baby out of this environment.

Mom loaded up Summer's few belongings, which consisted of the clothes she was wearing, the letter, her medical cards, one pair of newborn shoes, a stroller, a car seat CPS had bought her, and 2 or 3 bottles. The rest of her belonging were the items we had just purchased at Wal-Mart. Mom gave me her cell number and then she buckled Summer's car seat into my Expedition, kissed her good-bye and told me she would call me later.
Mom had a bounce in her step now and she seemed to be almost giddy with relief. Cristal hugged her and spoke some words of encouragement to her and then Summer and I were driving away, heading back to my home.

As soon as Summer was buckled into the car seat, she began to arch her back and to scream an unnatural shrill scream, characteristic of babies who have been exposed to drugs in the womb. We believe that Summer had a major aversion to car seats because since she was born, she was always locked into a car seat or stroller while her mom did her own things, even at nighttime. Summer did not own a crib, even though a grandfather has supposedly bought her one. Summer was in a tremendous amount of pain from her bottom, and we found out later that she had tummy problems from her acidic pizza diet.
I could hear her flailing around in the back seat and I was shaking as I tried to drive home.  

Then my cell phone began to ring. 

It was Sean.

The conversation went something like this.

Phone: Ring. Ring.

Me: Uh, hi honey.

Sean: "Hey, I was just calling to see if you were on your way home yet...."

Me: Uh, Yes, I am definitely on my way home right now.

Sean: "So how did it go?  I was worried about you being over there in that neighborhood. Did the mom like the stuff you guys bought for her baby?"

Me: Awww, that's sweet of you to be worried about me, dear, I am quite safe. I'm not really sure if mom liked the baby stuff, she didn't really have anything to say about that topic in particular.

Sean: "Oh, really? So what did..."

Summer: WAHHHHHHHHHAAA-WWWWAAAAAAAAAA-WAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Sean: "Is that the baby crying? Are you still at the apartment? I thought you said you were driving home now?"

Me: Uhh, Yes, that is the sound of the baby crying and I am on my way home, but uh, Sean, I have something to tell you...I kinda, sorta took the baby with me. Well to be more exact, the mom gave me the baby.

Sean: "WHAT!????!!! You WHAT!!????"

Summer: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Me: Honey, I can't really concentrate right now and I'm trying to drive and I can't hear you because the baby is crying so I will see you in a bit OK? I'm almost home and then we'll talk, OK???!