“You can hand me wipes,” I told her, setting Ruby down on the changing mat in the living room.
Ruby squirmed and made little unhappy noises. Her diaper looked heavy, so I opened it carefully.
“Okay, helper,” I said, smiling at Mia. “Wipes please.”
Mia handed me one very seriously, like she was assisting in surgery.
Just then, Patricia stepped inside without asking and hovered near the couch, arms crossed.
“You know,” she said, “Emma never did learn how to do things properly.”
I ignored her and focused on Ruby.
That’s when Mia suddenly leaned closer, her forehead wrinkling.
“Mommy…” she whispered.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
She pointed under the edge of Ruby’s diaper.
“Something’s stuck.”
I thought it was just diaper cream or maybe a piece of cotton from a wipe.
But Mia leaned closer again.
And then she screamed.
“Mommy!!”
The sound ripped through the room.
My heart slammed into my throat.
“What? What happened?”
Mia stepped back, eyes huge.
“There’s something on the baby!”
My hands started shaking as I looked closer.
Under the diaper, stuck carefully against Ruby’s tiny skin, was a small square object wrapped in clear tape.
It didn’t belong there.
It looked like a tiny electronic chip.
For a second my brain refused to process what I was seeing.
Mark came running from the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?”
I pointed silently.
He leaned in, and the color drained from his face.
“Don’t touch it,” he said quietly.
Patricia suddenly spoke behind us.
“What nonsense are you all making—”
Then she saw it.
Her reaction was strange.
Too quick.
Too sharp.
“That’s nothing,” she said immediately. “Probably part of a medical monitor. Babies have those things.”
But Mark was already pulling his phone out.
“Mark, don’t be ridiculous,” Patricia snapped.
He ignored her and dialed.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
Mark swallowed hard.
Leave a Comment