Chapter One
“Jessie, remember not to look into the patients’ rooms when we walk by,” said her mother.
Jessie Hanson balanced a vase of autumn flowers in one hand and a small package tied with yellow ribbon in the other. Her thick blonde braid, the color of wheat, bounced as she walked. With eyes the shade of blue cornflowers, she looked like many of the Swedish people living in Fairfield. “I’ll bet Mrs. Novak is so excited about her baby, Mom.” She checked her coat pocket with her elbow to be sure her new camera was still there. She’d received it from her parents on her thirteenth birthday last week. “How long will she be here?”
“I think they go home tomorrow. Oh, here’s room 323.” Mrs. Hanson knocked lightly on the closed door.
“Come in,” said a soft voice.
The room was filled with bright flowers in pretty vases. Red and yellow leaves drifted past the window at the end of the sun-filled room. It was a perfect October day in Nebraska. Jessie loved this time of the year. She put the flowers and gift on a table by the door.
Anna Novak sat in a chair holding her child. Anna had dark curly hair and eyes that were almost black. Her skin was rosy and her smile was sweet. Jessie thought Mrs. Novak was gorgeous.
Jessie walked to the new mother and looked down at the baby. “Oh, he’s beautiful! He looks just like you, Mrs. Novak.” Jessie touched the child’s tiny hand and looked at the bracelet around his wrist. Little blue beads spelled out NOVAK. She took her camera from her coat pocket. Is it okay if I take his picture? Everyone wants to see what he looks like.”
“I don’t know, Jess,” said her mother. “Maybe the flash is bad for him.”
“It’s alright,” said the baby’s mother. “I’d like that.”
Jessie aimed her camera over the pretty infant. He was asleep and seemed unusually calm for one so young. His hair was black and curled but looked like he’d already had a trim at the barber’s. And his lips were a blush pink. Just then he woke up and looked solemnly at Jessie with lovely dark eyes. She snapped the picture. “I’ll get it developed and make an extra copy for you and Mr. Novak,” Jessie said.
“Thank you. The hospital picture isn’t that good. And thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely.”
“Look at his hair—all those curls,” said Mrs. Hanson. “And those eyes! Aren’t you thrilled?”
Anna Novak smiled and her eyes gleamed with tears. “Beyond thrilled.”
“Here’s a little present for…what did you name him?” asked Mrs. Hanson.
“His name is Andel,” said Mrs. Novak. She kissed his forehead. “That’s Czech for angel. And Stefan after my father.” She took the gift and opened it. “This is perfect. A silver spoon and fork.”
“He’s supposed to really eat with them,” said Jessie. “Then when he gets teeth, there’ll be tiny dents where he bites them. You should see Phillip’s little spoon and fork. All beat up.”
There was a sharp rap at the door. A nurse bustled into the room. She wore a white surgical mask.
How weird , thought Jessie. Why a mask? She glanced at her mom.
“Time for baby to go back to the nursery.” The nurse reached down for the infant.
“So soon?” exclaimed the baby’s mother. “He just got here.’
The nurse didn’t answer, took the baby and left the room.
Jessie watched her hurry out. Tennis shoes? Do nurses wear high top tennis shoes?
Jessie and her mom chatted with Anna about the bouquets and the excitement of the new arrival. They were all laughing when a different nurse pushed open the door and walked into the room. “I’ve come for your baby, Mrs. Novak. You need to…Oh, where is he?”
“A nurse took him about ten minutes ago.”
The woman retreated from the room without a word.
“What’s going on, Trudy?” asked Anna.
“I don’t know,” said Jessie’s mom.
Suddenly the second nurse reappeared at the door with a supervisor who said, “I’m afraid your
“Jessie, remember not to look into the patients’ rooms when we walk by,” said her mother.
Jessie Hanson balanced a vase of autumn flowers in one hand and a small package tied with yellow ribbon in the other. Her thick blonde braid, the color of wheat, bounced as she walked. With eyes the shade of blue cornflowers, she looked like many of the Swedish people living in Fairfield. “I’ll bet Mrs. Novak is so excited about her baby, Mom.” She checked her coat pocket with her elbow to be sure her new camera was still there. She’d received it from her parents on her thirteenth birthday last week. “How long will she be here?”
“I think they go home tomorrow. Oh, here’s room 323.” Mrs. Hanson knocked lightly on the closed door.
“Come in,” said a soft voice.
The room was filled with bright flowers in pretty vases. Red and yellow leaves drifted past the window at the end of the sun-filled room. It was a perfect October day in Nebraska. Jessie loved this time of the year. She put the flowers and gift on a table by the door.
Anna Novak sat in a chair holding her child. Anna had dark curly hair and eyes that were almost black. Her skin was rosy and her smile was sweet. Jessie thought Mrs. Novak was gorgeous.
Jessie walked to the new mother and looked down at the baby. “Oh, he’s beautiful! He looks just like you, Mrs. Novak.” Jessie touched the child’s tiny hand and looked at the bracelet around his wrist. Little blue beads spelled out NOVAK. She took her camera from her coat pocket. Is it okay if I take his picture? Everyone wants to see what he looks like.”
“I don’t know, Jess,” said her mother. “Maybe the flash is bad for him.”
“It’s alright,” said the baby’s mother. “I’d like that.”
Jessie aimed her camera over the pretty infant. He was asleep and seemed unusually calm for one so young. His hair was black and curled but looked like he’d already had a trim at the barber’s. And his lips were a blush pink. Just then he woke up and looked solemnly at Jessie with lovely dark eyes. She snapped the picture. “I’ll get it developed and make an extra copy for you and Mr. Novak,” Jessie said.
“Thank you. The hospital picture isn’t that good. And thank you for the flowers. They’re lovely.”
“Look at his hair—all those curls,” said Mrs. Hanson. “And those eyes! Aren’t you thrilled?”
Anna Novak smiled and her eyes gleamed with tears. “Beyond thrilled.”
“Here’s a little present for…what did you name him?” asked Mrs. Hanson.
“His name is Andel,” said Mrs. Novak. She kissed his forehead. “That’s Czech for angel. And Stefan after my father.” She took the gift and opened it. “This is perfect. A silver spoon and fork.”
“He’s supposed to really eat with them,” said Jessie. “Then when he gets teeth, there’ll be tiny dents where he bites them. You should see Phillip’s little spoon and fork. All beat up.”
There was a sharp rap at the door. A nurse bustled into the room. She wore a white surgical mask.
How weird , thought Jessie. Why a mask? She glanced at her mom.
“Time for baby to go back to the nursery.” The nurse reached down for the infant.
“So soon?” exclaimed the baby’s mother. “He just got here.’
The nurse didn’t answer, took the baby and left the room.
Jessie watched her hurry out. Tennis shoes? Do nurses wear high top tennis shoes?
Jessie and her mom chatted with Anna about the bouquets and the excitement of the new arrival. They were all laughing when a different nurse pushed open the door and walked into the room. “I’ve come for your baby, Mrs. Novak. You need to…Oh, where is he?”
“A nurse took him about ten minutes ago.”
The woman retreated from the room without a word.
“What’s going on, Trudy?” asked Anna.
“I don’t know,” said Jessie’s mom.
Suddenly the second nurse reappeared at the door with a supervisor who said, “I’m afraid your
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