Mommy blinked a few times before answering. “How early?” her back lifted of the bed to stretch.
“Clock said four.” Mommy pulled Baby close enough to place a kiss on his forehead.
“No, clock read four,” she murmured in his hair. “Clocks can’t speak.” Baby didn’t listen. Baby was too busy pulling Mommy’s shirt to drink milk. “What did I say before?”
“There is no food,” Baby blinked. “Please, Mommy. Baby is hungry.”
Mommy sat straight up with her confused eyes on, searching around the room for the breakfast she could have sworn she placed on the table the night before. That’s when she noticed the calendar hadn’t been marked for three days.
“Fuck,” Mommy cried.
“Fuck,” Baby tried the brand-new word out.
Mommy stood from bed quicker than Baby saw Mommy stand from bed. Bed was her best friend, second to Baby of course. So, for Mommy to move away like that made Baby feel sorry for bed. Did she have a new best friend?
“Don’t look sad bed.” Baby tucked the sheets in between each other. “Mommy is just worried.”
“Baby don’t tell me you ate this rice uncooked.” Mommy cried.
“Yuppy,” Baby followed behind Mommy peeling his comic strip off Mr. Table. “It was good Mommy,”
Mommy brought her hands to her forehead. Her face looked like a tomato. Baby couldn’t remember the last time he tasted a tomato.
“Mommy you made bed cry” Mommy wiped cry from her own eyes. “Did bed hurt you Mommy?” Baby tried wrapping his arms around her full body, but his they were far too short.
“No.” was all she said before pulling their only chair underneath her. “Come here,” she pulled Baby on her lap, and lifted her shirt.
***
“I want to know what you think about escape.” Mommy watched as Baby colored with his favorite color blue.
“What is that?” Baby looked up at Mommy.
“Well,” Mommy took color blue from Baby and began drawing on another sheet of paper. “You know how we do training day, and you lay in Mr. Bath?” Baby nodded distracted by her artwork. “Escape is kind of like training day.”
“How?” Baby traced the colors with his pudgy pointer finger.
“Imagine right now we’re in Mr. Bath. But to get out, we have to hold our breaths for a very long time.” Mommy finished her picture. “Mrs. Door over there isn’t just a door. But a protection from real door.” She told. “Real door has lots and lots of water on the other side. So much, that you and I would have to stay back until water fills this room.”
“What happens when water feels the room?”
“Escape,” Mommy said.
Baby blinked three time. “But you said door is only unlocked when you are sleep. That’s what you said when I was four. You too said never to touch door, because door will hurt me,”
“Baby stop, and look at me.” Mommy moved so that Baby could only see her face. “I lied to you. Door can’t hurt you anymore.”
“What?” Baby looked at Mrs. Door.
“But you’re right. It’s only unlocked when I’m asleep.” Mommy sat down on her knees. “That’s why I need you to open it.”
“Me?” Baby whispered. “But what about water?”
“I’ll wake up by then. We just have to time it right.” Mommy insisted.
Baby wiggled in his seat.
“Baby if it comes to it? Would you do that for Mommy?”
Baby moved away from the seat, and crawled back in to bed. “I’m not brave like Mommy,”
“No, you’re not,” Mommy replied standing to her feet. “Your much more than that.”