For the first time, I wonder what Ree’s story is, but I decide it’d be best not to ask. Instead, I find myself telling her all about my first day at school and how the kids knew I lived in a shelter because I rode on the Homeless Bus and I had this stupid backpack, which I didn’t think was stupid at first. I thought it was great.

Ree shakes her head. “There’s all kinds of ways to brand a person.”

I’m not exactly sure what that means.

Finally I ask, “Do you think if Jewel sees Baby she’ll get well?”

Ree sighs. “I hope so. A kiss from Baby would be the best medicine, don’t you think?”

I nod. “I do.”

We sit there without saying anything for a while. I listen to the chatter of the squirrels. The air smells like carved pumpkins on Halloween. I know I need to get back to the shelter. Mama’ll be wondering where I am. But I want to stay here with Baby.

Ree nudges my knee with hers. “Let’s go over to the Christian Center and get you a different backpack. What do you say?”

I look at her scuffed boots, her rough hands. She sleeps out here in the cold every night. At least I’m inside where it’s warm and dry.

I nudge her back with my knee. “I say that’s awfully magnanimous of you.”

25

Family

Baby listened to the beat of Ree’s heart,

strong and steady and true.

He felt Ree’s body rocking gently

back and forth

in time with the bus as it made its way

across the city.

Baby heard different sounds

in this part of the city when he and Ree

got off the bus.

Carefully, Ree zipped Baby deep into her coat

and whispered, “Don’t make a sound.”

Now Baby wrinkles his nose against the sharp smell

of the hospital.

Now Baby perks up his ears

when he hears a word,

a name:

Jewel.

He wants to yip with joy

But Ree told him not to make a sound.

He swallows that yip.

Which makes him sneeze.

He feels Ree tense.

He hears her heart stutter.

“Sorry,” she says. “Must be all the chemicals in here.”

He hears another human’s voice say something sharp,

like a bark.

He feels a growl rumble in Ree’s chest.

“Family,” she says.

Then they are moving again, deep into that sharp

smell.

Ree bends her head and whispers, “That was close.”

She stops, pushes something with her hand.

She steps forward into a world of scents

that make Baby reel:

sharp, stinging smell of antiseptic

salty smell of sweat

welcome smell of food

dark, disturbing scent of sick

but underneath it all,

despite it all,

the smell Baby loves most in the world:

Jewel.

Baby squeals and wiggles and squirms

and claws his way out of Ree’s coat