Student to Parent, Suddenly

It was 9:30pm and half of the town was closed. The moon was partly behind clouds, and the streets Chase and his father drove were quiet, still, after a long week of work and school, for both citizens of old tradition, and students of a newer frame for ambition and amusement. Chase was dropped off at the corner of a park located in the middle of the University campus when his father, stout as Chase distinguished him, silently pulled over his truck. Because his father was considered the noble man among workers at his job, perhaps he had placed those expectations, as Chase doubts he does unintentionally, as mere obligations onto his son. He could’ve decided dropping him off a few feet from the entrance of the dorm building was enough to show he was, perhaps, disappointed; or tired from the excursions all through this week, as he always, deliberately, explains. For what, Chase, 19 years old, never could fully find the right words to describe. From elementary, even through kindergarten, he’d always known his dad as this, to his best description, a helpless workaholic - as much as he desires to say this to his face. It seemed, however, this was just his natural level that all men by fifty or sixty develop. He liked to imagine, having a son seemed to have stabilized his father for a while, including his mother, who passed away when Chase was twelve. But now, it had taken whatever process his father had at overcoming this distraction of work, and this tight management of his ethics to fully lighten up his personality.

For years, this small communication of just small actions, including this one, as he said ‘love you, bye’ and closed the passenger door and began his walk to the dorm, has been the only form of communication they could get out of each other. Though college has helped escape the terrible passivity of his home, there still, apart from his mother’s death, a confusing shift where his dad stood; and where he might go from here now Chase no longer stayed much at home. It worried Chase, as much as his dad, and he was sure of this, worried about him, if it ever crossed his mind Chase wasn’t always gonna be around. Chase is nearly done with the semester as a freshman; his dad, thankfully, paying for the supplies and debts. However, there is still an onslaught of work yet to be done. With strong anxiety, Chase is concerned he hasn’t properly gone through the proper process he expected, in some way, to change the outlook of his school life and make him more stronger, attractive maybe, to even help pay for his own education and move his narrative forward, naturally. That has barely become of it though, being mainly busy with school work. Now walking through the entrance of the dorm, stopping and turning around, his dad’s truck slowly disappeared into the night, out of sight of the moon. And as long as a loud argument didn’t break out this time, he felt hopeful this could possibly continue and make this hopeful independence happen. This would have to do, for now. He entered the lobby of the building and entered with his keycard the south side, mostly looking down to avoid any awkward staring from peers who remained awake until morning. He then took the elevator to the third floor.

Opening his dorm door, he walked in finding Theo, his roommate, sleeping on his bed. Quietly closing the door he stepped lightly over to his bed, which was on the opposite side of the room. He slid his backpack under, not attempting to care to get his essay homework done; and thought he should wait until the library opens tomorrow. Visiting my dad today was not worth it, he thought depressingly, and pressured himself to brush his teeth, to then put on something comfortable to not think about how easily things could’ve risen to anger and frustration. Looking out the window then, tonight, the moon shone through the blinds, creating an array of stripes onto the dark blue carpet, reaching and forming over Theo's body on his bed and near his feet. As he observed this vision of light, he used his hand to let the moon touch his fingers, and stepped off his creaking mattress to peek out and see the campus, and the town outward, lay empty with orange streetlights lined up on every sidewalk. Imagine I could hide behind those buildings while they look for me, he thought dreamily, and peered over to a student walking under a lamppost, in the direction of offices that had a small store for snacks and drinks for the students. Only accessible though to those who have keycards and an ID, that shows they are a student and not a phony who possesses a need for trouble.

Chase pictured how well he would look, if Theo were to turn around, see Chase looking out the window curiously. With moonlight outlining his hair and eyes, he would look back at him and say, ‘sorry, didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to bed,’ with a gentle smile that showed no mind for him catching Chase seemingly looking out. And garner a special connection with his roommate, who would know Chase as this curious fella who looked out windows at night, observing tensely to the townscape and university campus. Theo though was a heavy sleeper, or tried to be. He still wore his football shorts from practice, and had a bag of athlete fits on his bed near his legs; usually he was back around one in the morning. Most likely they cancelled due to their coach being sick…or getting struck by a truck, Chase thought, and giggled, before walking into the small restroom to change. Suddenly, though, he stopped. Was that a baby crying? he whispered. No - no I don’t think so, and continued on his way to start his nightly routine.

He washed his face lightly, and applied lotion on his arms to prevent itchiness while sleeping on the beds, which is alright for university standards, but still, it creates a tough process to find a comfortable position laying down. Which is why he wished his own blankets he brought from home didn’t smell like whiskey. Grabbing his towel he used to wash his face he placed it in the bin he could take tomorrow to the wash; all his blankets, ones he brought from home, were now in the bin due to Theo dropping whisky from the night before, causing a smell that reminded Chase of his father.

He was about to lay down and move his blankets the dorm manager provided when he heard outside his door a blaring cry, what seemed, of a baby being carried past their door. So it was true, he thought, and stayed sitting up to listen closely. He didn’t think of any of it at first, but before he could attempt to lay his head on the pillow, also provided by the dorms - “Was that a baby?” Theo asked, and Chase jumped and looked over to see Theo raising his head up and looking at the door. The moonlight is no longer far enough to reach his face, so Chase couldn’t see what expression he had.

“I think so,” Chase said, unbounded to really say anything. Now he answered, he had to stay awake.

“God, I’ve heard that baby like dozens of times before you -” Theo stopped, glancing at Chase through the dim darkness. “What time did you get back again, dude?”

Chase couldn’t answer when the cry of the baby started becoming clear to his ears again, that both boys knew, whoever was holding the baby, stood now outside their door. Theo then sat up completely, with a mere look of confusion, however not fear. Chase waited if anything would be said; could either him or Theo go and check outside? Before he knew it, Theo was already getting out of bed once the cry of the baby was no longer moving around the hall, clearly having stopped at their door. Theo always had a hard leadership to him; being a team leader of his football team for the campus. He grabbed the knob and opened cautiously, and froze. Chase expected a laughter; maybe some of the guys were pranking them; a parent maybe, just needing some help to know which number was which. Instead, Theo glanced back at Chase, and the expression was clear. Chase, who, still on the bed with hands tightening around the blankets, must have had a look of fright because Theo responded with, “It’s just a baby in a large container.” And added, “there’s a note too.”

The police were called a minute later. While they waited for them to arrive, Theo thought to carry the baby and wait in the parking lot for the police, but Chase quickly suggested they should keep it in their dorm, where it’s warm, assuming the baby's been outside for too long and probably needed to sleep. “We don’t have enough blankets, or comfortable ones that are suitable,” Theo said strictly, wanting to get rid of the situation, while on the phone with the police. Chase couldn’t convince him when he realized: the blanket he had in the bin, even if it slightly stank like whisky, was enough to wrap the baby a few times for it to be comfortable to sleep, to prevent crying all over again. Though, ever since Theo opened the door, and Chase held it for a while after wrapping it, the baby had barely made any noise, instead just whimpering softly every now and then. Of course, a few peers, including Theo’s friends that slept two rooms down, came to theirs asking who’s baby it was, why their door, and if it’s a boy or girl. “I don’t know, dude. The person just left a note,” Theo said, and handed it to Chase since he seemed accustomed to him to keep the guys from ravaging it. It read, ‘I’m sorry for causing such a mess for you. I’m not suitable for a child; please, make sure he’s safe.’ No name? Chase thought, and looked down at the soft, round face nicely between flaps of cloth, suddenly hiccuping, then giggling. “She didn’t give you a name, did she,” Chase whispered to the baby, bopping him up and down.

“What was that, Chase?” Theo said. He stood outside in the hall, surrounded by his friends who mainly listened as he talked on the phone.

“Huh, nothing,” Chase said, and strolled over to his bed to sit to position himself comfortably; his arms tired from holding the baby. Now he was out of sight of the group of boys by the door, including Theo. He prepared the baby and made sure he fell asleep before the cops arrived.

The baby’s eyes, Chase looked closely, reminded a strong feeling in the back of him that nearly had him look up and tell Theo to wait. A short moment of shock that humbled him, not in a way that frightened or strengthened his will to protect, but a little familiarity he wondered if his mother felt when she had him. And, looking down once more at the baby, a light sparkle from the moon onto the eyes of blue cylinders, surrounded by soft skin, Chase suddenly, as best he could describe, felt safe as though nothing could hurt him. And looked out the window to avoid hearing Theo’s friends asking if the baby was his.

“I think I’ll call you Trevor,” Chase said graciously, and the baby only giggled in response.

Looking past the office and the streetlights that hovered each sidewalk, he dreamed what his father was doing now, where he was going, and how long he had before he passed much like his mother, and felt a tinge of relief when seeing the building he saw and imagined what it would be like to run and hide, still darkened but still lit by the moon. Quickly, before he could ask Theo to go check in the lot for the police, he decided to go back to his bed and comfort the baby, and continued asking questions in a small voice as though the baby understood every word. Remaining present for once.

The moon still hovered perfectly over the town and campus; the trees especially flattered across the parking lot, as Theo stood on the sidewalk pick-up, and watched strictly for police vehicles to arrive. He left Chase to care for the baby in the dorm. He didn’t know whether to help along and wait with the baby outside, ready for police to confiscate. But, taking one peek in the dorm to grab his sports jacket by the door, he saw Chase on his bed talking quietly to the baby, and ought to leave them alone. He decided it would be best to leave the baby, where it’s warm and obviously safe, with his roommate alone. And, with anxious considerations, he knew he couldn’t handle such noise if the baby began to cry again. Knowing how annoying it was through the door, he wouldn't want to know its cries within a foot, with no barriers between him and it. Checking his pockets he was relieved to know he did have his keycard and ID, in case the police or any of the staff asked, why he stood alone.

Finally, two vehicles with ‘police’ on the doors drove onto the lot. Theo didn’t know why, because of a report of a baby being left alone with two college boys, he thought the vehicles would rush in and start harshly questioning him where it was, how he got it and such. Surprisingly though, the officer, the first to step out of his vehicle and nicely built, walked up to him and asked first, “Hey, how are you doing tonight?” in order to establish politeness.

“Fine,” Theo said awkwardly, and found as though the word was enough to say he hid something.

“You were the one that called, right?”

“Yes sir,” Theo said; knowing his own father was a sheriff at one point, he knew he would be proud to address them with sir without any pressure to do so. Or without indication that he was anyway rude or passive.

“Is the baby up there still?” the officer asked nicely.

“Yeah, my roommate, his name is Chase by the way -”

“What’s his name, again?” Another officer, who came in the second vehicle, caught up as they began walking back into the dorm building, and held the door open for the first officer that spoke.

“Chase,” Theo said, “C-H-A-S-E. His last name is Nelson. I’m Theo, by the way; last name: Stan.”

Once inside the lobby of the building - a few students on the north side door that led to the other half of the building - stood observing the scene of two officers following Theo, with one boy recording on his phone. “Where is the baby again?” the officer asked.

“With my roommate, Chase,” Theo said as though he was giving away his name as a form of reveal to illegal actions. He walked them through, using his card to give the police access to the hallways and elevator, to take them to the third floor of the building. “Do you boys know if it belongs to anyone on the campus?” one officer asked. Theo thought bitterly at the question, assuming the officer, based on how he looked stout and strict, and because Theo looked semi nervous to have police around, wondered if that officer was thinking he wanted to give away his baby. The moment shook him, and with as best he could maintain his tone, said, “No, sir. I wouldn’t think anybody on our side would be having babies.” The police nodded and took out a small notebook, which seemed he was supposed to have had out before, based on the jumping expression, as if realizing how personal the question was to ask a 20 year old.

The elevator stopped and Theo stepped out first to allow the officers to follow him. Just down the hall, a couple of boys were by their doors, now looking at Theo and the officers behind him. They stood back into their rooms to be sure they weren’t seen as suspects. Some for laughs, others out of genuine curiosity to finally witness something other than monotony of a school night. Theo remained stagnant in front of the officers, and led them to the dorm room. It was perhaps he never thought to see everyone having eyes on him, for an occasion that involved police. But Theo felt proud and wondered how far this experience would spread across campus by morning.

Making it to their dorm, opening it, “Chase, the police are here,” however, Chase was nowhere in the room. In fact, as the officers went inside the room to check, under Chase’s bed was no bag; in his closet, no clothes; and first in ever in a month, Chases’ bin of usually overpilled laundry now remained empty. The only thing left of evidence that Chase slept here was his notebooks, pencils, and economic assignment sheets, all thrown into the garbage, along with his key to enter the building, and his ID to establish him as a student. “He went down that way!” one boy said, noticing the officers were rummaging around the room, and Theo asked quickly, “Why didn’t you say anything, dude!”

On the other side was a staircase that’s meant for emergencies, that didn’t go off when Chase left. The police, as Theo stayed behind to stay out of their way, began running to check to see if they could spot Chase down the road, or somewhere waiting by the curb of the lot. Unfortunately, Chase wasn’t found anywhere near the campus, and quickly, one officer called in for a group searching for a boy with blonde hair, a tall figure, and with a baby, walking around maintown. In the last few hours, the boys began closing their doors, knowing they would be questioned by morning. Theo, meanwhile, who now waited in his dorm to give any information to the officers, exhausted himself from not having any clue where he might be. Existed now in a state of confusion. Though, found in his pillow, while searching for any evidence where he could’ve gone, the note that was left with the baby was slipped inside. He turned it around, seeing the moon shining through the window. Spotting the written letters on the back, it read, ‘Just say I was a phony student, and I only stayed there because I didn’t have a place to go. Me and Trevor, we’ll be out of the way; I can’t take care of him in that place - he’s mine now. I can’t do school at the same time. This is Good-bye. I’m finally going home where it’s safe.”

With a strong sense of fear he didn’t want to convince himself, suddenly a cry of a baby was heard outside, and quickly he went out the room to see.