Baby

We were at a bar in Chinatown, but there were no Asian people there. Joan and I were sitting in a far corner, trying to be alone. But it was crowded.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Excuse me.”

I was heading for the bathroom. They wouldn’t move.

“Ah, that’s short for ‘get the fuck out of the way,’” I said.

I pushed the big guy. He did nothing.

Joan and I had been fighting.

When I got back from the men’s room, the guys were gone.

So was she.

***

She had the baby, but it was hard for her. Her placenta broke up during delivery and she bled a lot.

The kid was fine, but they stuck the hell out of Joan with IVs. She lost a great deal of blood. The kid was swaddled in the nursery — of course, unaware.

***

I sent her a present and one for the baby. They were nice gifts.

***

She sent me a thank you note and time went by. Without much money, she cooked Kraft macaroni & cheese and top Ramen for herself. She was still nursing.

A thousand miles away, I made frozen pizza (Celeste is still my favorite kind) and drank cheap vodka.

***

A year later, I called her up. I hadn’t called before.

“He’s not yours,” she said.

“I know,” I said.

We talked for another minute or so. That was it.

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Larry Fondation is the author of four books of fiction, all set in inner city Los Angeles. His most recent, a collaboration with artist Kate Ruth, is called Unintended Consequences, a collection of short stories.