Action Adventure / Finley (Analysis)

Prologue

When the boy began to die, Finley frantically searched through the extensive knowledge in his head for a remedy or method to help save him. Despite having devoured numerous medical tomes in his years locked away, he had no idea how to heal his only friend. When he realized he was helpless to stop the child’s life from ebbing away, he did the only thing that love would have him do. He bolted into the street, found his voice and began screaming to a world that had never seen him. He called for help to a neighborhood that he had been hidden from, a sun that had never touched his skin.

Now, they were coming. The people were coming and they would see him and his existence would no longer be a secret. His life as he had known it for all of his seventy years was about to end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1: An Unfortunate Birth

December 25th, 1938

With one last agonized groan, the young girl pushed and Finley Barker quietly slid into the world. His grandmother quickly severed the physical tie between her daughter and the new baby with a paring knife. She then quickly bundled him up in a ragged coat and, wrinkling her nose in disgust, turned to take him away.

“Mama, may I see the child?” the girl timidly called. She had been warned against implying maternity of the baby. Mother owned everything under this roof, including the new Barker.

“He is a freak,” the woman replied. “He is a punishment for your sin. It’s best that I drown him quickly and be done with it.”

Against her better judgment, the exhausted girl begged. “A boy? Please, Mama! Please? Let me be the one to dispose of him. It’s my responsibility.”

Adeline Barker turned and coolly regarded her only child. Sophia looked unwell. Her nondescript brown hair hung limply in her face and her eyes were feverish and bloodshot above stark, black circles. “Sophia, you aren’t capable, physically or emotionally. You’re a mouse. You can’t kill bugs, much less a baby, and you’re bleeding all over my settee.”

Frantically, Sophia tried another route. “Then let me keep him until I’m well. When I am, I’ll get rid of him. I promise, Mama! Please?”

Adeline was shrewd. This baby could be leverage and she wasn’t blind to the benefits of this sort of arrangement. “I’ll clean him. He may very well die, anyway. Deliver your afterbirth and dispose of it as I instructed. Once I’ve had a better look at him, I’ll decide what needs to be done.” She paused. “Sophia?”

“Yes, Mama?”

“Make sure it’s whole. No missing pieces.”

Sophia looked puzzled. “What’s whole?”

“The afterbirth, child! Were you not listening?”

The girl blushed. “I’m so thick, Mama.”

“I’m aware of your shortcomings, Sophia. They are plenty.”

Adeline continued into the kitchen where she placed the newborn on the countertop. She unwrapped him and stared in revulsion. The baby was badly deformed. His head was abnormally large and grossly misshapen. His ears were elongated and low so that they looked as if they might slide off of his head at any moment. His torso was normal, but his left leg was substantially shorter than his right, guaranteeing a lifetime of disability. He had quieted and was peering up at her with blue, bulbous eyes. Almost as if introducing himself, he thrust his hands forward and cooed at the woman inspecting him. She sighed. “You are an abomination. But you might prove to be useful.” She began to clean him with an old cloth. Though it was cold and rough, the baby continued to purr in delight. “Stop that wretched noise, child, or I’ll smother you right now.” The baby comically complied, closing his mouth with an audible snap. “You already have more sense than your mother,” she murmured.

“What’s wrong with him, Mama?” Sophia had quietly crept up behind her mother to have a closer look at the mysterious baby she had carried all these months.

“I told you. He is a punishment from God. Did you do as I asked?”

Sophia nodded eagerly. “I put it in the hole and sprinkled the ashes and salt on it.”

Adeline nodded. “Make a place for this thing in the basement.”

“But it’s so cold-"

Adeline turned and leveled her gaze upon her teenage daughter. “Do you want to keep him with you for a few days, or not?”

“Of course. I’m so sorry, Mama.”

“Very well. Do not use anything from the household items. You’ll find some old polishing rags in the south corner. As long as he doesn’t become a nuisance, you can keep him down there until you’re ready to right your mistake."

“Thank you, Mama. You’re very kind.”

“Don’t be stupid, Sophia. I know exactly what I am.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: No Crib For His Bed

Sophia gently placed the baby on his makeshift bed and then she sat back to look at him. She had tried to find the rags with the least polish on them, afraid that the fumes would hurt the child. “Stupid,” she muttered. “Mother wants me to get rid of you. Polish can’t hurt you like she can.”

The baby watched her, eyes bright with curiosity.

“You may not be very nice to look at, but you’re probably smarter than I am.” She stroked the infants foot and he chortled. Delighted, Sophia picked him up, unaware that a reaction such as this from a baby so new was highly unusual. He eagerly nuzzled against her, smelling the sweet, syrupy colostrum that would soon become milk. “Oh! You’re hungry!” She quickly freed a breast and with the instinct passed down through thousands of years, guided her nipple into the baby’s mouth. When he latched, she felt a surge of love and satisfaction. She was feeding her baby!

She tenderly kissed the top of his head and inhaled his scent. He smelled of grass and earth and blood. He suckled contently and when she touched his hand, he fiercely gripped her finger and sighed. Tears sprang to Sophia’s eyes. “My father used to read to me out of the paper. My favorite were articles called Mr. Dooley. I didn’t understand them, but they made my father laugh and when he did, I laughed, too. Then he would stroke my hair and say, ‘You’re a jewel, Sophia! A gem!’ Not much stays in my head, but I remember the man who wrote those articles. His name was Finley Peter Dunne and I always thought that was a fine name, a smart name. Finley sounds like someone who smokes cigars and drinks brandy.” The boy watched his mother, bonding with her, listening intently to the voice he had heard and loved in his dark and watery world where he grew and dreamed. “I think I’ll call you that. Finley. It’s a good name, don’t you agree?”

Sophia looked around at the child’s new home. The basement covered the impressive expanse of the house. There were dark corners that had never been explored and she shuddered at the thought of what creatures might inhabit those inky, black spaces.

Her father’s books and medical journals had been moved down after his death and they stood taller than a man and the width of the south wall. Dr. Jack Barker had been a voracious learner, determined to know everything about the beauty of the human anatomy. What he could not learn in those books, he traveled to find firsthand and spent many months in dangerous and exotic countries observing new methods and rituals. He would always bring a gift back for Sophia and though she dreaded his business trips, she always looked forward to each new treasure and the tale that went with it.

The baby’s eyes began to flutter as his belly filled with warmth. Sophia laid him carefully on his bed and swaddled him with the remaining rags. She then placed the baby in an old toolbox that had belonged to her father. She had cleaned it out, touching each piece and remembering how his hands had looked when he built the first dollhouse for her eighth birthday. “My father would have read to you, Finley. He would have made sure you were educated."

The creak signaled the door opening at the top of the stairs. “Sophia!” her mother hissed. “ You have been down there long enough! You have chores to tend to!”

“I guess I’m well, then,” Sophia muttered. A chill went down her spine as she realized what that might mean for baby Finley. She quickly closed the toolbox to keep out vermin and said a quick prayer for the safety of this innocent child. “I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispered to the drowsy infant. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile and Sophia felt something strange and almost painful break free in her chest.

“Sophia Lillian!”

“Yes, Mama. Coming.” As she neared the top of the stairs, her mother turned the light switch, plunging the basement into complete darkness. Please don’t let him be frightened, Sophia prayed. Please. She glanced toward the dark corner where her baby lay and was rewarded with a swift slap to the back of her head.

“Quit dawdling, child! Mr. Forbes is waiting!” Adeline spat.

Sophia turned and gaped at her mother. “But…Mama…”

“Do not begin that nonsense, again. He pays us three dollars a week to do his marketing and that is money we cannot afford to turn away.”

Sophia knew this was a lie. Her father had been a successful physician and an heir. The money he set aside for the care of his family would never be exhausted, not in this lifetime or the next. Mother simply derived great pleasure from watching Sophia squirm as she worked tirelessly for a few coins and some bills that would be spirited away at the end of a long day. Sophia was not a stranger to hard work and she enjoyed manual labor because it made her feel like she was valuable in some way. What she struggled with was this particular client.

“Do not let me find out that you’ve been cold to him, Sophia. The consequences will be dire.”

I’m already suffering, Sophia thought. “Yes, Mother.”

The girl dressed herself against the cold, gathered her shopping basket and stepped out into the frigid Chicago morning. The streets were empty as families gathered inside to exchange gifts and fruit and celebrate the birth of Christ. There were never celebrations in the Barker house. Mrs. Barker was a fire and brimstone Christian and she was fond of saying that God was cruel to sinners. Christmas was a frivolity and one she adamantly refused to acknowledge. Sophia believed that God was kind and had secretly been praying daily for the last five years. She took great comfort in knowing she had something that her mother couldn’t control or take away. Although her most fervent prayer had never been answered, she still believed that God was listening and soon, her life would be better. It was this thought that kept her from climbing to the roof and flinging herself to the cobblestones below.

“Good morning, Miss Sophia! A merry Christmas to you!” The grocer was sweeping the rubbish from his walkway.

“Good morning, Mr. Nicholas! A merry Christmas to you, as well.”

“Fetching some things for a holiday feast?”

Sophia hesitated. “No. I…I need the shopping list for Mr. Forbes.”

Mr. Nicholas looked shocked. “On Christmas morning?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You don’t get a morning off, Miss?”

She tried to look amused. “Do you, Mr. Nicholas?”

“Right ye are, but I have seven hungry mouths to feed!”

I only have one and he’s perfect, she thought. “Well, Mr. Forbes has no one to –“ she almost choked on the words- “ visit him this morning. I thought I might as well take his shopping to him, as well.”

“You’re a good girl, Miss Sophia. Heart of gold, you have. When you come back, see me. I’ll have some nice, hot cocoa waiting for you! My Christmas gift to you!”

“I’ll do that, sir.”

While the grocer collected the items, Sophia tried to come up with a scheme to keep her baby alive and with her. There was no doubt in her mind that Mother would kill him just to see her suffer. She simply couldn’t allow that to happen.

She turned her face up to the falling snow and asked God to help her so that her baby could live. When she opened her eyes, the grocer’s three girls were peering at her through the window of the small apartment above the market. The youngest, Lizzie, grinned and waved. The eldest daughter, Emily, opened the window. “Hello, Sophia! Come up and play dolls with us!”

“I can’t, Emily. I have chores.”

“But we need you to play the part of the mother!” This was the middle child, Agnes. “You’re the only one who does it properly!”

“Later, then. I’ll try to come see you after my chores are done.” She hadn’t been able to see the girls in the last two months of her pregnancy. It was too hard, at that point, to keep her swollen midsection bound under her clothes and Mama didn’t want anyone to know what a disgrace her daughter had become.

“Here you are, love.” Mr. Nicholas arranged the packages in her basket. “Now, the eggs are on top. Mind you don’t break them.”

“Shall I collect for you, Mr. Nicholas?”

“No, no, not necessary. I’ve started a new system for my oldest customers. I’ll just put it in his record and collect once at the end of the month. Much easier that way.”

“Very smart, sir. I never would have thought of something like that.”

Mr. Nicholas took note of the girl’s pale skin and hollowed eyes. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Sophia. You’re as smart as your father ever was. Now, you be on your way and get inside where it’s warm. You don’t look well.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3: Heritage

Sophia kept her eyes cast downward as the door was thrown open.

“Sophia,” Mr. Forbes breathed. “You’ve come.”

“Mama sent me.”

“I see.” He stepped back and pointed one thick, hairy forearm at the dark hallway. “Come in.”

I would rather die. God, please make this all stop. “Yes, sir.”

She quickly made her way to the kitchen and forward to the pantry. She waited for his hand to fall on her hair, to land on the small of her back. Her nerves were screaming.

“You look well.” He followed her into the kitchen, of course. “Is…did you have the baby?”

Her face bloomed with heat. How dare he even ask. “Yes.”

“A boy.” It wasn’t a question. When he received confirmation by way of her silence, he nodded, proudly. “Strong seed. Hah!”

Without further thought, Sophia risked everything for the tiny child she loved so fiercely. “He’s dead.”

Mr. Forbes stared dumbly at her from behind his thick spectacles. Somewhere in the house, a clock pendulum kept the time, swinging to and fro. “Dead?”

“He never took a breath,” she lied. “I’m not feeling very well, but I've finished your pantry. Can I go, now?”

“Will you stay for tea?”

“Mother said I should come straight home.”

He looked disappointed. “Well, then. Here you are.” He held out a bill and some coins. When she reached for the money, his hand closed around hers like a vice. “I put extra in there,” he said. His face was close enough that she could smell the sardines he ate every morning. “For you. For the trouble.” His tongue slowly crept across his lower lip. It was coated in a brown film. Sophia fought to keep from retching. “I wait for you every morning, Sophia. I need you so.”

“I should go.” She pulled her hand free, skirted around him and hurried for the front door. He called once behind her and then fell silent as she let herself out.

***

Sophia went straight home and quietly let herself in. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath. Her padding was soaked through with the blood of her delivery, her body was taxed and she felt weak from the birth. As she was creeping toward the basement door, she overheard her Mother’s voice coming from the parlor.

“Yes, well, I think school abroad would be a wonderful experience for Sophia, but the cost…”

“Not to worry, Mrs. Barker. Jack made all arrangements before his passing. It’s all been settled.” This voice belonged to Victor Burroughs, her father’s attorney. “She can leave as early as February.”

Adeline’s voice became soft and deadly. “I wasn’t aware of any fund, Victor.”

“Well,” he stammered, “Mr. Barker was very specific about the handling of this. He wanted it to be a secret until the girl’s sixteenth birthday. I’m honor bound to follow his wishes to the letter, Mrs. Barker, I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course you are. But, as her mother, I control Sophia’s future, not her dead father.”

Oh, you … you horrible beast! Sophia thought. She trembled as she shouted it in her head, afraid that Mother would somehow hear her. She never worried about being forced to leave Finley, at least not for some boarding school in Europe. Mama would find a way to access that money if it meant murdering her own daughter to do so. Oh, Daddy. I miss you so much. Thank you for always thinking of me. You were the only one who ever did.

She slowly opened the door to the basement and shut it behind her before flooding the room with light. Not a sound could be heard from the toolbox. Sophia descended and tentatively approached the box, fearing the worst. “Please, dear God, don’t let him be…” She was unable to voice her worst fear. She held her breath as she opened the box and a sob burst from her when she saw the baby, peering up at her with his lively blue eyes. He smiled when he saw her and she scooped him up and held him to her chest. Miraculously, he was warm. “I’m so sorry, Finley. I hate to leave you in this place. It pains me to think you might be lonely or cold.” She covered his tiny face with kisses and tears and then opened her blouse to nurse him. As she raised him to her breast, he lifted one small hand and placed it against her cheek as though comforting her. She gasped and looked down at him. He met her eyes and although his lunch was already glistening on one nipple and close to his mouth, he continued to look directly at her, ignoring what must have been a ravenous hunger to do so. Sophia was amazed as a sense of calm and blissful peace enveloped her. “I must be mad,” she laughed. Finley chortled once and then turned his head to eat. Sophia settled back against the wall and sang to him while his eyes drooped and his breathing deepened. She held him until she heard the front door open and voices above. Victor was leaving.

***

“Well?” Adeline looked at her daughter over the top of her wine glass. “I trust you were kind to Mr. Forbes?”

“Yes, Mama.” Sophia dutifully handed over the money he had given her.

“He paid you more than usual?” Her scrutiny made Sophia squirm. This was a reaction that Adeline adored.

“Yes. He said it was for … for Christmas.”

“You’re lying, girl.” Adeline stood and moved to stand over the trembling girl. “Now, why would you lie to your Mother?”

Sophia felt gooseflesh break out on her arms. It was never wise to lie to Mama about anything. “No lies, Mama. “

Adeline reacted swiftly. Wrapping the fine hair at the nape of Sophia’s neck around her fingers, she pulled until the skin stood out in protest. Sophia gasped and tears sprang to her eyes. “You are lying! You filthy harlot!” Adeline hissed. “You tell me the truth or I’ll leave you bald!”

“Mama, please!”

“Why would he give you extra money? What did you do for him, you little whore? Tell me!” As Adeline secured another loop around her finger, Sophia’s roots began to separate from the skin and blood began to bead there. Finley’s mother shrieked in pain. Despite the noise of her mother’s excited panting and Sophia’s pitiful whimpers, they both clearly heard the outraged howl of the baby in the basement. It was the first time Finley had ever cried.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Alliance

Sophia escaped a brutal beating only because Mother couldn’t stand the noise. Adeline released her daughter, panting. "Go! Quiet him or I’ll throw him out with the morning rubbish!”

She hurried to comfort him and was surprised to find the box had been left open. She clearly remembered closing it before climbing the stairs after Victor’s departure. Finley’s small fists were balled and flailing and his face was an alarming shade of red. Sophia held him close, rocking him and quietly murmuring until his cries had quieted to small hiccups. He nuzzled against her skin and groped blindly with one hand until she instinctively offered him a finger. His hand closed around her offering and she was surprised by his strength. How could one so new and so disfigured have so much force? “There, there, Finley. Mama’s here. “

She felt a trickle of blood at the nape of her neck and winced as the reality of their situation descended upon her. “Sometimes, Finley, love can kill you,” she whispered.

The baby gazed at his mother and a crease formed on his tiny brow.

“Never mind all that. It’s your birthday and it’s Christmas day, my love.” Sophia bundled the baby close to her and began an awkward waltz across the dirty floor. She hummed as she moved with him and the baby listened intently to her voice, his curiously aware eyes never leaving her face. He startled when her tears began to fall on his face, but Sophia only pulled him closer to her heart.

The moon rose higher in the winter sky and while families prepared for bed, new dolls carefully tucked next to warm bodies and kisses firmly pressed against soft skin, a lonely girl danced with her grotesque, helpless baby into the morning hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5: Differences

January 27th, 1939

As the days grew longer and the sun began to melt away the snow, Finley thrived. Despite his meager accommodations, he was never sick, his tummy rounded out and pronounced dimples appeared on his chubby arms and legs.

Sophia spent every available moment with him. She worked quickly to finish her chores and remained as obedient and passive as possible to avoid Adeline's wrath. She would then sequester herself in the basement to mother to this peculiar baby.

And Finley was a strange baby. He never cried, even when Sophia bathed him in the freezing air with nothing but cold water and a burlap cloth. His lips would turn blue and his skin would break out in bumps, but as Sophia murmured guilty apologies, he would smile at his mother as if telling her with his toothless grin that that all the world was as it should be.

She had no experience with babies, but common sense dictated that a five-week-old infant should not be sitting smartly on his own, listening raptly as his mother regaled him with stories about his grandfather. “If there was an ailment puzzling another doctor or a condition that could not be healed, they all called my father,” she told him. “Daddy knew everything.” She carried him over to the small window that faced the street and stood with him on a large box so that he could see the feet of the passers by. “When he was in India he met a woman who told the future, Finley! She told him his child would change the world. Me! Imagine it!” Her laughter trilled through the lonely basement and the baby, surprised by this rare display from the girl he loved so deeply, squealed in delight.

“Now, let’s look at some more of these books and see if we can’t figure out what’s going on with you. Oh! I have a gift!” Sophia went to the stairs and retrieved an old pillow from underneath them. “I hid this last week when Mother sent me down for candles. It belonged to my dog, Alistair.” Her face darkened, troubled. “Daddy brought him home the Christmas I was four. After he died, Mother turned him out. She said we couldn’t afford to feed him.” She put the pillow by the window and gently placed Finley on top. He thrust his fat fists into the softness of the seat and looked up at her, smiling. Sophia felt her heart give one of the lurches often accompanied by her baby’s smiles. “I know it only belonged to a dog, Fin. You deserve so much better, but he loved me and it just feels right that you have it, now.”

She went to pull one of the large medical volumes from it’s place against the wall and sat opposite Finley, opening to a place marked by a turned corner. “Ok. Where were we? Harlequin Ichthyosis.”

Sophia never mispronounced or faltered over unfamiliar words, even though her education had stopped entirely after her father died when she was eleven.

She studied the sketch for a moment. "Merciful God, Fin. Thank goodness this is not your affliction." The baby's smile disappeared and he regarded her comment with a humorously serious expression. "Not that there's anything imperfect about you, my love. I simply must know what we're up against so that I can better help you grow and develop." She turned and continued to skim through the pages. "Synostotic plagiocephaly. Maybe. Or maybe that incredible Barker brain is just too large for your tiny head. I think that's more likely."

The baby opened his mouth and turned his tongue uncertainly, as though chewing something strange. Alarmed, Sophia began to reach for him when he uttered a single word, separated by two very distinct syllables. "Ma..ma." Then, with more confidence, "Mama. Mama!" He looked very pleased with himself and brought his hands together in a single clap. "Mama!" Upon seeing the stricken expression on his beloved mother's face, his lower lip trembled as his expression changed to one of distraught.

"Oh, no, Fin! No!" Sophia picked him up and held him before her, eye to eye. "Please, say it again!"

He very quietly whispered, "Mama?"

"Finley. Oh, Finley. Am I dreaming?"

As if to answer her, the baby proudly chirped, "Mama!," again before his diminutive hands found her face and the warm tears that were there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: ***?

February 13th, 1939

"You're sixteen soon." Adeline slowly cut her steak and chewed delicately while watching her daughter.

"Yes."

"Your father had grand plans for you. He wanted to send you to Europe, to a boarding school."

Sophia chose her words carefully. "I don't belong in Europe. That's for another kind of girl, a smart one. I belong here with you, Mother."

"And Finley?"

Sophia couldn't speak. Her heart felt as if it would explode as she waited to hear what evil plan her Mother had for the one person she truly loved. The only person who truly loved her.

"Did you think it had escaped my attention that you've given that creature a name? Or that I'm oblivious to the times you shirk your duties or that he's lived off of my resources for weeks longer than he was supposed to?" Adeline asked.

"I nurse him," Sophia said, raising her chin in defiance. "He takes nothing from this house."

"He breathes my air, Sophia. He absorbs the warmth from my coal. You do not dare to tell me he takes nothing from this house!" She hissed.

Frightened, the girl tried to pacify her Mother. "I'll work harder, Mother. I promise you he won't be a nuisance. You'll not even know he's here!"

"Shut up." Adeline raised a piece of bloody meat to her mouth and closed her eyes while she relished the flavor. When she opened them, Sophia knew that something was wrong. Some decision had been made. "I think your father was right. Your education should be addressed."

"No, Mother. No. Please."

"Nonsense, child. It will be an adventure for you. You leave in eight weeks. I'll not hear another word on the matter. Why, you should be grateful. The cost of such a school - "

"I am grateful!" Sophia stood, screaming. "To Father! Not you! And I will not go! I will leave this house and take Finley with me and you can stay here and die alone!"

Adeline smiled. "You'll do no such thing. If I find that you have so much as dreamed of leaving this house with that child, I will have him thrown in the fire and no one will be the wiser. As long as you are accompanied by Dola, you may continue to nurse him. I will kill him if you disobey me, Sophia. You know that, don't you?"

Sophia fought the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "You would enjoy it, Adeline."

"Perhaps. No one will help you. The staff are indebted to me. You are all my property, including that baby. I will not hesitate to snap his neck if you attempt anything...foolish. Now, clear the dishes."

"And when I go? You'll kill him, anyway." Sophia felt her heart breaking.

"No. I'll not tend to him. He'll die on his own, the way he should have from the beginning. You have eight weeks. You can make it more difficult by strengthening this bizarre bond you have with him or you can make it quick and merciful. I'll admit I'm rather interested to see which you'll choose."

The tears spilled over and Sophia sobbed. "Have you ever loved me, Mama? Even for a moment?"

Adeline cocked her head to one side as if studying some anomaly. "Sophia, I have despised your very existence since you were born. I think I've never hated anything the way I did your pink, ugly face the very second you cried. Now, clear the table and go to bed. Mr. Forbes is expecting you early in the morning."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7: ?

"Child, what you been doin', now?" Dola slowly descended the stairs to the basement, tottering dangerously behind Sophia. "I have at least an hours more washin' to do 'fore I get any sleep and I'm down here tendin' to you."

At thirty-five, Dola moved like a woman much older. Years of intense manual labor, poor living conditions and abuse had left her crippled and in constant pain. She had been a servant in the house since the year Sophia was born and had been more of a mother to the girl than an employee. Dr. Barker had purchased her from a colleague, a cruel and miserly man who had punished Dola with savage beatings.

"I'm so sorry, Dola. I'll help you finish up," Sophia answered.

"Well, I have been curious 'bout this baby. Let's have a look at 'im." Dola lumbered toward Finley's voice as he gurgled and hummed. Her massive backside swayed from side to side as she stopped before the toolbox and glanced back at Sophia, questioning.

"Yes. It was the only place I could think of to keep the vermin away," Sophia quickly explained.

Dola only grunted and leaned over to open the box. When Finley was exposed, the old woman gasped. Sophia waited quietly. As he was lifted from his warm bed, Finley stared unabashedly at the smooth, black face of the woman who held him. He lifted one hand and touched her nose. Dola stared back at him and finally turned, cradling the baby against her enormous bosom. "Sophia, get me that barrel. Quickly. I'm as old as Methuselah and twice as brittle."

Sophia quickly rolled the wooden barrel to the servant and Dola sighed as she settled herself upon it. The wood groaned in protest and Sophia stood nearby to snatch the baby in case the makeshift seat gave out.

"Quit hovering, child. I was holdin' babies 'fore you was even a gleam in yo' daddy's eye." Dola deftly unwrapped the baby and carefully inspected him. Finley seemed quite content in the freezing air and although his lip trembled, he smiled and continued his gurgling. As the woman began to wrap him back up, she crooked one gnarled finger under his arm. "Coochie coo, baby. You goan' laugh for yer Mammy?" The baby obliged with a high-pitched giggle and Dola's face split into a wide grin. "He do have a sweet smile, this one. Can't believe he done sittin' up and actin' like a regular baby."

Sophia beamed with pride. "He's very smart."

"Ok, girl. Give this one his dinner so's we can get to the washin'."

Dola passed Finley to Sophia and the young mother pressed her forehead against the baby's. "Hello, my Fin," she whispered. The baby arched his back in delight and reached for her, chanting, "Mama! Mama! Ma-ma!"

Dola stared in disbelief. "Dat itty bitty baby talkin', too? Lord, Jesus, what miracle is this?"

"Ead!" Fin hollered, grinning. "Ead! Ead!"

"Yes, yes, my love. Dinner," Sophia said as she unbuttoned her dress. She looked up at Dola's shocked face. "Eat," she explained. "It's his newest word."

"He has more than those two?" Dola asked, still not believing what she was seeing.

Sophia grinned. "As I said, he's very smart."

As she nursed him, Sophia quietly hummed a lullabye under her breath. She memorized each feature of Fin's small face and ran one thumb gently across his chin. In those moments, Dola was gone, the basement was gone. The world in which they each gazed upon the face of their one true love was only for her and this gift from her God. When he was full, Sophia came crashing back to reality. "I can't. I can't leave him. I'd rather die." She hugged Finley too tight and he squawked in protest.

"Yo' momma will see to that if she hears you talkin' like that," Dola dryly observed.

"What should I do? If I leave him, he'll die. She will let him die."

The old servant said nothing. She watched Sophia struggle as she tried to come up with a plan to save the child.

"He's not like other babies," Sophia continued. "Finley is special. I think he could survive my absence if someone just ... tended to his basic needs." She looked up at the old woman's face, so unlike her own but still the one she loved as a daughter loves a mother. "Dola...could-"

"Hush yo' mouth! Doan' even ask me that, Sophia! You know better. Even if I could get down those stairs and back up, I ain't go no milk for that baby!"

Sophia obediently stopped talking and looked down into Fin's eyes as one, fat tear dropped from her chin onto his face. The baby blinked and then began to hum.

Dola's voice softened. "Girl, I know you hurtin'. I know yo' Momma is pure evil and she do anythin' she can to make this life bad fo' you. But you got to stop dependin' on everyone else to save you. You got to save yo' self this time cos' you got someone dependin' on you."

"I'm no match for Mother," Sophia whispered.

"I done raised you. I know who you are. You want it bad enough, Adeline ain' no match fo' you."

Sophia looked at Dola in disbelief. "Me? Go up against her?"

"What would you do fo' that baby? Would you lie?"

Without hesitation, Sophia answered. "Yes."

"Steal food or somethin' if he needed it?"

"Yes."

"Would you kill someone if they was tryin' to do him harm?"

Sophia felt a cold shiver run down her back as she lifted her chin, met Dola's eyes and fiercely whispered, "Yes."

"That there is what scares her, Sophia. Finley done brought out the momma in you and a momma will do whatever it takes to keep her baby safe. Das' why she's sendin' you away and hopin' this here child dies."

"But, why? I just want to love Finley and raise him, even if it means he lives in this blasted basement! I do everything she asks! Why would she want him dead?"

"You goan' want better for that child, Sophia. Any momma would. And when you want better, you goan' get it, even if it means takin' what's rightfully yours from that woman."

"Then why hasn't she already killed him?"

"Well, I doan' know about that. She thought she could use that baby to make you do anythin' she wanted. But she want you to be miserable, just like her. Since this here baby done changed you, she doan' like that, neither. I'll tell you a secret, Sophia. Miss Adeline is 'fraid of you."

"I don't believe that."

"She see what dat' baby means to you. You spat back tonight for the first time in yo' life, but she saw it comin'. What she did was a test to see if she can still control you. Now, she know she can't. So, off you go and dis' here baby is left to die because I think she maybe a little scared o' him, too."

"Of Fin?" Sophia tickled the baby's chin. Fin laughed and then loudly broke wind. "He's just a baby."

"I doan' think that child is 'just a baby'. Anyone see him know that first thing."

Before Sophia could say anything else, a voice rose from the darkness above the stairs. "Finish feeding that monster and go to bed!" Adeline turned and disappeared back into the house.

"You're the monster!" Sophia hissed.

"Hush," Dola commanded. "I 'spect you'll come up with somethin' to save Finley, but you gotta do as she asks until then so she doan' take away what little freedom you have. You got some time. Now, the washin' ain't doin' itself. Say goodnight to yo' son and come up."

Dola began the treacherous journey back to the top of the stairs as Sophia kissed Fin and tucked him in. His eyes were closing before she had even fastened the box.

When Sophia closed the basement door behind her, Dola was waiting. "Yo' momma's orders. Doan' look at me like that," she said as she pulled a skeleton key from inside the top of her dress. Sophia winced when she heard the heavy lock engage. "I'll be here at 4 in the mornin' for you to give him his breakfast before you go to work."

"I hate her," Sophia muttered.

"Thas' a long line, girl. Best you bide yo' time until you get yo' chance. And you will."

***

True to her word, Dola was waiting impatiently when Sophia came down to nurse Finley in the early morning hours.

"Hurry, Sophia," Dola chided. "I got a full days work and then some."

Dola sat on the top of the stairs and waited while Sophia quickly nursed Fin. "I'm sorry, love," she whispered to the sleepy baby. "I have to get to Mr. Forbes house as early as possible so I can get in and out before he wakes." She gave this same apology every week, and so far, she had managed to avoid seeing the man she despised with all of her might.

After finishing up, she gathered her coat and her basket and said goodbye to Dola as she let herself out the front door.

"Missus Barker wants you back before two o'clock, Sophia. Doan' make me get out in this weather and come lookin' fo' you," Dola warned.

"I won't, Dola."

Sophia grimaced as the freezing snow pelted her face. She quickly made her way to the grocer's and was relieved to see he was already up and putting his produce out for the morning. "Good morning, Mr. Nicholas!"

"Sophia!" The grocer smiled and embraced her. "How are ye this mornin'?"

"Short of time, unfortunately. Can I please get Mr. Forbes order?"

"Oh, of course!" He turned and disappeared through the doorway before turning back. "Come in, love, it's freezing out there!"

Sophia followed him inside. She stopped to take a deep breath and smiled. The scent of cinnamon and freshly baked bread was always comforting to her.

"Good morning, Sophia," a soft voice called beside her.

"Mrs. Nicholas!" Sophia threw herself into the tiny woman's arms and then blushed. "I'm sorry! I'm just so pleased to see you out of bed and looking well!"

"I'm just as pleased to see you," Mrs. Nicholas said. Heavy with her eighth child, she had been bedridden for months as the burden of this baby almost proved to be too much for her small body.

When Dr. Barker had been alive, Sophia had spent many days and evenings in the company of this loving family. They had given her a place to feel safe from the wrath of Adeline and their acceptance and affection was something she desperately craved. Adeline had kept Sophia so busy with work since Dr. Barker's death that she rarely had time to spend with them.

"How soon?" Sophia asked, indicating Mrs. Nicholas' swollen midsection.

"Oh, any day. I finally feel well enough to eat and help with the store."

"Nonsense!" Mr. Nicholas said, returning with the items. "Patricia, you will go back upstairs and rest if I have ta' carry you there myself!"

Patricia laughed, the sound like a delicate ringing of bells. "Oh, Gordon, how I'm sure Sophia would love to see you attempt to pick me up."

Sophia smiled, her heart light and her problems forgotten for a moment.

"I'll get the children down and they'll carry you back up like ants stealing a bread crumb!" Mr. Nicholas warned.
"A very large bread crumb," Mrs. Nicholas laughed.

Sophia laughed at the imagery of the Nicholas children carrying their pregnant mother upstairs and then she sobered. "I should go. I have to be home, soon."

Mrs. Nicholas cupped Sophia's face in her hands. "Sophia, are you alright? Is your Mother treating you well?" The concern and love on her face immediately brought tears to Sophia's eyes. How much she wanted to tell her everything!

"I just miss my Father," Sophia answered.

"Of course you do, darling. When you're finished today, can you come have some tea with me and we can talk? The girls would love to see you. They've missed you so."

"I'll try," Sophia lied.

"Here ye are, Miss. I put some fresh bread in there for ye if you're hungry. Take care, now." Mr. Nicholas put the package in Sophia's basket and she left as quickly as possible before the tears overwhelmed her.

As she moved through the dark streets, the tears froze on her cheeks and her heart felt heavy in her chest. Time was moving on and Sophia was powerless to stop it. Every moment that passed was one closer to the time she would have to leave and she had no idea how she would keep her baby from starving to death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8: ?

After being impatiently ushered into the house by a sleepy servant, Sophia went to the kitchen and quickly put away the grocery items. As she was packing up her things to leave, the cook, Hilda, arrived and moved around Sophia without acknowledging her.

"Good morning, Hilda. I was just leaving," Sophia quietly said.

"Mr. Forbes left word that you're to make the Yorkshire pudding for his dinner this afternoon," Hilda growled. "Don't know why mine's not good enough but those are his wishes." The old cook turned and began preparing breakfast which signaled the end of the conversation.

Sophia's heart sank. She desperately wanted to avoid seeing Mr. Forbes and had managed to do so for weeks. There was no doubt in her mind that the pudding was a ruse to keep her here so that he could corner her. The dish had to be refrigerated for two hours before baking it which meant that he would have plenty of time to give chase.

"Hilda?" Sophia asked uncertainly. "If I prepare the dish and put it in to cool, would you possibly-"

"Not a chance, girly," Hilda snapped. "I have my own work to do."

Defeated, Sophia quickly went to work, pushing the thoughts of Mr. Forbes to the back of her mind. As long as Hilda was present, she was safe for now.

Instead, Sophia concentrated on the dilemma with Finley. Her only option, as far as she could tell, was to somehow get Finley out of the house and somewhere safe for the duration of her stay in Europe. She wasn't sure how she would go about that with Dola in charge of her, but she hoped to find a way before she was scheduled to leave. Leaving with Finley and trying to make it on their own was suicide, especially in the dead of winter. Sophia had no one to turn to who wasn't known to Adeline and there was no way she could feed and shelter the tiny baby without begging the help of strangers. She had seen many homeless people, hungry and without warmth, who would freeze to death before spring arrived. Only a few in Chicago had anything to give and they were typically of an elite social class that rarely encountered beggars and starving children. She couldn't ask the Nicholas' to take Finley and risk her mother finding out. Adeline would see to it that the kind grocer and his gentle wife were in ruins, leaving their lovely children among the hungry and cold.

It seemed that no matter which way she looked at the problem, poor Finley was destined to die in that dark and lonely basement. Sophia blinked back tears. She had to try to beg her mother's mercy, again. She would do anything at all to save Finley's life, even if it meant giving him away in order to appease Adeline. The thought was a knife in Sophia's heart, but Finley deserved a chance to live, even if he never knew his real mother.

Sophia turned to put the pudding in the refrigerator and only then noticed that Hilda had gone. She put the dish inside and was closing the door when the hair at the nape of her neck stood on end. Sophia tried to remain calm as she turned and found Mr. Forbes no more than two feet behind her, his face flushed and his eyes greedy. "Mr. Forbes," she stammered. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I sent the servants away," he breathed. "I wanted to be alone with you."

"Mr. Forbes, it's not proper for me to be alone with you. I should leave."

Sophia tried to step around him. Although slow on his feet, his reflexes were intact. His hand darted out and clamped like a vise around her wrist.

"Ah, no, girl. You'll not avoid me that easily," he leered. He pulled her closer to his body. Sophia struggled against him but he was again proving to be too strong for her.

"Please, Mr. Forbes. You're hurting me!"

 

 

His grip relaxed a bit. "I only want to talk to you. You've been in and out of here like a ghost for weeks," he whined.

 

 

"Please release me and I will talk to you," Sophia begged.

 

 

He seemed to consider this for a moment before slowly withdrawing his hand. Sophia rubbed her injured wrist.

 

 

"Your Mother sent word that I'll need to find someone else to fetch my shopping and run errands. She says you're going away," he mumbled. His expression was one of a disgruntled toddler.

 

 

"Yes. My father arranged for me to travel to a boarding school."

 

 

"I don't want you to go. Tell your Mother that I can't find anyone else. I won't. I only trust you to do my shopping." To Sophia's horror, Mr. Forbes stamped his foot like a child.

 

 

"I don't think it's negotiable, sir. I would rather not go, but Mother insists."

 

 

"Well, you tell her that I'll be happy to increase your pay. As a matter of fact, you tell her that I've changed my mind. I'll pay quite handsomely to purchase you."

 

 

Sophia shook her head to clear it. Surely she had misunderstood. "Purchase me?"

"Of course. Tell her to send word of her requirements and I'll see to it that your schooling is addressed."

 

 

"Mr. Forbes," Sophia choked, barely containing her anger, "I am not for sale."

 

 

"What? No? Oh, my dear, don't take it personally. Adeline only wishes to secure a future for you. Think of it as my gift in honor of your father!" He grinned, his teeth discolored and rotting, and ran one hand across his thinning hair. "Your father would be pleased for you to be part of such a distinguished house."

 

 

Sophia fought to keep from screaming. "My father has already planned for my future," she reminded him through clenched teeth. "In Europe, away at school."

 

 

"Eh? School? Away? Yes, yes. My daughter is in a lovely boarding school."

 

 

Sophia was momentarily shocked enough to forget her anger. "I didn't know you had a daughter."

 

 

"Margaret. She's eighteen. You favor her considerably."

 

 

In addition to feeling this revelation was deeply disturbing, the abrupt change in Mr. Forbes demeanor was further evidence to Sophia that he was completely and utterly mad.

 

 

"She'll be back soon, this summer, maybe," he continued, looking above her head. His eyes were somewhere else momentarily and Sophia acted quickly. She was nearing the front door before Mr. Forbes realized she had moved. "Sophia!"

 

 

"I have to go now, Mr. Forbes! Hilda knows how to finish the pudding and-"

 

 

"Come back here, girl! I wasn't finished talking with you!"

 

 

"The weather is turning," she said as she opened the door. She snatched the money from the bureau by the entrance. "I must get back before it becomes too terrible!"

 

 

"Sophia!" He shouted. "You tell your Mother to name her price! You tell her-"

 

 

She closed the door and bolted away from the house before she heard anything else. Once safely away, she stopped and leaned against a wall to catch her breath. She felt like weeping but the image of the old man stamping his foot caused her to giggle instead. She laughed until her sides hurt and passers by were giving her a wide berth. Splendid, she thought. I'm as mad as he is.

 

 

When her pulse had resumed it's normal pace and she felt like she could control her absurd mirth, she began the long walk home. One thought kept running through her mind as she navigated the busy streets of Chicago. That wretched woman actually thought to sell me like a piece of livestock! Oddly enough, instead of anger, Sophia felt an unbearable sense of loss. From that moment on, she truly knew what it was to be an orphan. She had no one but Finley, and Finley was now and forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 9: ?

 

 

As Sophia was arriving home, Victor was letting himself out.

"Hello, Victor." Sophia inspected his feet. His presence always made her feel awkward and oafish.

"Oh! Sophia! How lovely you are, the day! The day! How lovely it is!" His neck turned scarlet and as she stared, fascinated, his face bloomed with the color. "So, er, off to Europe! I was just finalizing the arrangements with your Mother."

As the silence drew out, Sophia started when she realized that she had been staring into Victor's eyes. Now it was her turn to bloom as she continued her thorough scrutiny of his feet.

"Excited?" he asked. "About England? And leaving all of this," he gestured to the house, "behind you?"

"Not really," she quietly answered.

Victor was genuinely surprised. "Why on earth not? Sophia, you can't possibly be happy living in this house since Jack...since your father died. I mean, honestly, that woman isn't exactly the nurturing type, now is she?" Lost in thought, he continued, "I truly think that's what your father had in mind when he arranged this."

Intrigued, Sophia forced herself to look up, again. "What did he have in mind, Victor?"

"Well, you. Your happiness. Of course that's what he cared most about." He smiled but she knew he wasn't telling her everything. "He's been planning this since you were born."

"Have you been with him that long?"

He threw his head back and laughed. Sophia was shocked by the sound of it. Her father's attorney had never been anything but business around her. "Sophia! How old do you think I am?"

"I don't know. Old?"

His laugh was infectious and she found herself smiling despite still feeling clumsy and childish.

"I am old. Twenty-eight."

"Oh, my," Sophia breathed. "You'll be feeble, soon."

"Yes, yes. Hair shall sprout from my ears and I'll start walking with a cane."

"And everyone will speak very loudly so that you can hear and take you by the elbow to keep you from walking into things."

"Eh?" Victor cupped his hand around his ear and Sophia laughed, clapping her hands in glee.

They were silent again for a moment but something had changed. There was a warmth in the stillness between them that hadn't existed before.

"Dr. Barker saved my life eight years ago. I've been with him ever since." Sophia was about to question him further when he continued. "As I was saying, you will love England."

"I'm sure it's lovely, but, Finley-" Sophia broke off in horror when she realized what she had been about to say.

"Who's Finley?"

"A boy. He works for the grocer." In her panic, it was all she could think of to say.

Victor looked disappointed. "Oh, right. You are sixteen, now. Well, I'm sure he'll wait for you to return if he has any sense."

"It's not...that's not really what I meant. He's just a friend." Why on earth was she trying to make him feel better?

He visibily brightened. "Of course he is."

"I should go." She hurried to step around him and in his haste, he stepped the same way. She ended up walking directly into his chest and when she reeled back, his arms enveloped her to keep her from falling. "Oh!"

"Careful. You almost fell." His mouth was directly above her ear and the shivers that wracked her body did not go unnoticed. Victor smiled to himself and turned to face the door before releasing her. "There. Now, if you fall, my frail, old body will cushion you."

Overwhelmed by the sudden urges that were foreign to her, Sophia could only squeak, "Thank you", before turning to open the door.

"Sophia?"

She turned, hungrily devouring his face for one last moment. "Yes?"

"You know that my loyalty was always to your father? He was a truly remarkable man."

"I do. And he was."

"Now, my loyalty is to you."

Sophia was speechless for a moment. "Victor, that's not necessary!"

He smiled. "No, it's not." And with that, he turned and walked briskly down the sidewalk and away from her stunned expression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

Sophia closed the door and leaned against it to catch her breath. What had just happened? Victor, a man she had always thought ancient and droll, was suddenly the only face filling her mind. She had never noticed how dark and beautiful his eyes were, how his long, thick lashes framed them so perfectly. And his mouth! It was so full and warm and when he smiled, it changed the dynamic of his whole face.

And he thinks you're a child! Sophia reminded herself. Stop this foolish daydreaming.

But...he had looked disappointed when he thought Sophia had a suitor...hadn't he? Had she imagined that? What if he didn't think of her as a child? What if-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched shriek. It was coming from the basement.

Dear God, no! Finley! Sophia was at the door to the basement in less than ten steps. It was standing ajar and she could see light coming from below. Please, God, let him be okay. Sophia quietly crept down the steps, unsure of what she might find or if she would need stealth on her side. What she saw when she rounded the corner at the base of the stairs left her dumbstruck.

"Girl, you look like you done seen a ghost!" Dola boomed.

Finley, wildly entertained by the homemade doll being dangled in front of him, turned to greet her. "Mama! Daw!" He pointed one, fat finger at the new toy.

"Dollll, sugar. Dolll." A woman Sophia had never seen was holding the doll out for Finley to bat at.

Finley tried again, pursing his lips and sticking his tongue out in an imitation of his teacher. "Dawwwww." His brow wrinkled in frustration. "Dolllll." He clapped his hands and shrieked with delight. "Doll! Doll! Doll!" Whenever he learned a new word, he had a tendency to repeat it in triplicate.

"That's perfect, sugar," the woman purred.

"Sophia," Dola indicated the woman to her right. "This here is my dear friend, Ruby. Ruby, this is Finley's mama."

"Sophia, this is one special baby you got here," Ruby said.

"Yes, ma'am, he is. Fin, hush, baby. If Mother hears you-"

"Oh, Adeline gone to the other side o' town," Dola informed her. "Said not to 'spect her fo' dinner, neither. Jesus brings miracles and gifts, praise his name!" Dola and Ruby laughed and Sophia could see they were very close and comfortable with each other. "So young Fin here can holler his head off all he likes!"

"You've made him a play area." Sophia finally approached to take in the strange scene.

"This baby is tryin' to git away, honey. Show yo' mama what you can do, Finley." Ruby picked the baby up and walked to the other side of the large semi-circle, bordered by crates and carpeted with various scraps of material. She placed him gently on his back and sat the doll opposite him and as far away within the enclosure as possible. Finley grinned and rolled once before realigning himself, scooting sideways with his feet and rolling again. He repeated this process until he was across the play area and clutching the doll, crooning loudly at his accomplishment.

"When I come down to check on him, he was clear over in the far corner, covered in dirt and jus' as happy as a tick on a fat dog." Dola was pointing to a corner impossibly far from Finley's box.

"How did he get out of the box?" Sophia asked, horrified.

"Now, that, child, is the mystery of the hour," Ruby said.

Sophia picked Finley up and sat with him on her knee. "Finley, how did you get out of the box, my love?"

Finley stuffed the doll in his mouth as if to say he wasn't talking. Sophia gently removed it and asked, again. "Fin, I know you understand what I'm asking you. Please, darling, I'll be terrified to leave you if don't tell me how you got out of the box."

"Banana," he chirped. "Banana! Banana! Banana!"

Sophia looked quizzically at Dola.

"Doan' look at me. I give him some apple that I chewed up fo' him so's he could taste it, but I ain't givin' him no banana's."

"Fin-" she started, again.

"Banana!" he howled again before cramming the doll back in his mouth.

Sophia sighed. "Dola, do we have any bananas?"

"In the middle of winter?"

"What 'bout somethin' else?" Ruby suggested. "More apples, maybe?"

"Fin, do you want to try more apples?" Sophia asked the preoccupied ba

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