It wasn’t hard to pull off. The hospital was overwhelmed with patients because of the Coronavirus. There was increased security, but they were on high alert for people stealing protective equipment and supplies. There was only one nurse monitoring the babies.

Addison didn’t believe that she was a bad person. Just the opposite in fact. She had done everything by the book. She was a good kid, never gave her parents any problems. She always had good grades, volunteered, did extracurricular activities, and was involved in the youth ministry at church. She got into a good college, met a great guy, and got married.

As far as Addison was concerned, she had done everything correctly. Perfectly. So, when the time came for her to start having children and she couldn’t get pregnant, Addison was distraught. The doctors couldn’t figure out the problem. “Just give it time,” they kept saying. Obviously, they didn’t understand that “waiting it out” wasn’t an option. Everything was planned out, and if she didn’t start having children soon it would throw the rest of the plan out of whack.

“What plan?” her husband, Michael, kept asking. “What is this time-table you keep talking about? We’re young, we have plenty of time.” That let Addison know that he didn’t get it either. There was a time and place for everything. And right now, they were eating away at the two to four-year window that she had determined was the perfect time for them to have children.

Besides all that, Addison was born to be a mother. She was nurturing, patient, and filled to the brim with love. All that was missing was a child to receive her outpour of love. Some days it was all she thought about. The nursery was already set up. She had names picked out for a boy and girl. She didn’t care which came first, but she definitely wanted one of each. A perfect family of four.

Waiting on mother nature to get on schedule did not bode well with Addison, so she came up with a plan. It started as a random thought, really. It wasn’t until she went to the hospital and saw for herself how easily she could have her child that she started planning it out.

Addison surveilled two different hospitals for a month. She watched the security guards and learned their schedules. She knew where all the cameras were located, and which exits were the easiest to get out of undetected. She watched the nurses and nurseries. Both hospitals were understaffed, and the employees were exhausted. She was surprised she hadn’t come up with this plan sooner.

After careful consideration, Addison settled on Scolden Regional Hospital. They had more exits near the nursery, which meant that she had a better chance of getting away if she had to switch up her exit route at the last minute. Plus, it was a faster process to become a volunteer there and she needed a cover to be able to get close to the babies.

It only took a couple more weeks for her to find the perfect baby boy. She knew it was him the minute she saw him. He even looked a little bit like Michael, but with lighter brown eyes like hers. The perfect blend. Addison couldn’t wait to bring him home and introduce him to his father.

The next day, Addison went to Scolden Regional for her volunteer shift and worked for six hours doing whatever was asked of her. At 2:00pm, as she was leaving for the day, she stopped by the nursery and looked in on her future son. “Benjamin,” she whispered to him as she touched his tiny fingers. “I think it’s time.”  

Addison checked the clock. It was time for the security guard on this wing to go on break. The guy that was supposed to cover him would come by in just a minute, do a quick sweep then go sit in the breakroom.

Addison continued to whisper to the baby, “Are you ready Benjamin? In a few minutes, we’re going to leave and go meet Daddy. It’s time for us to start our family.” Addison wrapped him in a blanket and lifted him out of the bassinet. The baby didn’t cry or fuss, and she took that as a sign. “See, you already know we belong together,” she said and kissed him gently on the forehead. Addison looked at the clock again. It was time.

“Let’s go, Benji,” Addison whispered to the baby again, and walked out of the nursery. Two quick turns down the hall and she was headed for a side exit that was rarely used because of its inconvenient location. “Ma’am? Ma’am, do you work here?” Addison heard someone calling behind her. She paused, but didn’t turn around. “I think you were helping me at registration earlier. I must have made a wrong turn…I’m a little lost,” the person continued.

Addison breathed a sigh of relief, and started moving again. Just a confused patient, nothing to worry about. “Go back down the hall and make a right. You’ll see a nurse station. They’ll help you,” she called over her shoulder.

“Do you think you could—”

“Sorry. I have to go.” Addison sped up to put some more distance between herself and the lost patient. Just a few more steps to the door and… Wait a minute. Why was the door cracked open? Like someone was standing just outside of it…

This wasn’t part of the plan. No one was ever outside this door. What now? Plan B? Get all the way to the back-up exit? That would require going back past the nursery, and that was too risky. Maybe it was just a patient who snuck outside to smoke. As long as it wasn’t a staff member that was familiar with her, she would be in the clear.

Addison heard footsteps coming down the long empty hallway behind her. Time was up. Either face whoever was outside the door, or face whoever was coming down the hall. Addison took a deep breath and walked through the door.

“Oh, hi. I was ummm…I was just uh… Headed home?” It was the security guard who was supposed to be covering that wing while the other guy went on break. Instead he was outside trying to sneak in a smoke break.

Addison breathed a sigh of relief. He was too nervous about getting caught outside to give her any real thought. “Yes,” she answered. “Didn’t want to take him out through the waiting room if I didn’t have to.”

“Yeah, can’t be too careful these days. Have a good day ma’am.”

“Thank you. You too.”

And just like that, Addison was back on schedule.

Written By: S.M. Grady

© 2020 S.M. Grady