Page 107 of This Love
“Where else could she possibly go?” Gram asked. “We have to assume she’ll find addresses on her own. She might find a police officer or one might find her. They could look her up by her name. She probably found the name and birth date tattoo when she got dressed. The system will have records from when she ran away from her mother, plus the restraining order.”
Gram was thinking straighter than I was.
“Her name and birthdate were on the hospital wristband, too. If the police pick her up, they might know about the shelter and her mother’s house.”
Gram paced with Tad. “Call that lady at the shelter who remembers Ava.”
“Sheila.”
“Yes. Sheila. Do they have a book?”
“Yes, but it’s old.”
“What’s in it?”
“Maya’s duplex. Big Harry’s. Her old apartment. Maybe your house.”
“Will Sheila call you if she shows up there?”
“Maybe. But only if it’s actually Sheila she finds. Otherwise, no, if she shows up with the police, they won’t tell anyone she’s there. That’s why it’s a shelter.”
Gram stared out the window, shifting from side to side, holding Tad tightly to her chest. “Should someone be driving around here?”
Nurse Kenisha walked in right as Gram asked the question. “I’ll do that. The police aren’t terribly helpful since she’s an adult. They practically need a court order stating she didn’t abandon her motherly duties.”
“How about hospital security?” I asked.
“They’re walking the perimeter. There’s not a soul on shift who doesn’t know about Ava.”
“Thank you,” Gram said. “And thank you for driving.”
Kenisha tugged on her lanyard. “I feel responsible. She shouldn’t have been left alone.”
She got that right.
“Who else can drive around the neighborhood?” Gram asked.
“I can call Bill. He’ll do it,” I said.
“Before I start driving, what do you need for this little guy?” Kenisha asked.
“We already paged our regular nurse,” I said. “I guess start him on formula since Ava’s gone.”
“I’ll get her in here.” Kenisha headed for the door. “My number is on the board. Let me know if Ava turns up.”
I sat on the sofa by the window to alert Big Harry, Maya, and Sheila and to ask Bill to help. “Do you think the police could find her current address?” I asked Gram.
“Maybe. Let Isadora know.”
I texted as fast as I could. A new nurse arrived. This one was young and friendly, all blonde ponytail and happy smile. “What does that baby boy need?” She clearly didn’t know anything yet.
When everyone was texted, I stared out the window. It would be dark soon. There was a mile of parking lots, a big busy street, and then a residential area beyond the commercial blocks. Ava could be anywhere.
It didn’t matter that the police weren’t helping yet. Ava was wily and would be warned about them from the notebook. We’d been through this before. The only way they would be involved is if she collapsed somewhere and someone called them on her behalf.
God. Had that happened? Maybe we should call the other hospitals.
So much to do. So much.
