Episode 11

HENRY'S POV

I froze, the baby was crying and sometimes screaming, he seemed more nervous and I had no idea why.

That's when the first aggressions began, he grabbed my hair and started pulling.

"Hey! Hey! What is this, we just met? Why all this anger?"

I released my hair from his hands, but he didn't stop attacking me. He grabbed my face, squeezed my cheek and started biting my chin.

"Ouch! What is this?? This hurts, man! Aren't you too small to have teeth?"

I had to push him away, I grabbed him from under his arms and kept him away, while he kicked.

"Mrs. Hilda! I need help!" I shout, trying to escape that situation.

"What is it, Henry?! Why all this complaining? I just went to get the baby's bottle."

"What?!"

"Bottle, his bottle! My God, don't hold the baby like that, that's why he's crying so much!" she appears already arguing with me.

"But he was biting me and my God, I'm covered in drool. Is there something wrong with this kid, babies shouldn't be like this, so…"

"Crybabies? Yes, Henry, babies cry. It's their way of communicating, we adults cry too, when something bothers us, you know? Give him to me."

I'm relieved when Mrs. Hilda takes the baby, she hugs him and rocks him, trying to calm him down.

"I didn't know I had to do that, I guess taking care of babies must be very difficult."

"It's not as difficult as you think, it's harder to take care of adult babies, Henry."

I felt it was a hint to me, but I didn't comment. I feel like I should keep quiet about this, I'd rather avoid making things worse.

Mrs. Hilda sat down and started trying to give the baby the bottle, however, he was refusing by turning away from the bottle.

"I don't think he wants to breastfeed, maybe he wants to eat something. He really bit me, maybe he thought I was a juicy steak."

"Babies don't eat steak, Henry. And the gum bite doesn't hurt."

"It wasn't just gums, I was sure there was a sharp tooth in there. I felt it."

Impulsively I go to Mrs. Hilda, bend down and try to open the baby's mouth, he gets uncomfortable, he looks like a very stressed boy, but ends up letting me see.

I look closer to get a closer look and there it was, almost impossible to see, but he had two little teeth growing on the bottom.

"He does have teeth, Mrs. Hilda! Take a look."

She pulls the baby and looks, until she says.

"My God! It's true! His first teeth were born! How cute. Come on, Henry, take him!"

"I think not!"

"Take it, Henry!" I tried to pull away, but Mrs. Hilda pushed the baby at me again, giving me no choice.

She ran back wearing glasses and pointing her cell phone.

"Come on, Henry! Show me the baby's teeth so I can take a picture. His mom will love to know that Bentinho's teeth have already come in. That's why he's so nervous, poor thing."

I rolled my eyes, not interested in participating in that steamy scene. But what could I do?

Mrs. Hilda did a photo shoot, the baby fidgeted and it almost always didn't work out. It took her a while to get the perfect shot.

It took so long that the baby finally calmed down and rested his head on my shoulder. He just lay there, quiet, as if I were a safe harbor for him. It was a strange feeling.

"Ah, since he's quiet, I'm going to finish lunch."

"No, Mrs. Hilda…" Before I could protest, she was gone.

I paced back and forth, wondering what to do. I thought about putting the baby in the crib, but when I tried he would make a crying face, so I gave up and let him drool on my brand new suit.

"God, I only came here to find out about Camille and not to be a babysitter." I say, not knowing what to do.

"Henry!" I hear Mrs. Hilda calling me and I walk hurriedly towards the sound.

"Have you finished making lunch?" I say arriving in the kitchen.

"No, but go to the living room. Are you going to stand all the time?"

"Mrs. Hilda, it's just…it's just that I have appointments today." I lied, I had actually canceled everything.

"Cancel them, don't you think Bentinho is more important?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, he is important! Don't you feel anything when you look at him? Don't you feel anything?"

I move the baby away for a few seconds, to look at his face. His eyes were watery and he looked a little sad. Yeah, it was pitiful...

"Why did he have surgery so young? It must hurt."

"Because if you wait to do it when he grows up, it will be more painful and the recovery will take longer. And he must be more fussy because of his tooth growing, because it hurts. Henry, he calmed down with you, are you really going to leave him like this?"

I let out my breath, disheartened. I even understood that little brat, I understood what it was like not being able to put into words how you feel.

"Okay, I'll stay a little longer."

"Great!"

I was supposed to stay a little longer, but I ended up spending the day there. The baby didn't want to leave my lap and practically made me his slave. I offered him toys, but he ignored them, all he wanted to do was bite my chin. And Mrs. Hilda didn't even defend me from him, she made me wash my face thoroughly, just so the baby could continue to make me his teether.

I went home tired, I never expected to become a babysitter for a day. I know Mrs. Hilda must have done this to me so I wouldn't go back there and not ask about Camille anymore. But she was wrong, I intended to go back there several times until she told me where her daughter was.

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