‘We didn’t say anything. We just spun around and busted into Miss Kew’s bedroom. I’d never been in there but once and Janie only a few times. But forbidden or not, this was different. Miss Kew was in bed, with her hair braided. She was wide awake before we could get across the room. She pushed herself back and up until she was sitting against the headboard. She gave the two of us the cold eye.
‘ “What is the meaning of this?” she wanted to know.
‘ “Where’s Baby?” I yelled at her.
‘ “Gerard,” she says, „there is no need to shout.”
‘Janie was a real quiet kid, but she said, „You better tell us where he is, Miss Kew,” and it would of scared you to look at her when she said it.
‘So all of a sudden Miss Kew took off the stone face and held out her hands to us. “Children,” she said, „I’m sorry. I really am sorry. But I’ve just done what is best. I’ve sent Baby away. He’s gone to live with some children like him. We could never make him really happy here. You know that.”
‘Janie said, „He never told us he wasn’t happy.”
‘Miss Kew brought out a hollow kind of laugh. „As if he could talk, the poor little thing!”
‘ “You better get him back here,” I said. „You don’t know what you’re fooling with. I told you we wasn’t ever to break up.”
‘She was getting mad, but she held on to herself. „I’ll try to explain it to you, dear,” she said. „You and Jane here and even the twins are all normal, healthy children and you’ll grow up to be fine men and women. But poor Baby’s—different. He’s not going to grow very much more, and he’ll never walk and play like other children.”