Mr Tan was on cloud nine. Her wife had just safely delivered their first born child. It was a son. How the couple had always wished to have a child, and finally their wish is granted. As usual, Mrs Tan had to stay after the deliver. Mr Tan went home first and before he left, he kissed his wife on the cheek and promised that he will be here early the next day. While walking down the corridor, he headed towards the room where all new born babies are placed. He saw his own little prince from the glass. It has lots of hair on his head, just like his father. What makes the father even more happy is that the baby looked just like him. He must admit to himself that he had a beautiful baby. The baby also had round eyes and small mole on his left ear.
Back to the postpartum room, Mrs Tan was really tired after the delivery. It didnt take her a while to doze off after taking her medicine. It was dark outside the window as the moon was being covered by the cloud. Mrs Tan lived in a two bedded room, however the patient next to her bed had discharged that afternoon.
Mrs Tan was sleeping soundly when she suddenly heard the sound of someone playing outside her room. It was the sound of a little girl and she seems to be giggling away while running down the corridor. Mrs Tan was disturbed from her sleep. She felt annoyed and angry. Why is the hospital still letting children running around in the middle of the night and disturbing other patients? She wants to get down from her bed to see who is still outside her room during this hour of the day and not in bed instead. However the pain from the delivery prevented her from doing so. She promised to herself that she will complain about it to the hospital administrator in the morning. She fell asleep again after a while.
She was once again awoke by the sound of giggling outside her bedroom. It was louder this time. She could not take it anymore this time. With all her might, she got down from her bed with one hand holding the rail at her bed end. Slowly she walked towards the door and opened it. When she peered outside she could see someone running down the corridor. She was giggling all the way as she ran and disappeared from sight. From her hand she seems to be hugging something, if it is not mistaken a doll.
Feeling angry, Mrs Tan rang the bell beside her bed. Five minutes later, the nurse came. Mrs Tan complained to the nurse that there is a kid still running around the hospital and disturbing patients at this late hour. The nurse however seems puzzled. She told Mrs Tan that the hospital always make sure that all children is in bed before 9 and it must be strange that any kids are still wandering around. Flashing the nurse a look that says"Do you think I am making up stories?", the nurse quickly reassured that they will check around to see if any children is still wandering around. Mrs Tan felt better as she laid down on her bed and doze off again.
It must have been 3 hours from just now. The giggling could be heard again. Mrs Tan woke up. The giggling was just right outside her bedroom door. Didn't the nurse did her duty? Mrs Tan got down from her bed and opened the bedroom door. She saw a little girl right outside her door. On her hand there was something. It looked human. It was, yes it was a baby. It was not a doll but a real life baby boy. How could the hospital let this to happen? A little girl stealing babies from the crib and running around with it? She could have hurt the baby accidentally . Mrs Tan bent down a little.
"Who are you? Where did you took this baby from? You should return him to where he belongs."
The little girl are not bothered by those question. Instead she asked Mrs Tan,"Can you be the mother of this baby?"
???!!!
Of course not. Mrs Tan replied that she is not the mother of this baby and the girl should certainly return him to his own mother.
The girl asked her again in a pleading tone,"Can you be the mother of this baby?Please...!"
"No, I can't and you should return him to his crib before you hurt him."
"Please I plead you! Please promise me that you will be the mother of this baby."
Mrs Tan did not knew what she should do. She suggested that she will take care of the baby and asked the girl to hand it to her. In her mind, Mrs Tan thought the baby will be safer in her hands and she will ring the nurse to take the baby back to his mother.
The little girl however not willing to hand in the baby to Mrs Tan. She insisted that Mrs Tan said it out that she promised she will be the mother of that baby.
Mrs Tan feeling afraid that the baby will got hurt and wanted to settle this thing as soon as possible, promised the girl that she will be the mother of that baby.
"Yes, I promised that I will be the mother of this baby."
The girl handed over the baby to Mrs Tan. She ran away after that.
Mrs Tan brought the baby to her bed and laid him by her bedside. She rang the bell. However, she dozed off after waiting for some time.
The next morning, Mr Tan arrived with flowers in his hand and all the others personal need for Mrs Tan. Mrs Tan awoke and found that the baby has gone. The nurse must had came to take it away yesterday night.
The head nurse greeted Mrs Tan good morning. She brought along the Tan's baby in a tray. Mrs Tan hugged her baby close to her breast and played with his little finger. Mr Tan came over to the bedside and kissed her wife on her forehead. Just as he was about to hug the baby, he got a shocked.
"Mel, this isn't our baby!"
"What are you talking about John? Of course this is our baby, his identification bracelet is same number as mine!"
"No, I am sure that this is not our baby! I just saw our baby yesterday right before I left. Our baby has got lots of hair, round eyes and small mole on his left ear. This baby got no mole, little hair and small eyes."
"John, I am sure this is our baby! I saw how he looks like too yesterday, before he is taken away. Our baby has got no mole."
The head nurse heard the arguement going on between the Tan's. It was not an unusual event for her. Nearly every two years, there are such similar case happened. That little girl just wouldn't let things rest. She just can't rest. She is around long enough. No one knew her presence. Everyone thought that she is already dead, and that is it. Who would have thought that she is still inside this building wandering around the hospital although she is already dead. But not for the head nurse. She has seen her, yes she had.
Right outside the bedroom door, someone was eavesdropping the Tan's arguement. There was a little giggle. On the little girl's hand was a baby, it was another baby. This baby has got lots of hair, round eyes and a small mole on his left ear. The girl smiled sinisterly to herself. She walked away quietly from the bedroom door. She will find a mother for this baby. Yes, she will....
