Child Support (Maxine)

"I really don't see why this causes you so much trouble. A woman your age should be quite capable of managing it on her own."

"And a woman your age should be..." Maya drowned the rest of the sentence in the cup of horrible tea-and-milk and watched tiny feet and fists dangle in the air as the diaper was wrapped around and tied. Mrs. Hughes scooped the baby up and turned back to the mirrorwalker.

"Such a precious little darling, she is" she smiled, holding it with elegance that Maya swore had to be programmed into a DR training module. "There you go, all clean and happy, the little darling."

Maya let out a sigh she had been holding, but did not extend her hands.

"Maybe it would be better if I did not make the journey back home tonight." she suggested "It is getting late. She will need some sleep."

"Oh but you can't stay here!" the woman exclaimed, suddenly serious "I am sorry dear, but I am afraid having a baby and a single mother in this house is quite against the rules."

"Ain't that splendid" Maya muttered to herself.

"I am truly sorry child, but you have to go. It is better for all if Her Ladyship does not find out about this, let alone the staff. I will give you some food for the road..."

"No need" Maya sighed, and held out the baby basket. It was safer, and cushioned. Babies seemed alarmingly fragile. "Thank you for your help."

"Don't mention it my dear" the woman beamed, smoothing down her apron "Always happy to help. Besides, even I know how to change a diaper."

"Well, you've got that on Mary Poppins."

******

Maya stepped out of the TV screen in the living room and noted with a relieved sigh that there was no one up this late at night, watching a past-season episode of Upton Abbey. She reached for the remote and clicked the TV off, hoping against hope that the baby would succumb to post-dirty-diaper bliss and go to sleep.

No such luck.

Baby wailing seemed to be the theme of the day. As luck would have it, Miss Taylor was out of the Mansion for the day, and if there were any male X-men around, they were doing their best hiding from the most fearsome creature on Earth. Maya had even tried DocProf, who first made sure the baby was intact, then delivered a tirade about teen pregnancy, protection, responsibility, and the nerve of you, and then declared the Infirmary off-diaper-limits.

"Oh come on" Maya sighed, feeling more exhausted by the moment, as the pre-midnight drowsiness crept up on her. Plopping down onto the couch, she held the basket on her knees, rocking it gently and awkwardly, and rested her forehead on the handle.

"I was so not trained for this."

And how on Earth am I gonna tell Evelyn?...