Accidentally on Purpose

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jonah and I had matching expressions on our faces as we stood in front of Mr. Herberg's desk.

It was about three weeks after we'd started recording videos of us hanging out together—we didn't really hang out all that much, truthfully. Usually, I just hung around to annoy him with my camera at the diner, and he would somehow find a way to record me while I was in the most embarrassing moments. He still didn't smile or laugh all that much around me—I guess it was just his personality to rarely show positive expressions—but I could tell that he had slowly grown to enjoy my presence around. It was tough, and it still would be long until we become real friends or something else, but it was good progress.

Meanwhile, during the class, we'd been learning about what we should expect when we were expecting a baby, including how to cope with all the financial issues—preparing the room for the baby, the medical check-up fees, how much it would cost to take care of the baby, blah blah blah—and the stress it could bring both parties when the baby delivery was getting closer. We'd basically learned everything about family planning, responsibilities of pregnancy, the development of the baby from the pregnancy until it was born, including the birth process itself, which was gross to learn but I guess it was pretty important.

Mr. Herberg kind of told us what he had learned in his life so far, as he was currently expecting a baby as well, so it was kind of a fun lesson because he got to share his experience and it was more like storytelling than actual learning.

And now, finally, came the moment that I'd been dreading since the first time Mr. Herberg announced the project.

"Yep. So here's your baby girl," our teacher said, handing out the baby to me and holding it carefully as if it was a real baby. The baby was fully clothed, and a thin, patterned blanket was wrapped around its body. He handed a small bag to Jonah that apparently was filled with its fake feeding bottle, some baby clothes, and fake diapers. "Please hold her carefully."

Before I took the baby, I glanced at Jonah. He looked at me too, and he had a wide-eyed look in his face. I finally let Mr. Herberg put the baby into my arms and went back to my desk, with Jonah following me. Our teacher then called the next couple to deliver their babies.

Once I was at my desk, I turned my attention back to the front of the room, finding out that it was Spencer's turn to receive his babies. Babies! Twins! Mr. Herberg really did give two babies, one for Spencer and one for Tracey. It was already freaking me out to hold one doll that would suddenly scream out crying, let alone two.

I sent Spencer a sympathetic look, which he replied with a weak smile. Then I turned to Jonah, who was already staring at the doll. So I asked in an unsure tone, "Do you want to... hold it—her, whatever?"

He blinked, and then he cringed. "No... no thank you."

"Right." I looked down to the baby in my lap, studying it and trying not to feel creeped out. It looked so lifelike, the only things that confirmed its fakeness were just the fact that it was stiff and its eyes were open, unblinking and its lips parted into a childlike smile. Other than that, it looked almost real—the hair, the eyes, everything.

It—she, whatever—looked to be about a few months old. Her hair was short and it was dark blonde, and there was a small pink bow on her head, and her eyes were blue. I repeat, the eyes looked so lifelike—the color was exactly the real color on people's eyes, not the kind of blue you would see in a Barbie doll's eyes or something.

Sure, the doll was creepy to me because it looked like it was alive while it was definitely not, but it honestly didn't look scary like I'd thought it would be. It looked just like a baby, and I felt like I was holding a baby.