The entire time the police were talking to Lilianna, she didn't release the baby. She even stood next to the medics as they checked on the baby.
"Ms. Guzman, do you know how many people were in the car?" Detective James asked her,
"Two adults beside the baby." She said, hugging herself from the cold.
Thankfully the rain loosened up a bit.
"Umm, what are they going to do with the baby?" She asked,
"Well, the car is in really bad shape. Tomorrow we'll check for any identification and if we fail to find any then we'll have to give the baby up for adoption." He said and walked away.
Lilianna turned back to the medics and watched as they checked the baby's heartbeat.
After they finished checking her, the next problem was who would take care of her for the night until some other type of family was contacted.
Lilianna was more than happy to volunteer, and they told her that she had to take the baby down the police station tomorrow.
The medics gave her a car seat that they had, and she placed the baby in the front and made sure the police didn't see because well that would be a violation. She took the baby and placed her in the seat. She was able to leave the crime scene behind without any other problems.
After driving for some time, she finally reached home.
She quickly took the baby into the house so the baby wouldn't get sick from the rain. She shut the door and turned on the lights.
The baby girl was still very much awake and squirming. Lilianna walked down the hallway and entered her dark room.
After turning on the light, she laid the baby down on the bed and unwrapped the wet blanket.
The baby was wet, so Lilianna took off all her clothes leaving her naked. The baby's skin was cold, so she decided to give her a shower.
Lilianna walked into her bathroom with the baby in her arms. She filled the small egg-shaped tub, but only a few inches.
"I can't keep calling you 'baby' and I don't know your name, so I'll just name you for the mean time." Lilianna said, talking to the baby.
She simply stared up at her with sparkling eyes.
"How do you feel about Isabella?" Lilianna asked as she sat on the side of the tub.
"Nah, too common." She said and threw in some scented soap.
"What about... Lia." She said, smiling down at her.
The baby smiled back a toothless grin and stuck her finger in her mouth.
"Lia it is." Lilianna said,
Lilianna rolled her pants up to her knees and turned into the tub. She stuck her feet in and rested Lia in the water.
Lia giggled and splashed the water.
Lilianna laughed and rubbed Lia's body with soap.
She let Lia soak in the warm water for a bit until she took her out and rinsed off the soap in the sink.
Lilianna grabbed a towel and wrapped Lia in it.
She walked into the room and realized that there weren’t any clothes for Lia.
Lilianna remembered about her nephews and walked into the extra room.
When her two nephews were small, she kept diapers and some clothes in the closet.
She walked to the back of the closet and pulled out a box. She opened it to find small diapers and shirts in it.
She grabbed two diapers and a shirt before walking back to her room.
She laid Lia on the bed and dried her body.
Lia watched her as she put the diaper on her and pulled the shirt over her head. The diaper was a bit too big and sort of old and the shirt was also a bit too big.
Lilianna glanced at the clock on her bedside table to see that it was already past 11.
She walked out to the kitchen with Lia in her arms and turned the light on.
Lilianna unfortunately didn't know how to make milk, so she used Google to find out.
Using Google instructions, she made a warm bottle of milk and learned the right position to feed her.
Once Lia was fed, she walked into her room. It took her awhile to put her to sleep, but after thirty minutes of rubbing her butt Lia finally fell asleep.
Lilianna laid Lia down on her large queen size bed. Before she left, she placed pillows around her small body.
Lilianna sighed and flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. She checked the news and sure enough the accident was being talked about.
They still don't know the people in the car or the baby, but they're going to try to get some tests on the remains of the bodies.
Lilianna switched the channel and soon enough, she accidentally fell asleep on the couch.
~~~~~
Lilianna woke to Lia screaming.
She ran into the room to see her on her back screaming at the ceiling. She picked her up, making sure to hold her head and rocked her back and forth.
"Ssh." She cooed at her and smiled down at her as her crying got lower until they subsided.
Lilianna checked her diaper and checked if she was hungry, but it was neither. She must've just wanted to be rocked. Lilianna looked at the clock and saw that it was two in the morning.
Lia went back to sleep, and Lilianna laid her back down in the middle of the pillows.
Lilianna walked into her bathroom and striped out of her clothes. She left the door open just in case Lia woke up again. She stepped into the shower, but not before clipping her hair up.
The cold water fell on her and she turned it too hot since it was chilly. Lilianna scrubbed her body with a scented soap and rinsed off when she was done. She unclipped her hair and it fell down her back in a curly mess.
She walked into her small walk in closet and pulled on some panties and a big shirt. She glanced over to Lia who was sleeping on her belly. Lilianna left the door wide open and left the hallway light on as she walked into the guestroom.
She also left this door open and crawled into the soft cool bed. Once her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.
~~~~
Lilianna woke up around seven and luckily Lia was still asleep, so she was able to make breakfast before she woke up.
Lilianna pulled out pans and turned on the electric stove and set the pans on it. She also took out pancake mix, two eggs, bacon, and syrup.
She sat the ingredients on the table and began to mix the pancake with water.
After setting the bacon on one of the pans, she began to beat the eggs in a glass bowl. She poured the pancakes and eggs into the other two pans and while they heated up, she started the milk for Lia.
Once everything was done, she set the food onto a plate and poured Lia's milk into a bottle.
Lilianna walked down the hall to the room to check if Lia was awake. When she opened the door Lia's eyes came over to the door and Lilianna smiled at her. Lia was rolling side to side holding her feet with her hands to her body and giggling.
"Aww." Lilianna cooed at her and crawled onto the bed next to her.
She laid down next to Lia and she turned to Lilianna. She rolled herself onto her stomach and slowly crawled to Lilianna. She used Lilianna's face to try and get up and made it half way before falling onto her back.
Lilianna laughed at her and picked her up and lifted Lia over her. She lifted Lia up and down while she giggled and slobbered.
"Ok, breakfast time." Lilianna said, walking out to the kitchen with Lia in her arms.
She sat down with Lia in her lap with her back to Lilianna's chest and her arm around Lia's belly holding her up, Lilianna used one hand to eat and while holding the bottle for Lia to drink.
When they were both done, Lilianna got Lia ready first then herself. Lilianna dressed Lia in a baby blue body suit and small shoes and a small beanie. It was the best she could do with her nephew's clothes.
Lilianna got dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans, a blue and white dress shirt. It was blue on top, but as it went down it turned a creamy white and it was long sleeve. She pulled out a trench coat and put it on. She put her phone and money in one of the pockets.
After they were ready, Lilianna picked up Lia from the bed and walked out of the house, but not before locking the door.
Since Lia can't ride in front, she decided to drive her mom's car that was parked in the garage along with her dad's car. Lilianna buckled Lia in the seat and carried it over to her mom's blue Sedan.
After Lia was settled in the back seat, Lilianna got into the driver's seat and drove off to the police station.
As they pulled up to the station, people were pouring in and out the entrance doors. She parked in a visitor's spot and picked Lia up and walked through the entrance doors.
"Excuse me, but do you know where Detective James is?" Lilianna asked the front desk lady.
"Keep on walking back until you reach the last desk before the chief's door." The woman instructed,
She nodded and walked past many desks until she saw Detective James sitting at his desk.
"Good morning, Detective James." Lilianna said as she reached his desk.
He looked up at her through his mop of dirty blonde hair and smiled at her. He had the brightest green eyes and he looked as if he was in his late twenties.
"Good morning, Ms. Guzman. Thank you for coming in." He said, standing up and shook her hand.
He gestured for her to sit in the chair across from his desk, so she did.
"So, in concern for the baby, we haven't found any family members and I don't think there will be any. There is no way to identify the victims. We have posted a notice out in the community and no one has reported anything about a baby girl." Detective James sigh,
"So, what are you going to do?" Lilianna asked,
"Well, we have no choice, but close the case. The cause of the fire was an engine malfunction" He said,
"Ok. So now pertaining to Lia." She asked,
"Who?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"The baby. I named her Lia." Lilianna clarified,
"Oh right, well we have a social worker here to deal with that, so she'll be taking care of Lia from now on." He said,
Lilianna frowned and looked down at Lia who was sucking on her fist while slobbering and staring at him.
"Well, can't I umm, adopt her?" She asked hopeful,
"Yes, you can, but there are many tasks you have to go through. The orphanage needs to make sure you're suitable to take care of her." He said and pulled out some folders.
"I'll go call our person and you both can converse about this." He said and got up.
Lilianna cleaned Lia's slobber and played with her until Detective James came back.
"Here she is." Liliana looked up to see Detective James walking over with a woman by his side.
She was pretty. She had long blonde hair, the classic blue eyes, and was tall.
"Good morning Ms. Guzman, I'm Detective Morris, but specialize in baby cases such as Lia and I hear you want to adopt this little angel." She said, smiling down at Lia.
"Yes, that's right." Lilianna affirmed,
"Well, are you sure? Taking a baby in is a very difficult decision and there is a process not to mention you've only had her for a night." Detective Morris stated,
Lilianna looked down at Lia who was babbling and swinging her hands before looking back at the detective.
"I know it seems sudden and not thought of, but that's how I am. If I can prevent this baby from going through such hardships and spending her time in an orphanage, then I'll take her." Lilianna explained, feeling sure about it. That's how her mother raised her. To be selfless and to jump at the opportunity to help someone.
"Well there are forms you have to sign and payments and of course the baby has to get a checkup." Detective Morris said, handing Lilianna some papers.
"Ok, let's get started." Lilianna said, accepting them.
Detective Morris smiled at her and Lilianna followed her to an empty room, and they talked about the requirements of taking care of Lia. Detective Morris asked where she lives, what car she drove, where she works, and so many other questions.
By the time they were done, it was early afternoon and Lilianna was sure Lia was hungry. During the meeting, Lilianna had to go to the car and retrieve her a bottle and feed Lia.
"Thank you for your time Detective Morris." Lilianna said, shaking her hand.
"No problem, I will be sending you some papers that you need to sign. Not to mention you need to set up an appointment for a checkup for Lia." She said and Lilianna nodded her head.
Lilianna walked to her car and sat Lia in the seat. Once they were on the road, Lilianna decided to do some shopping for Lia since she was adopting her after all.
They pulled up at Walmart and parked in an empty spot. Lilianna got a cart and sat Lia in the seat. Walking through the Walmart doors, she saw people walking about. She rolled the car to the baby section and first got more diapers, bottles, baby food, pacifiers, blankets, and even ordered a crib.
An employee told her that she would need all sorts of thing which had her mind reeling in shock. She agreed to it and the employee helped her with the shopping. By the time Lilianna was done buying it was getting dark out.
She quickly phoned the café and spoke with Paul who she usually left in charge when she wasn't in. Everything was good at the business, so they hung up and she packed everything into the trunk and was finally able to go home. Once home she placed everything where they were supposed to go while Lia sat in the rocker watching TV.
She was finally done and stood proud looking at her house that was now baby-proof. She had just finished setting up the crib that went to the side of the bed so in a way the baby would be sleeping with her. One side of the crib was completely open, and that part was attached to the bed. The changing table was set up by the wall with everything in it. She was going to reorganize her room so everything could fit, but not today.
Lilianna plopped down the couch and watched as Lia sucked on a pacifier while watching a bunch of shapes sing and dance around on the TV.
Lilianna made her a bottle but checked to make sure it was the right temperature before giving it to Lia. Lia looked up at her as she vigorously sucked on the bottle.
"Aren't you a beautiful baby?" Lilianna whispered and kissed her forehead.
Lia fell asleep while sucking on the bottle, so Lilianna was extra careful not to wake her. Once she set her down in the crib, Lilianna turned the light on by the nightstand so it wouldn't be too dark for her.
She showered and dressed in the bathroom. She made sure that everything was off outside before climbing into bed. It was raining outside, and she pulled a blanket over Lia and one for herself.
She turned off the light and she was out.