the bottom of the steps

Max had rushed through the ceremony and quickly as he could. At first the noise was faint, but then he listened as hard as he could. There was something in the baptistry. He went to check as soon as he could. He opened the little door that took him down the cement stairs. It was dark and so cold. Thankfully, without water. But there it was at the bottom of the steps. An infant wrapped up in blankets in a straw basket.

Max picked up the infant as quickly as he could. He was in a state of shock and a tad awkward, but grateful the little one was completely satisfied in his arms. He hadn't expected that as he made it back up the steps into the choir cloak room. He took a good look at the infant then. Blue eyed, blond.

The baby was in pink. A girl, perhaps. He just wasn't sure how to go about investigating this mystery. But this was getting so comfortable in his arms and she was going to sleep. He really didn't want to wake her.

Just then he looked up and saw Chris.

"Whats going on ?" Chris winced looking at the child.

"Its a baby," Max could barely get the words out.

"Who's baby?"

"I dunno, I found it in the baptistry," Max tried to keep his voice down. "Maybe you could find out something. It was in the basket at the bottom of the steps.

"Sure." Chris went down to get the basket. Max waited. He couldn't help but smile at the baby. It was this irresistible comfort feeling that just overwhelmed him. It was the most wonderful feeling of happiness that he didn't know he could possibly have because it was a different sort of happy feeling than what he had with Chris. It just made him sad to think they had to figure this out.

"Well, it says here this is your baby," Chris said looking at the note.

"No, it isn't," Max winced. "Does this baby look anything like me?"

"Not really." Chris shook his head.

"Let me see that note?"

The handwriting was quite small and took a bit of deciphering. He squinted a bit to get through it.

"I think they just want me to be the baby's guardian." Max nodded.

"Are you?" Chris looked puzzled.

"Well," Max looked at the baby and cradled her more. "What do you think?"