Toby rang the doorbell again. A draft eddied leaves across the concrete porch. He reached down to the baby carrier at his feet and adjusted the blanket canopied over its handle, shutting out the wind and the low November sun.
As he considered knocking, footsteps approached from behind the door. It opened a crack.
“Are you Toby?” a voice said.
“Yes. Sorry we’re early. I was just taking her for a drive and we ended up in the neighborhood,” Toby said.
“Ok. Well, come in.” The door opened enough to let him in. He hoisted the baby carrier up with both hands and maneuvered it through the narrow opening, guiding its bulk with his knee. The door closed behind him, revealing a small woman in a thin long-sleeved shirt and sweat pants. “Have a seat. I’m still getting everything together. We agreed on 3.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I thought about driving around a little longer, but we were already so close, and I guess I was a little anxious.”
The woman glanced down at the baby carrier. “Is she asleep?”
“For now,” Toby said.
“Give me, maybe ten minutes?” the woman said.
“Take your time,” Toby said.
The woman disappeared down the hallway. Toby lowered the carrier to the floor by a gray couch. He perched himself at the edge of the cushion, trying to disturb as little as possible. He looked around, hands folded in his lap. The house was dark. A desktop computer glowed in the corner across the room. Its wallpaper showed the woman and a man, presumably her partner, smiling hysterically on a cobblestone street by a pristine white beach. The chair at the desk was piled with laundry. At the other end of the couch, balanced on the arm, were a pillow and a haphazardly folded blanket.
The woman reappeared and crossed quickly to the kitchen. The light flickered on. Through the opening above the bar, he watched her bounce quickly between cabinets and the refrigerator. Mostly, he saw the back of her head. Her hair wild and unkempt. Things clattered. Doors opened and closed quickly. He felt he should say something.
“We really appreciate everything,” he said, trying to project his voice into the kitchen without waking up the baby at his feet. The woman didn’t respond. He continued, “It’s just such a generous thing to do.”
“Well, you know, I have it, she needs it,” the woman said breathlessly. The kitchen light flickered out again. She rounded the wall with a small styrofoam cooler. “I just couldn’t stand letting it go to waste.” She extended the cooler to Toby. He looked at her for a moment. He noticed two wet spots on her shirt, at her nipples. He looked at the cooler.
“Oh, uh, I don’t know if I’ve got enough arms,” he said. He chuckled.
“Oh. Well, you grab her and I’ll take this,” the woman said.
“Hold on,” Toby said, “before we do that, let me CashApp you.”
“No, that’s okay,” the woman said.
“We agreed,” he insisted.
“I know, but I thought about it. You’re gonna need a lot more. And it’s just gonna go to waste if you don’t take it. Your daughter should have it.”
Toby considered for a moment. “I just, I don’t know if my wife would’ve wanted me to just take it from you, you know, for nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” the woman said. Her expression softened. “You’re helping me. You’re helping.”
The pair stood there a moment in silence. The baby started to rustle and coo under the blanket.
“Uh oh,” Toby said softly, “better get going.” He hoisted the baby carrier. The woman opened the door for him, then followed him out.
At his car, Toby opened the back door and latched the carrier into its dock with a heavy click.
“Is the passenger seat ok?” the woman asked.
“Yes. Thanks.”
The woman laid the cooler on the floorboard and gently shut the door. The two stood silent again for a moment.
“What was her name? Your wife?” she asked.
“Uh, Patricia,” Toby said, “what, uh, what was your son’s name?”
“Sebastian,” the woman answered, “after his grandfather.”
“That’s nice,” Toby said.
“You’ll need more by Wednesday, probably. 3 o’clock still ok?”
Toby smiled. “Yes. 3. For real this time. I promise.”
He rounded the front of his car, opened the door, and sank into the driver’s seat. The woman turned and padded back inside in her bare feet as he drove away.
