A baby.
There was a baby in Roe’s arms. She had the same hair color and same hazel eyes as Roe.
Roe was a mother.
I was struck stupid as I stared at them.
Everything suddenly made sense. The leaving early, late arrivals, refusal to stay late, rejecting my date invites, and even more so why she had disappeared that afternoon.
The child filled the stretching silence with a piercing scream. Roe pulled it tighter to her, bouncing slightly as she soothed. “Shh, it’s okay. He’s here to help us.”
Tears slipped down Roe’s cheeks, her bottom lip trembling.
I stepped forward and kneeled down beside the tub. The angle was awkward, but I was able to wrap my arms around them both and pull them close.
Roe shook as she let loose a sob. She reached up and gripped my neck, pulling me closer.
The c
