Hamza looks like he wants to take Hannah’s words back, but he’s helpless. His wavy hair is slicked with gel and his goatee gives him a distinguished, professorial look. Sadie likes the kindness in his eyes.

She sees the bundle in Hamza’s arms.

“Oh my God,” she says. Not pregnant anymore.

Hannah points to Sadie’s neck. “What’s that?” she says.

Sadie forgot the slender gold cross she has started wearing. She touches it and nods her head toward Hamza. “What’s that?”

“It’s our baby, Mom.”

“Let’s head to baggage claim, yes, ladies?” Hamza says. “And maybe a stop on the way to change Foofoo.” He pats the baby’s bottom with one hand.

Sadie feels the words she wanted to say—to explain why she’d invited Hannah and Hamza here—slipping away.

“Foofoo?” she says.

“His name is Fareed,” Hannah says.

Sadie searches for a message in Hannah’s voice. What does it mean that she has named her first child after Sadie’s father?

“Do you want me to help change him?” Sadie asks.

“Hamza can do it.”

Hamza clutches the baby, as though Fareed can save him from his wife and mother-in-law, and disappears into the men’s room. Sadie feels sorry for him.

A cart beeps at Sadie and Hannah. The white-haired man in the front passenger seat holds his cane stiff against his knee, and the woman behind him clutches her pocketbook upright on her lap. The uniformed driver lays on the horn again. Hannah and Sadie step wordlessly out of the way and hang close to the wall.

Hannah takes off her sweater and wraps it around her waist. “Where is this ceremony happening?”

“At church.”

“I’m sorry? Why is it at church?”

“I’m being baptized.” Sadie whispers so no one will hear but Hannah. Hannah leans closer; the anger coloring her cheeks and brightening her eyes is contagious. Sadie feels the fever. “I didn’t think you’d come if I told you the real reason.”

“Have we become Christian?” Hannah says.

“You are whatever you are. This is me.” Sadie has been carrying her wool coat and sweater over one arm but the weight of them distracts her. She lets them fall to the floor.

“I can’t deal with you, Mom,” Hannah says as Hamza emerges from the bathroom. He hands Fareed to Hannah and her face immediately calms, though the baby is wailing. She pats his back and he calms, too.

“It’s disgusting in there. No changing table, of course.”

“She’s converting,” Hannah says.

Hamza looks from mother to daughter.

“It’s always lies between us,” Hannah says. “She told us one thing, award ceremony, whatever, but she’s being baptized. In church.”

“That’s wonderful. I guess.”

“You have a baby,” Sadie says.

“We didn’t lie about that. Here he is. You can see him with your own eyes.”

“Thank you. May I hold him?”