A woman with light brown hair that skimmed her shoulders and straight bangs framing her eyebrows sidled up to me. She looked ready for a fall workout, in tights and an expensive merino wool base layer top I had been eyeing to go cross-country skiing in. “Hi there. I’m Meg. I haven’t seen you here before.”

“Yeah, this is my first time,” I replied.

“My, that’s a young one!”

“Yes, she’s just eight weeks old.”

“You only have one on your hands?”

“Yes, for now.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I was wondering if you and your employer would consider taking on a toddler, too. I’m looking to share a nanny. I head back to work in a month, and I’m having the worst luck finding someone suitable.”

I was stunned, and fascinated. I hadn’t realized that Leo could pass as a different race from me. I had been fixated on her dark hair and eyes, but watching her jerky arms move as she rattled the plastic toy keys, I noticed that her skin was much fairer than mine. “Oh. Well—”

“Listen, don’t say no yet. Just think about it. I’m happy to talk to your employer about it. I’m really easygoing, and my daughter over there is a delight.”

I followed her pointing finger to see a sturdy curly-haired child push another child. The woman laughed dismissively. “They’re at that stage where they’re just testing so many limits.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not a nanny. This is my baby.”

“Oh, shit! Why didn’t you say so earlier? You just let me ramble on and on.”

The woman got up, and I sat there dumbfounded. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She looked back at me and decided it was time to leave the playgroup.

The facilitator called after her. “Going so soon? We haven’t had circle time yet.” The woman carried her screaming child out the door.

Hilary raced over with one of her friends. “What happened? What did you say to her?”

“She was trying to find a nanny share and—” I started to say.

“Noooooo!” Hilary exclaimed. “You’re not saying …?”

I nodded.

“It must be because your baby is a halfie,” said Hilary’s friend.

Hilary gave her a look that could sour milk. “Excuse me, Kay? Did you just call Leo a halfie?”

“I, uh, didn’t mean anything by it. I mean, she’s mixed … I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. It’s obvious she’s not, you know, pure Chinese,” Kay stammered.

“Stop right there,” Hilary said. “Just stop.”

After the playgroup, as Hilary and I walked west on Somerset, she looked over at me cautiously. “Sorry about that.”

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault,” I said.

“I promise you, playgroups are not usually that eventful. Any drama is usually caused by the kids!”

“Don’t worry, you haven’t scarred me. That’s life, right?”

“It shouldn’t be like that. We shouldn’t have to deal with that.”