“I’m sorry for how I treated you. For assuming the worst about you.”

“In the past,” he says, opening a bag of Combos.

“That’s it? I dislocated your shoulder. You’ve been so good to Scarlett. You didn’t deserve it. I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “You didn’t know.”

“You’re really going to let me off that easy?”

“Kind of my thing,” he says. I don’t detect any bitterness. He tosses a Combo up and catches it in his mouth. “Ready? We should get back.”

The room is far less chaotic than it was a few hours ago. No nurses. No Mom, who went back to Scarlett’s to get some sleep. It’s just me, Scarlett, Matty, and the baby.

“I see she’s inherited your sense of style,” I say, pointing to the hat.

Instead of the pastel hat the hospital gave her, she’s now wearing a black one. She rocks it. I look at her squishy little face. At her tiny nose, pink lips.

“Oh, she’s so cute,” I tell Scarlett. “We’re in trouble.”

“Look. She’s got some hair.” She peels back the hat to reveal a puff of fine dark hair.

“You made that!” I say.

“It was so hard,” she says. “Why does it have to be so hard?”

“For us ladies to prove how strong and amazing we are so we can continue to be overlooked for leadership positions and receive less pay.”

“That’s your aunt Rory,” Matty whispers to the baby.

“Does she have a name yet?”

“We wanted to wait until we met her,” Scarlett says.

“And?”

“We’re thinking Lennox,” Matty says. “Lenny for short.”

“Cute and a little edgy,” I say. “It suits her.”

“You want to hold her?” he asks.

My stomach flips. I look at Scarlett. “Really?”

“Here,” she says. “Support her head and neck.”

“You trust me?”

“Yes,” Scarlett says, “I trust you.”

I take a deep breath and reach out for her. I carefully slide one hand behind her head, the other under her body. She’s so scrawny. There’s nothing to her.

I cradle her in my arms. She looks up at me with her goopy dark eyes. She’s taking me in. Considering me. It’s so clear that’s what’s happening, that she’s sizing me up.

“Very cerebral, this one.”

“She’s serious,” Scarlett says.

“Weird they come with personalities.”

“Didn’t we?”

I look down at Lenny, who still appears to be on the fence about me. I gently swipe my finger against her fuzzy cheek. I whisper, “I’ve got you, kid. I’ve got you.”

She closes her eyes and falls asleep in my arms.

—

I don’t sleep. I haven’t slept in two days, and I’m in a state beyond exhaustion.

Scarlett’s being discharged from the hospital. Matty’s taking her home, and Ian’s coming to get me.

He shows up with flowers.

“For me?” I ask.

“For your sister.”

I gasp. “My sister?”

“I mean, for Lenny.”

I gasp again. “My niece?”

“All right, just take them.”

“We can drop them at Scarlett’s. I’d say you could meet Lenny but she’s sleeping.”