“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry to ask,” the distressed tone in Hannah’s voice is even more alarming than Caroline had thought it would be, and it has Caroline’s stomach clenching as she sits to attention. “Robyn – my friend? Who watches Abbie for me? She, god, I don’t know how it happened, but she hurt her leg and I have to take her to the hospital, but I…” She trails off, muttering something that Caroline can’t quite make out, even as she can hear frantic movements on the other end of the line.

And even though it’s not good news, she can feel everything inside of her relax just a bit because – whew. Nothing has cropped up in their case and no one is dead or seriously injured.

“It’s just, I don’t want Abbie waiting at the hospital for so long.” Hannah pauses before murmuring to herself. “What am I doing?” She clears her throat. “Actually, never mind. I can try Michael again. I’m sorry I bothered you tonight.”

“You aren’t bothering me, and I’m on my way.”

Caroline is already standing from the couch – she guesses she will be cooking tonight after all.

It turns out, having a babysitter with a broken leg isn’t really the ideal situation.

Hannah works a double shift on Mondays and Wednesdays, and picks up the occasional Saturday, if Abbie has other plans.

“What the hell am I going to do?” Hannah asks herself as she paces around Caroline’s living room, her hair a mess from the amount of times she’d clearly drawn her hands through it. It’s almost midnight and she’s only just able to come and pick Abbie up after having helped Robyn back home, cast and all.

“Robyn’s already going to be struggling with her leg, I can’t add onto her plate with Abbie two or three days a week. I can’t have her sitting around the café for hours. I could give up my overtime, but then –” She groans, the short quiet sound laden with stress and worry. “The second I ask Michael for any parenting contributions, he lords it over me. I’m…”

“It just so happens,” she tells Hannah, standing up so she can stand in front of her and make her pause that pacing. “That I have those afternoons free.”

Hannah stares at her indecipherably. Before she shakes her head. “No, I can’t ask you to do that.”

“I offered. And you’d actually be doing me a favor.”

She gets the most incredulous look that she has to laugh, even as Hannah deadpans. “Right. I’m sure you have nothing better to do than watch my nine-year-old.”

“I… don’t, really.” She’s almost embarrassed to admit.

“I find that hard to believe.” Hannah twists her fingers together, her stress palpable. Caroline hates that stress sitting on her shoulders, she really does.