After that, he stopped asking to hold Sophie.
“I just want one normal picture.”
He still came over. He talked to her from across the room. He waved at her like she was a neighbor.
But he never reached for her again.
That wasn’t the only thing that changed.
He started disappearing after work. His shift ended at noon, so I called him at lunch.
“I’ll pick you up. We’ll get food.”
“Can’t. I have class.”
But he never reached for her again.
“What class?”
“Just class. Tuesday and Thursday.”
“Since when do you keep secrets from me?”
He grinned. “It’s a surprise.”
The next Sunday, he dropped his bag on the hall bench to wash his hands. It slid open.
Claire froze.
“Just class.”
A plastic baby doll lay on top of his sweatshirt, staring at the ceiling.
“Jamie. Why do you have a baby in your bag?”
