“Of course, I’m sure.” Nalani reaches for her, her movements confident and gentle. Savannah settles against her chest almost instantly. “There’s shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in there. Use as much as you want. I’ve got more coming with the groceries.”
“You’re the best,” I say, already halfway to the bathroom.
“There’s one fresh towel hanging up,” she calls after me.
I glance back and smile. “The absolute best.”
The bathroom door closes softly behind me, and am happy I can hear Nalani talking to Savannah, reminding myself to trust my gut, that she is safe, that Nalani is a good person, and a KET sister,one of the good ones.
“But who cares about that when I am holding you? I swear my heart is going to break for the third time when you and your mommy head onto the next chapter in your life.” Nalani says to Savannah. “You wanna know why?”
Of course she doesn’t answer.
“I’ve never held a baby before, and it had a lot to do with worrying I wouldn’t do it right, because I wasn’t raised by a woman who had one motherly bone in her body. But honestly, I’m not sure that would matter much—there is something so special about you.”
Like I said, she’s one of the good ones. Content that she is in good hands, I pee and then turn on the shower.
Steam followsme out of the bathroom as I tighten the towel around me. My hair is dripping, my skin still flushed from the heat, and all I can think about is finding clean clothes and hydrating.
Then I freeze.
There’s a woman I don’t recognize standing in the middle of the living room, holding Savannah like she owns her. She’s gorgeous in a polished, effortless way — designer jeans, heels, a silk blouse that probably costs more than my entire suitcase, and an expression so sharp it could cut glass, and it’s directed at me.
I blink once, twice, trying to figure out what I’ve just walked into.
Nalani looks somewhere between apologetic and amused. “Hey, you’re out,” she says, far too casually for the fact that there’s a stranger in her apartment… holding my daughter.
I grip the towel a little tighter. “I—yes. Who…?”
“This is Sofie,” Nalani says. “She showed up while you were in the shower.”
Sofie tilts her head, assessing me the way someone might study an art piece they’re not sure they like yet. “You must be the mysterious Claudia.”
Mysterious. That’s one word for walking into a room half-naked to find a stranger cooing at your child.
“It took way longer than it should have to convince her that Savannah isn’t mine,” Nalani mutters under her breath, “and that you’re not my girlfriend.”
Sofie shrugs, “You have no idea how worried I was. Nalani being in my City, in this place? I thought she’d been kidnapped. Then this adorably baby and now you?”
I blink, not sure whether to laugh or apologize. “Sorry for existing, I guess.”
“She promised me,” Sofie says dramatically, turning back to Nalani, “that we’d be partners if we hadn’t found the right guy by thirty. Then I walk in, and she’s living with this beautiful woman and a baby.”
Nalani laughs so hard she nearly drops her coffee. “You’re ridiculous.”
Sofie smiles at Savannah, who is staring up at her. “A little.”
“We met on the plane. My hotel reservation was… messed up. She offered to let us stay the night. It’s been a long twenty-four hours.”
“That’s an understatement.” Nalani smiles.
Sofie gives me a look that’s half concern, half curiosity. “Your reservation was messed up?”
This woman is Nalani’s friend, it’s not like she’s not going to tell her at some point, so I do. “I did a summer internship here in the city. I had a summer fling. I found out I was pregnant while writing my dissertation. When I realized I wanted to keep her,I contacted him, and told him that I wasn’t expecting anything, and wanted to tell her I used a donor. He agreed.”
“You’re kidding me,” she gasps.
“It was a fling,” I shake my head. “My choice. I can take care of her.”
