Zoey leaves for work, early the next morning, leaving Jackie on her own. She wakes up to a baby drooling on her. She opens her eyes, and sits up. She looks down at her shirt, and finds a puddle of drool. She moves the sleeping baby to her arms. She carries him into his room, to the changing table. She wipes him down with baby wipes, and slathers him in lotion, after changing his diaper. He opens his eyes, and looks at her, as if he's happy with nothing more than a diaper on. She looks at her watch.
"I bet you're getting hungry."
After she finishes feeding him she proceeds to dress him. He falls back to sleep after a couple of minutes. She proceeds to place him in his basinet, as she gets dressed. She pulls on a clean t-shirt, and a pair of sweat pants, that she can't recall acquiring. She moves into the bathroom to wash her face, and brush her teeth. She runs a brush through her hair, and then proceeds to pull it into a bun. She pees, and then washes her hands. She stares at the empty toilet paper roll. She pitches it into the garbage. She opens the bathroom cabinet, and finds that it is empty.
She goes into the other room, scooping the baby out of the basinet, knowing he will cry if she leaves him alone. She searches the house for another roll, but she can't find one. She stares at the baby who is sound asleep.
"You have got to be kidding me," she growls, moving towards the kitchen. She enters the kitchen, and opens the fridge. She finds that she's out of milk. She moves towards the cabinet, there is a box with less than one serving of cereal. She shakes her head.
"Jackie you have known for weeks that you were going to have a baby. Why didn't you go grocery shopping to buy milk, and toilet paper?" she questions herself.
Twenty minutes later, against her better judgment she finds herself at the store. Caleb is sound asleep in the snuggli strapped to her chest, she received as a gift from her baby shower. She manages to grip a basket with milk, and toilet paper in it. She moves down the next aisle, grabbing a box of cereal. She tries to go through a mental list of anything else she might need. It hits her that she is out of baby laundry detergent. She is silently cursing herself as she heads towards the next aisle. She is too consumed in thought to realize anyone is watching her.
"Jackie?" A familiar voice from behind her calls.
She refuses to turn around, afraid to face him. Maybe he didn't notice, she hopes. Then she realizes that he has to be able to see the straps of the snuggli that cross her back.
"Jackie," he repeats.
She turns around, and looks at him. He studies her. He waits for her to say something, but she can't. She stands there frozen in fear.
"Do you need help?" he questions in a kind, considerate tone.
"Help? With what?"
"With your basket. It looks at little bit full," he comments.
"I've got it."
"This is kind of awkward," he admits.
"Yeah," she nods moving towards the checkout lane.
She empties the contents of her basket onto the counter. He follows her. He remains silent, watching her. She pays, and takes the bag from the cashier.
"Jackie do you need help to the car?"
"No, I've got it," she insists, moving towards the exit.
"I feel like a fool," he admits.
She doesn't respond.
"I didn't know that you were pregnant," he continues.
"You weren't the only one," she quips.
"I mean I assume that you were. It is your baby isn't it? Or maybe I am assuming too much. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. Maybe it isn't your at all. Maybe you are just babysitting. Although I don't know who would let you babysit, when he looks like he looks like he's only a few days old."
She doesn't say anything.
"Jackie? Did you hear me?"
She nods, "He's mine."
"Oh," his tone changes.
"You should finish your shopping."
"Are you sure?"
"I already have two girls, I can handle getting everything in the car."
"Ok," he nods, in agreement.
Jackie leaves the store, and heads to the car. She unlocks the door, and places her bags in the front seat. She then proceeds to fasten the baby into the backseat. She closes the door, and walks around to the other side of the car. She climbs into the driver's seat, and buckles up. She turns the engine on, but she doesn't attempt to put the car into gear. She looks at her reflection in the rearview.
"What was that? You had your chance to tell him, and you said nothing? What is wrong with you?" she asks herself, out loud. She grips the steering wheel. She turns, and looks in the backseat. Her eyes lock on the car seat fastened into the middle seat. She nearly jumps out of her skin, when he pecks on her window. She turns around, and looks at him, in dismay. She rolls the window down.
"Should you be driving?" Mike questions.
"I am fine."
"You just had a baby. I thought that you weren't supposed to drive."
"I am fine, I have to go."
"Wait..."
"I have to go. He is going to wake up, and be hungry soon."
"Jackie wait," he begs.
She shakes her head, and rolls up the window. He steps aside, and she pulls out of her parking spot. She makes it home, and puts the milk away. Before she can manage to get the cereal put in its place Caleb is wide awake. She looks at him, as he lies in her arms. He puckers his lips, and furrows his brow.
"You don't have to cry about it. I already know, you're hungry. I am going to feed you. Can I just put the cereal away?"
He squeals in protest. "Ok," she nods, carrying him into the living room. She locks the front door, and then takes a seat on the couch, with him.
Less than ten minutes later someone is knocking on her door. She attempts to ignore them. The knocking grows louder.
"Jackie," Cruz's voice comes through the door, "I know that you are in there. I can see your car out here."
She doesn't answer, hoping that he will go away. He knocks on the door, once again.
"Jackie let me in!"
"Now is not a good time," she hollers, in response.
"It's never a good time, with you."
"Come back later."
"Later? We both know that if I leave you won't let me in later, either."
"I am serious now is not a good time."