“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “I’m really sorry…”
And then he swung.
The sound of glass shattering cut sharply through the air.
He dropped the rock immediately, his ears ringing. Shards fell inward, scattering across the seat.
Without thinking, he reached in, careful—so careful—not to cut himself.
His fingers fumbled with the buckle.
“Come on… come on…”
It clicked.
He lifted the baby into his arms.
The heat shocked him. The child’s skin was burning.
“It’s okay… I got you,” he murmured, cradling the small body against his chest. “You’re okay now…”
For a moment, everything felt still.
Then—
“What are you doing?!”
The scream hit him like a slap.
Ethan froze.
A woman was running toward him, her grocery bags slipping from her arms and hitting the pavement. Her face twisted with anger—then confusion—then pure terror as she took in the scene.
“My baby—!”
She reached him, her hands shaking as she took the child from his arms. She checked the baby frantically, pressing her face against his, covering him in desperate kisses.
“Oh my God… oh my God…” she whispered, tears spilling over. “I was only gone for a minute… just a minute…”
Her voice broke.
Then she looked at Ethan.
Really looked at him.