By the time I opened it, their silver Honda was already backing out of my driveway. Josh lifted one hand off the steering wheel. Megan didn’t look up.
Finn was sitting in his infant carrier on the porch mat, under the overhang, next to my plastic jack-o’-lantern. His diaper bag was beside him. The note was under the handle.
I stood there for a second, honestly furious. You don’t leave a baby on a porch, even a covered one, even for thirty seconds. Not on Halloween, with strangers walking up and down the street.
Then Finn looked up at me, and I couldn’t stay angry at anyone wearing a pumpkin.
“Well, sweetheart,” I said, picking up the carrier. “Looks like it’s just you and Grandma tonight.”
I brought him inside, unbuckled him, and settled him on my lap on the couch.
For about four minutes, it was perfect. He grabbed my reading glasses. He studied the candy bowl. He let me kiss the top of his pumpkin hood.
Then he started to cry.
**Part 4: Too Warm
It wasn’t normal fussing. I raised a son; I know the difference.
Finn arched his back and screamed. He kicked both legs. When I tried to hold him against my shoulder, he twisted away from me like my arms were the problem.
