Page 38

“Oh my god, it’s been, like, two seconds, Ver—Gran.”
“Do you know how to put bra on?”
“Yes!” Silence. “No.”
“You need help?”
“Yeah.”
The door to the changing room unlocks, and Vera and Emma walk inside. Robin stands there, holding a bra to cover her chest.
“Okay, turn around,” Vera says with surprising gentleness. She squints as she hooks the bra on, then adjusts the straps before patting Robin’s shoulder and going, “There.” They look in the mirror. “Is okay?”
Robin nods quietly, her mouth pursing. Her cheeks turn red once more. “How did you know I didn’t…” Her voice trails away.
“How I know you don’t want to buy bra with your dad?”
Robin nods.
“Who want to buy bra with their father? Nobody! But now you have me for this kind of thing.”
Robin looks away abruptly, but not before Vera catches the glint of tears in her eyes. Vera pats her lightly on the arm. Robin sniffles and whispers, “Thanks. Grandma.”
And now it’s Vera’s turn to get all misty-eyed. Clearing her throat, she says, “Okay, this one cut into skin or not? You like the color?”
“I like the color,” Emma says. “Can I have one?” They both look down at Emma and burst out laughing. Emma frowns. “I want one too.”
“Let’s give it another ten years, kiddo,” Robin says, ruffling Emma’s hair.
Vera has to bite back a smile at the big sisterly gesture. She has seen this phrase so often online but never quite understood until now, but in this moment, Vera thinks,The kids are okay.
By the time they meet up with TJ again, Robin is in a good mood once more. TJ looks worried, but when he sees Robin’s cheerful expression, Vera can see the tension melt away from his neck and shoulders. He glances at Vera and nods at her, and there is so much gratitude behind the simple gesture. Vera and TJ watch as Robin, one hand clasped around Emma’s little one and the other carrying her bag of new bras proudly, skips down the street.
“Thank you,” TJ says, his voice thick.
“I keep receipt in the bag, you don’t forget to pay me back.”
TJ laughs. “Of course, Vera.” They walk for a bit in amicable silence. “She never met her mom, you know.”
“What happen to her?”
TJ shrugs. “She was a one-night stand I had after a party. Didn’t think I’d ever see her again. Nine months later, she came back to my place and boom, there was Robin.”
“She don’t want to keep baby?” Vera says.
“She had her reasons for not wanting to be a mother,” TJ says. “She gave me a diaper bag, said, ‘Do what you want with her. I can’t.’ And left. I don’t remember much of those early days, they’re kind of a haze in my head. I’ve never known panic quite like that before. But I do remember this: One night, Robin wouldn’t stop crying. She was only about two weeks old, but those little lungs on her, oh man. I tried feeding her, I tried burping her, tried everything. I was so tired. I had no idea what time it was or when was the last time I had a proper night’s sleep or when I last showeredor had a hot meal. I still had her in my arms, and I just flopped to the floor on my back, and she was on my chest when I burst into tears. I wailed along with her.” TJ snorts. “My sobs must’ve shocked her, because she stopped crying, and she looked at me and our eyes met and it was the first time she really saw me. I saw an understanding there. Oh, I know you’ll say that’s not possible because she was a newborn baby etcetera, but I swear, it was like things clicked for her, and she was like, ‘Huh. Hey…Dad.’ ”
Vera smiles. “Oh, very possible. Yes, babies are very more aware than people think.”
TJ nods. “I looked back at her, my nose still streaming from crying so hard, and I laughed. I said, ‘Hey, kid.’ And that was that. Up until that point, I’d been toying with the idea of putting her up for adoption or asking my parents to look after her, but after that moment, I knew she and I belonged together.”
“You are good person, TJ. Not many young men can do like that.”
TJ swipes an arm across his eyes. “Thanks. I try my best. I think we manage with most things, Robin and I. It’s just things like this…”
“Like buying bra,” Vera says.
TJ nods.