I wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead and knocked on the door.
A few moments later it opened all by itself. I almost jumped back like Jacob had when he saw the elevator. But then I looked down at the cute little redheaded girl holding the doorknob.
“Hi!” said Scarlett with a huge smile.
Was she supposed to be opening the door? I looked behind me like maybe she was expecting someone else.
“Come on, Jacob, let’s play Barbies,” Scarlett said.
Jacob looked up at me.
He didn’t know what elevators were. Or Barbies. He’d never known anyone his own age, and we’d mostly played outside together as a family. “They’re dolls,” I whispered to him.
He scrunched up his face. “Can we play soccer instead?” Jacob asked.
“Soccer?” Since when did he like soccer?
“Fútbol,” he said in a Spanish accent.
I stifled a laugh. He’d gotten that all mixed up. Yes, soccer was called football in Mexico. But football wasn’t soccer.
“I have a ball,” Scarlett said. “Come with me.” She took off running.
Jacob squirmed in my arms. I set him down and he ran after her, leaving me standing awkwardly in the doorway.
Penny appeared in Scarlett’s place, almost a spitting image of her daughter. “Did Scarlett open the door?” She blew a strand of hair out of her face as she adjusted Liam on her hip. “We keep telling her not to do that.”
I laughed. “I think she was just excited to play.”
“Oh I know, she hasn’t stopped talking about Jacob ever since they met at the zoo.”
“Jacob was equally excited.”
Penny smiled. “Well, come in, come in. Can I offer you something to drink or…”
“A glass of water would be amazing. Apparently Jacob is afraid of elevators. We took the stairs.”
“All the way up?” She opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of water. She expertly balanced her son while somehow managing not to spill any water. “I’ve lived here for years and I’ve never taken the stairs. But in my defense…cardio is the worst.”
I laughed. “I’m the exact opposite. I love running.”
“Ugh, you and my husband both. He’s always trying to get me to jog in Central Park with him.”
The horror in her voice made me laugh again.
She handed me the glass of water.
I downed half of it in one gulp as she sat down at the kitchen island.
“Help yourself to more. And if you want, we can order takeout for lunch. But sometimes I like to indulge in the occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich too.”
“I’m totally down with peanut butter and jelly,” I said as I poured myself another glass of water. Their fridge was immaculate. Everything was labeled and there wasn’t a single spill on the glass shelves. And everything was organic. I was a little surprised that the person who owned this fridge ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Penny smiled as I turned around. “I knew I liked you. I know it’s probably weird, but my husband has this thing about loving children’s food.” She shook her head and laughed. “Wow, that sounded so weird. I just meant food he never got to eat growingup. Peanut butter and jelly with juice boxes has become a lunchtime staple in our home.”
What kind of monster parents did her husband have? “Not weird at all. For a few weeks there all my son would eat was cupcakes. Which he calls cuppycakes. So I’m thrilled that he’s excited for PB&J.”
“Cuppycakes?” Penny looked down at her son. He’d fallen asleep, his head resting against her chest. “Don’t you just want to freeze time so they keep saying stuff like that forever?”
