Page 19 of Point of Contact

Trevor nodded, and went into the other room to call Larissa. “I’ll bring him back over in the morning, Liss,” he told her. “My aunt and I have gotten into a pretty good routine with him, and I’ll stay a couple of days to help you get used to it. But I really, really need to start looking for work. Diapers aren’t cheap, and I can’t rely on my aunt and uncle to buy stuff for our baby anymore. It’s my responsibility to support my son, and I have to work to be able to do that. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

When Trevor arrived at Larissa’s house the next day, he was dismayed to find her not at home.

“Dunno where that girl went,” her mother slurred from the doorway. “Out whorin’ around? Little slut.”

She did let Trevor in, though, and he went back to Larissa’s room to wait, settling Riley in his crib and lying down on Larissa’s crumpled, unmade bed. He wrinkled his nose at the sour smell of the sheets, though, and spent the next hour cleaning her room and bathroom, trying not to gag while he scrubbed out the blood-spattered toilet.

She just pushed a seven-pound human being out of her body, he reminded himself over and over. It had to have taken a lot out of her.

When Larissa finally arrived home around three p.m., Trevor tried hard not to snap when he asked where she’d been.

“Out with some friends,” she replied breezily. “A couple of the girls wanted to take me to lunch and treat me to a pedi.” Larissa displayed her bright red toes proudly before going over to the crib to pick Riley up. “Hi, cutie patootie!” She kissed him, laughing delightedly at his little gurgles. “He’s so adorable, Trev! Not so red-faced and wrinkly anymore. He looked like an old man before, ugh. Now I can’t wait to show him to Tammy and Sarah!”

Trevor was so relieved at her pleasure in seeing Riley that he didn’t have the heart to scold her for not being there that morning, and he waved his hand at Riley’s diaper bag.

“I still have time to go over to the employment office and get my application in before it closes,” he said. “He has plenty of diapers in there, and formula.”

Larissa looked panicked. “You’re leaving?” she asked incredulously. “You said you’d stay and help me!”

Trevor picked up his keys from the dresser, jingling them in his hand. “I’ll be back, Liss,” he reassured her. “But I’d like to get my application in at that temp agency today. They’re open till six, so I’ll run over there and be back in a couple of hours at the latest.”

It almost killed Trevor to leave, with Larissa looking so terrified and Riley so helpless, but he forced himself to do it, getting into his old car and driving away. He ran home to change into some nice clothes, tossing his spit-up-stained T-shirt and jeans into the laundry basket before speeding over to the employment agency.

“Hmmm,” the advisor said, looking over his application. “Recent high school graduate, very strong transcript and SAT scores. You looking for office work, construction, what?”

“Anything at this point,” Trevor said honestly. “But I’m interested in maybe a receptionist position or bank teller? Nine to five would be best.”

“Well, I think we can find you something soon,” the lady said kindly. “Polite, well-dressed young man, obviously smart and responsible. Your grades are proof of that. I’ll be in touch.”

Trevor left the agency with a feeling of elation. Thank fuck he’d been able to graduate from high school before Riley was born, and if his dreams of college were indefinitely put on hold, he was hopeful that he could at least find a halfway-decent job that would allow him to support his son.

He stopped by his house to fill his aunt and uncle in on the good news, and then indulged in a long, hot shower, enjoying the alone time and the feeling of not having to rush. He threw a load of laundry in, and while he waited picked up a paperback he hadn’t touched in weeks and read a couple of chapters. When he’d finally folded the last of the laundry and put it away, Trevor called out to his aunt in the kitchen, “Heading back over to Larissa’s till morning, Auntie. See you later!” He grabbed up his duffel bag and drove over to Larissa’s house, whistling tunelessly. He could do this.

When the door swung open to his knock, however, the feeling of relaxation and well-being vanished immediately.

“That fuckin’ brat hasn’t shut up since you left,” Larissa’s mom snarled, the smell of booze rolling off her. “Get it to shut up, would ya?”

Trevor could hear Riley wailing from the back bedroom, and he ran in there to see Larissa lying facedown on her bed, her pillow jammed over her head, totally ignoring the red-faced screaming infant in the crib next to her.

“What the fuck, Liss?” he yelled, striding over to pick up his son, putting him to his shoulder and rubbing his back, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, trying to soothe. “Jesus, he’s soaking wet!”

Trevor put Riley down on the bed and swiftly changed the soiled diaper, picking him up again and crooning, “It’s okay, baby boy. It’s okay,” while pacing around the room. “When did he last eat, Liss?” No movement from the bed. “Larissa!” He snatched the pillow from her head, and she sat up, her face streaked with tears.

“I told you I didn’t know what to do, Trev!” she yelled. “He started crying and he just wouldn’t stop!” She clutched her tangled hair. “He wouldn’t stop! And my mom kept coming in here and screaming at me to make him shut up.”

“When a baby cries,” Trevor said, striving to keep his voice calm, “it usually means that he’s hungry or wet. Did you give him a bottle? It’s obvious you didn’t change his diaper.”

“Eww, diapers are so gross!” Larissa exclaimed. “I thought he could wait to be changed until you got home, but you took forever, Trev. Where were you?” Her tone rang with accusation.

“Looking for a goddamned job,” he grated. “Not getting my fucking toenails painted, that’s for sure.” He regretted the nasty comment immediately and opened his mouth to apologize, but Larissa’s face had already scrunched up again as she started crying.

“You’re so mean, Trevor,” she hiccuped. “They invited me out, and what was I supposed to say, no?”

“Yes,” Trevor said between gritted teeth. “I mean, yes, you were supposed to say no. You have a baby, Liss. A baby who needs to come first. I was expecting you to be here this morning so that I could go out and spend the day looking for a job. Diapers and formula won’t pay for themselves.”

They glared at each other, and Riley shifted restlessly in Trevor’s arms, making him feel ashamed of himself for sniping at Larissa. He needs to come first.

“Look,” Trevor said in a more gentle tone. “I know it’s scary and intimidating how small and helpless he is. I’ve had my aunt to help me, and I shouldn’t have just dumped him on you this afternoon and left. I’m sorry. I could have waited until tomorrow to go to the temp agency, I guess.”