Page 146 of Such Sharp Teeth

She lets out a scream so ear-piercing, so bloodcurdling.

And then . . .

“Here she is.”

Scarlett gasps.

The nurse places the baby on her chest. There’s a moment of silence. Even the baby’s quiet. Scarlett looks down at her, wide-eyed.

“Hi,” Scarlett says.

The nurse wipes the baby’s face, suctions out her mouth and nose.

Still no crying.

“She’s quiet,” Scarlett says. “Is she all right?”

The baby gives a little squeak, then starts to wail.

“Oh, my God,” Matty says, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “Oh, my God.”

Scarlett looks up at me. Her expression is pure awe.

“She’s so precious,” Mom says.

“Good job, Scarlett,” one of the nurses says.

She offers Matty the scissors to cut the cord. He does it.

Another nurse puts a little hat on the baby’s head.

I forgot. I’m so used to being reminded how ugly a place the world can be, I forgot it could be beautiful, too.

—

Later, Matty and I take a trip down to the cafeteria, just the two of us. I’m not sure if this is the right time to apologize as we sit across from each other in awkward silence, sharing dry sandwiches and vending machine snacks. But I’m feeling gooey and optimistic, so I decide to go for it.

“I’m sorry for how I treated you. For assuming the worst about you.”

“In the past,” he says, opening a bag of Combos.

“That’s it? I dislocated your shoulder. You’ve been so good to Scarlett. You didn’t deserve it. I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “You didn’t know.”

“You’re really going to let me off that easy?”

“Kind of my thing,” he says. I don’t detect any bitterness. He tosses a Combo up and catches it in his mouth. “Ready? We should get back.”

The room is far less chaotic than it was a few hours ago. No nurses. No Mom, who went back to Scarlett’s to get some sleep. It’s just me, Scarlett, Matty, and the baby.

“I see she’s inherited your sense of style,” I say, pointing to the hat.

Instead of the pastel hat the hospital gave her, she’s now wearing a black one. She rocks it. I look at her squishy little face. At her tiny nose, pink lips.

“Oh, she’s so cute,” I tell Scarlett. “We’re in trouble.”

“Look. She’s got some hair.” She peels back the hat to reveal a puff of fine dark hair.