Chapter 4 - THE DARK SUVThrough the peephole and the edge of the living room window, I watched a tall man in a dark charcoal overcoat step out from the driver’s side of a sleek black SUV.
Wet snow clung to his dark hair as he climbed the concrete apartment stairs, carrying two heavy grocery bags in his arms. He reached my door, placed the supplies gently on the welcome mat, and backed away three full steps with both hands raised in plain sight.
He waited patiently while I clicked open the security chain, checked his physical identification through the crack in the door, and verified he was alone. He never moved closer than I allowed.
When I finally pulled the heavy bags inside and tore them open, I found six massive cans of formula, a full box of diapers, and enough supplies to last nearly a month.
My hands were shaking far too violently to pop open the first metal lid, and Sophie was crying so hard she was beginning to gasp for breath.
Ethan stood calmly from the doorway, his voice steady. "Let me help."
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Against every warning instinct wired into my mind as a struggling single mother, I let him step inside. He immediately went to the small kitchen sink, washed his hands thoroughly with hot water and soap, and carefully read the mixing instructions on the side of the container twice before touching a bottle.
Minutes later, the warm bottle was in Sophie’s mouth. She latched on so desperately that the entire apartment suddenly fell completely silent, save for the rhythmic, grateful sound of her swallowing.
