A single, career-driven woman tries to have a single dad with a crying baby thrown out of a café. Unexpectedly, they cross paths again a year later, but this time, everything changes.
One hectic Monday evening, Libby entered a café, ordered her usual coffee, and settled into a seat with a view of bustling New York City streets.
She’d had a terrible day—long meetings and tight deadlines—and hoped to unwind before heading home for yoga, meditation, and more work.
As she sipped her coffee and checked her planner, Libby noticed the man at the next table—a well-dressed guy feeding a baby with apple puree smeared around his mouth. She assumed he was a single father, given his formal attire, the baby, and his office bag.
Libby hated babies—she found them cranky and needy. Yet somehow, the baby seemed to like her.
When the baby started crying loudly, Libby grew frustrated. Seeing the father absorbed in a phone call, she called out, “Can you quiet your baby? He sounds like he’s screaming for his life!”
The dad apologized quietly but kept rocking the baby while continuing his call. The crying persisted, so Libby asked the waitress to move them or, better yet, kick them out. The waitress explained there were no indoor seats left and suggested the terrace, but the baby might be cold.
The man politely declined moving, saying if there was a problem, Libby should move instead. This infuriated Libby, and she told him to leave. When the baby smeared apple puree on her outfit, Libby lost her temper and stormed out, vowing never to return.
A year later, Libby’s life had changed dramatically. She fell in love with Trevor, a contract employee at her father’s company, and soon discovered she was pregnant. Her parents disapproved, cut her off financially, and forced her and Trevor out of the company.
Unable to afford her rent, Libby moved into Trevor’s small apartment. Trevor took on two jobs to support their growing family, and Libby began job hunting too.
When she landed an interview at an editorial firm, she had to bring her baby girl, Eve, along. Facing judgment for carrying a baby into the interview, Libby explained she couldn’t leave her alone.
To her surprise, the interviewer was the same man from the café—the single dad she had confronted before.
He recognized her and reminded her that babies weren’t allowed at work. When Eve started crying, he kindly offered to hold her—and just like that, the baby quieted down.
“I love babies,” he said. “I’m Jonathan, by the way. Besides being the company director, I’m a single dad to a little boy. He’s with my sister today because I don’t trust strangers with him.”
Leave a Reply