Her parents brought Noah to the edge of the reopened travel zone but could not yet enter the city. A nurse arranged a video call from a quiet room at St Anne's.
Claire invited Ethan and Maya to join for the first minute.
Noah was six months old now.
He stared at the screen, then smiled at something behind it.
Claire covered her mouth.
"He doesn't know me."
"He knows your voice," Maya said.
Claire began to sing.
The baby stopped moving.
Then he reached both hands towards the phone.
Ethan left the room before he cried in front of everyone.
Maya found him in the corridor.
"Coward."
"Absolutely."
"I cried openly. Much healthier."
He took her hand.
For months they had postponed talking about children.
That evening, Maya said, "When this is really over, I want to try again."
Ethan nodded.
"When it's over."
They both understood that "over" no longer meant perfect safety.