The grocery store on Main Street closed at seven, and it was already six forty-five when James and Ash rushed in, beelining for the Baby aisle. They were panting, sweaty and horrible mismatched: James had a stained apron on, having just come back from the bakery, while Ash was wearing the leggings and oversized tee he wore to yoga every week. Normally this would never happen, they’d buy diapers at a reasonable hour dressed in reasonable clothes, but Ash had forgotten James was filling in for one of their couple-friends at Shake&Bake that week (Mitty and her partner Jordan were impossible to say no to) and James, being less-than-great at keeping his phone charged, didn’t see the text. So when, at six-thirty, Ash casually asked if James had gotten to the store on his way out the door, he could tell by the way he parsed his lips they were in trouble. James apologized in the car.

“At least once we get out of the store we’ll be okay on time” Ash said, his neck craned up at the signs noting what was in each aisle. As they passed each row, he muttered their contents under his breath. “Irash will be with Jaina for flour sugar spices for an hour, so along as we’re popcorn chips, snacks out of here at seven, we’ll plastic wrap trash bags even have time to pick up dinner pet food. I don’t want to cook tonight.”

“I could cook” James offered.

“Today is really not the day to experiment babe. Remember eating Jaina’s leftovers last time?”

James smiled a big, toothy grin. “I am never living that down, am I?”

“Never... baby supplies, finally!”

They turned into the aisle. The shelves were jam-packed with baby food, baby bottles, baby blankets , baby bottles, baby everything. The diapers were at the far end, right past the wipes, and Ash could spot the familiar red of the Huggies Little Snugglers boxes they bought endlessly. For him, the most stressful part of having a kid was the finances. They made ends meet, James as a spokesperson for a nonprofit that works with queer youth, and him with his crochet Etsy shop he ran from home, but they weren’t rich. And Ash knew that James would stay be a stay-at-home dad if he could, its just not how it all worked out. He would, both of them would, give the world for Jaina, for the life they have now, but it was hard to go from independent queer superstar DINKs to—

“Excuse me?”

There was a woman, an older woman with silver curls and a golden glasses chain, standing next to them at the aisle. Ash looked at James, Huggies in hand, then looked back at her.

“Can I just say, I think it’s so nice that you two are shopping for your wives together. It’s about time that men start helping out in the home.”

Neither of them said a word until after they checked out. It being so late, there was only one register open and the woman, with a full cart of groceries, was directly behind them. She kept looking over and smiling at them, the way that they smile at Jaina when she’s babbling or attempting to roll onto her stomach. Thankfully, only having one item meant they got out of the store fairly quickly. Before they left, though, Ash turned to James, grabbed him by the waist and planted a kiss squarely on his lips. “Stupid,” the former whispered, giggling into his partner’s neck. “You’re gonna give her a heart attack.” They ran out without turning around.