Before Mattie could say anything, there was a baby in her arms. Perhaps surprisingly, though, she didn't complain, just held it and crooned softly, "Aren't you a little cutie?" while making the blankets nice and snug for him. She smiled and cradled him, calming him with a slow and gentle sweeping motion in her arms until Nicholas came back, at which point Mattie stopped immediately so that he wouldn't comment. 

When he handed her the birth certificate, she didn't snatch it as she usually did with things, but took it lightly like the paper was an egg and might break if she gripped too hard. "Shraiman?" she said. "Cole Shraiman." She was still at a loss. "I hope he has formula, or something." If there was a thing Mattie wasn't willing to do, it was to rescue a baby from an empty house only to watch it starve on the journey. 

Without another word, she gave the slip of paper back and carried little Cole down the stairs and went into the kitchen. "Don't you worry, little guy, you'll have something to eat soon," she said, rummaging with one hand as she did so, careful to hold the infant. She started to whistle softly as she did so.