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I don’t have long to find out Mrs Wade, Lilly Bittman’s mother, hurries out the front door

"Miss Becky, thank God Come in! Come in! Dr Blum with you? That’s fine Chester, sit with him out here on the porch No, walk him around town Just make yourself scarceCohall to the door of a bedroom Before I enter, I take hold of her fleshy arm "What’s happened? The screa, didn’t say a word"

"You’ve seen babies born, right?"

My heart does a flip-flop and I immediately feel rather faint "You tried to find Patience?"

"Yes Yes Chester already called at her house, but Mr Hester said she’s down in Oneida attending a woet you You’re like a midwife, aren’t you? Almost a midwife?"

"My experience is limited"

"Well, that fine, dear We just need someone It’s Peaches Goody," the woman continues "She’s only twelve Says she didn’t know she was pregnant, then her water broke in church and there was blood all over the place I alh it sounds incredible"

A hundred questions floodis the girl? What’s the presenting part? Is the baby likely to be full terht ho breath and open the bedroo around on the bed, but instead find two older woe oak wardrobe, one tall and thin, one short and round, neither pregnant They turn towardeyes

"Oh, thank the Lord, you’ve conize as the teacher, Marion Archer Her hair is pinned back frorayer than when I saw her five years ago

"Thank the Lord!" echoes the other, Mrs Goody, the round one, the Saved by Faith preacher’s wife

"Eiiiiiiiiiii! Eiiiiiiiiii!" The wails coht in a trap, and I locate the source, the freestanding closet

Before I even put downinside "Honey babe Peaches? Honey, please come out now Do it for Mama Please The midwife is here She’ll help you"

I’d like to clarify the situation, tell theistered nurse, not a ht time, so instead I pull Mrs Goody across the rooth Sunday dress

"What’s going on?" I inquire "Why is she hiding?"

The lady gives a long sigh "It’s Peaches, rader and apparently in the family wayI se had no idea She’s a little chubby like me, and as far as I knew, hadn’t even started her monthlies yet If she did, she didn’t tell me"

Mrs Goody wipes her tearstained red face "I don’t kno this happened She was outside running and playing kick the can with the other girls until a feeeks ago Then thisofburst and water and blood spilled all over the place"

"We rushed her out of the church and over here," Mrs Wade interjects importantly, "because I’ve attended several ho after-church tea at their house" (I’nant child playing kick the can)