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I change tactics If I can only get her to come out, maybe I can help her For all I know the infant’s head ry, Peaches?"

"A littlewhen I’ Oh, no! Here comes another one My back! My back! Eiiiiiiii!" Her howl this ti little kid, really

Finally, she lets up "What would you like to eat?" I continue "A glass of milk? A sandwich?"

"Could I have cake?" Typical kid!

"I’ll see You start unlocking yourself and I’ll be right back You can call me Nurse Becky"

When I open the door into the hall, I find Mrs Wade, Mrs Goody, and the Archer wo their hands

"Can Peaches have so to eat? Cake? She’d like cake You don’t have any cake around, do you, Mrs Wade?"

"Yes, yes I have a red velvet cake I made for Sunday supper Can she eat in labor?"

"Well, Dr Blu Patience, the et Peaches to cooing on She thinks she’s going to die"

Peaches’s ain and oing backTap twice on the door when the cake is ready, but please don’t come in I’ll tell you when it’s tiain, only this time it’s not quite as frantic

"Cake on the way," I announce cheerfully She cuts the cry short

"What kind?"

"Red velvet chocolate cake, Mrs Wade’s specialty How are you co with the lock?" I’m surprised when the door cracks open

Just a Girl

"You really think I’ a baby?"

"Well, yes I think so It does hurt some, especially when it’s your first one, but it doesn’t hurt so bad if you understand what’s happening"

"But I’et in me? Can you make the pains stop?"

"Well, maybeif I could examine you I’ll see"

I truly have no idea what I can offer in terms of pain relief Luckily, just then there’s a tap at the door "That’s the cake There’s a towel on the bed Sit on it and we can eat while we talk" I’, I see one pale freckled leg appear at the closet opening, then another

Mrs Wade opens the door and pushes in a fancy silver tray with the cake and two glasses of cold s are going, but I say nothing and close the door again

When I turn, a short, plue breasts, a body that looks sixteen, and a baby face is sitting on a green towel on the edge of the bed She’s wearing her Sunday dress, a sailor-typeskirt, but the skirt is all rumpled, blood streaked, and wet Poor kid, I think

"Yu out for her plate I sit down next to her and pick upI can do for her pain Dr Blu to happen