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"Don’t ring the bell Come around to the kitchen door and I’ll let you in"

Fifteen minutes later Annabelle pulled into the driveith Michael in his infant seat next to her, David, Ryan, and Diana in the backseat She got the kids out of the car, opened the back of the station wagon, and grabbed the cradle by one end She herded everyone up the drive and around to the back Deborah aiting and opened the door before she had a chance to knock She put a finger to her lips "Thank you soelse I can do to help?"

"This is fine I’ll call later You’re an angel"

Annabelle blew her a kiss and ushered her brood of kidlets back to the car There was a delay while she got everyone settled

Deborah heard the car start and caught a gliled the sleeping baby on one ar roo would muffle Rain’s cries if she woke Maybe with rest Shelly would feel better able to handle the child Annabelle had not only dusted the cradle, she’d tucked a crib sheet over the mattress and added a pile of flannel baby blankets at one end Deborah lowered Rain into the cradle, shook out one of the blankets, and covered her These were blankets Annabelleher friends She also donated blankets to the nursery at St Terry’s, along with knitted booties and caps, so every newwarm for her infant to wear home

Deborah returned to her dishes, troubled by the conflict she could see loo on the horizon She had never understood child abuse She’d read occasional accounts of babies being shaken to death, babies being beaten and smothered by parents who lacked the patience orinfants She’d even read of one young father who took his baby by the feet and swung her against the wall Now she could see how such atrocities occurred, te Shelly alone with the child, but she’d have a battle on her hands Shelly hated interference, hated any action or co short She also hated beingperceived as needy, which didn’t leave uest room door and then opened it a crack "Would you like some lunch? I can make you a sandwich"

Shelly’s refusal was scarcely audible

Deborah had nothing else to offer She fixed a sandwich for herself and sat down in the living room and read a book while she ate She fed Rain two more bottles of for down; her periods of sleep and hunger falling into a routine

Greg and Shawn came in at dinnertietarian lasagna and served it with a bowl of canned peaches and cottage cheese, not a dish she’d ordinarily serve To her surprise, Shawn gobbled up everything on his plate and asked for one, the atmosphere at the table was actually pleasant Now that Shaasn’t subjected to his s, he ate without being threatened or cajoled

After dinner, Deborah cleaned up the kitchen while Greg and Shawn re Candy Land The two of the could put Shawn to bed

Deborah said, "Why don’t you fill the tub for Shawn before he goes down for the night? I left a container of bubble bath and a stack of fresh towels in the pool house"

Shawn gave a whoop and was out the door before Greg could get up He skipped down the steps and galloped across the grass Deborah gave Greg a kiss on the cheek before he left Mohts in the pool house co fro, having been so stiff-necked and belligerent to this point Deborah left the lasagna in the oven She laid out a plate, a napkin, silverware, and a brief note If Shelly came down of her own accord, she could fill a plate and take it back upstairs

In the meantime, Deborah moved Rain to the sofa and placed pillows on one side to secure her while she took the cradle upstairs to the master bedroom She came back for the baby, a fresh bottle, and a stack of diapers, and retreated to the bedroo about her business as quietly as she could Later she realized how unnecessary the courtesy had been

In the uest roon of the few belongings Shelly had brought into the house with her Puzzled, Deborah carried Rain downstairs and peered out the kitchenThe big yellow school bus was gone