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I laughed, thinking it was possible that when she’d had her first baby twenty years ago, she was a few sizes smaller than when she’d conceived Ruby Rose, but I didn’t say so

“What can I get you?” I asked

“Anything in the freezer compartment,” Claire said

“Copy that,” I said, grinning at her I returned with a carton of Chunky Monkey and two spoons, cli, “It’s cruel to call an ice cream Chunky Monkey when that’s what it turns you into”

Claire cackled, pried off the lid, and as we took turns dipping our spoons in, she said towith you and Joe?”

“What do you mean?”

“Living together, you idiot Are you thinking of getting seriously hooked up? As in married?”

“I like the way you kind of edge into a subject”

“Hell You’re not such a subtle creature yourself”

I tipped my spoon in her direction — touché,Claire knew e, about my love affair with Chris, who’d been shot dead in the line of duty And I talked aboutdown a big job, and having a bitter relationship with her ex

“Then I look at you, Butterfly,” I said “In your grown-up four-bedrooreat kids off into the world, and now you have the guts and love enough to make another baby”

“So where are you in all this, sugar?” Claire said “You going to let Joe h to irl make off with Joe, the perfect man?”

I threwI thought about the Job, about working with Rich seventeen hours a day and loving that How little ties, stopped playing the guitar, even turned the nightly run with Martha over to Joe

I put my mind on how different it would all be if I were married and had a baby, if there were people orried about ot shot?

And then I considered the alternative