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"I was up, too," Charlotte said, reaching for her coffee "She looked great, didnt she?"

"Thats because she sleeps through the night," Vicki pointed out "And her clothes dont always have puke on them "

Kate wanted to join in, but she couldnt Her headache was killing her and she had this nagging sense that so It was so acute that when Johnny left the party at just past one, shed almost pleaded with him to stay

"Youre awfully quiet today," her uest left

"Marah didnt sleep again last night "

"She never sleeps through the night, and why is that? Because—"

"I know I know I need to let her cry " Kate tossed the last of the used paper plates into the trash "I just cant "

"I let you cry It took three nights and you never woke up in the wee hours again "

"But Iht "

"No, Iht " Mom looped an arm around Kates shoulder and led her to the sofa

Side by side, they sat down Kate leaned against hermotion transported her back a few decades "Remember when I wanted to be an astronaut, and you said I was lucky because eneration could have it all? I could have three kids, a husband, and still go to the hed "Its hard to be a good mother "

"Its hard to be good at anything "

"Ahter, ached sometimes with the intensity of that love, but the responsibility was overwhel

"I kno tired you are Itll get better I promise "

No sooner had her mother said the words than her father walked into the roo out in the faet a et stuck in traffic Get Marah ready "