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“Kendra sent me a text,” Maggie responded.
“Wait, you sent Kendra Lafferty a baby announcement?” Annie asked. “The last I heard from her she was in jail.”
“She’s out,” Katrina answered. “Anyway, I told her I was pregnant, and she asked me to send her an announcement.”
“Oh, Jesus Lord, she’s going to be on our doorstep now. You didn’t put a return address on the envelope, did you?”
Snickering, Katrina accepted their teasing good-naturedly. “So, what if she does? You loved her. She was a wild child.”
“Girls!”
Cringing, they heard a familiar voice and Maggie moaned. “My mother. No way.”
“You shouldn’t be on the dock with the babies,” she cried, coming to them.
“Mother, relax. They’re already born. The tale was for pregnant ladies.”
“It was, but there are stories about babies, too. Katrina especially shouldn’t be here, exposing that poor baby to more problems.”
A hot flash flowed over her body as Katrina looked down at the baby asleep at her breast. There was nothing to say. She wasn’t being malicious, but it sounded awful just the same. He wasn’t apoor babyand the only problems he had were people’s perceptions.
Maggie said it. “Mother, stop it. The baby doesn’t have any problems.”
“You know what I mean,” she snapped. “Get off the deck.”
“Why are you here?”
“Vic wanted to see the grill.”
Katrina finally looked up after making eye contact with Maggie. “The grill has a powerful magnetism.”
“More magnetism than a grandchild,” Maggie muttered. “Mother, if you’re going to stay, get a chair off the porch or just sit on the dock.”
Leaning over Katrina first, Rose looked critically at baby David. “When his eyes are closed, you can’t tell.”
Maggie and Annie looked at each other and then at Katrina, who gently moved the blanket away from the baby’s face, staying silent.
“What can’t you tell,Rose?” Annie asked, her voice a little louder than was necessary.
“That his eyes are Oriental.”
“Mother. First,Orientalis a politically incorrect term. Asian is the current term. Second, his eyes aren’t Asian. He has Down syndrome and some children have distinctive almond-shaped eyes.
“Also, not to upset Katrina, but fifty percent of people with Down syndrome have some kind eye disorder, ranging from tear duct abnormalities to early onset cataracts. Don’t let your crooked vibes have any power over David.”
“It doesn’t upset me,” Katrina said, fully upset.
“Maggie, I meant nothing by it,” Rose cried.
“Not meaning anything doesn’t make uninformed comments okay. My best friend’s kid has Down syndrome; you’ve been in her life since she was a child; you educate yourself.”
Katrina turned to Maggie who was getting shrill. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Now she knows.”
Undaunted, Rose sat cross-legged on the deck. “So! Am I allowed to hold my granddaughter?”
Frowning, Maggie turned to Rose yet again. “Mother, what is that supposed to mean?”
“Since she was born, you’ve never invited me to visit with her.”
