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Marie’s bulbousness. And who would be envious then? There had definitely been times when she’d envied the freedom of Elizabeth’s childless life.
    Marie pulled her knees to her chest beneath the duvet. No, it wasn’t guilt she’d felt in those early days of mothering, it was envy. Still, she wouldn’t trade her kids for anything.
    Outside, the neighbours’ dog barked. Winter had submerged the city into a prolonged darkness. It would be almost another hour before daylight. She surveyed the room. The sheets needed washing, the carpet vacuuming, and the dresser dusting. The girls needed new pants and more socks. Nicole’s wrists were sticking out of the sleeves of her winter jacket. The fridge was almost empty. The kitchen floor needed to be scrubbed. The neighbours’ dog howled to be let in. Tiny caps of snow fell from the red berries on the mountain ash outside of her window.
    Marie closed her eyes. There was too much to do. Too many people depended upon her.
    Downstairs at last, she kissed her girls and placed a hand on Barry’s head, a conciliatory gesture that wiped clean the silence of the previous evening.
    “Guess what?” the girls said in unison. “There’s no school today!”
    Marie looked at her husband. “Didn’t you hear the phone ring?” he asked.
    She shook her head.
    “The school called after seven o’clock.”
    “A pipe broke,” Nicole said.
    Barry nodded toward the counter. “Coffee’s on.”
    Marie raised a hand to her mouth. “I can’t stomach it.”
    She ducked her head into the fridge and started making a grocery list. “I’ve got to nip to the store,” she said. “I invited Elizabeth for lunch today.”
    “Oh yeah? What for?”
    “The sooner I tell her, the better.”
    “Tell her what?” Nicole piped up.
    “I wasn’t talking to you, Miss Big Ears,” Marie said, ruffling her daughter’s hair.
    The telephone rang as she kissed Barry goodbye. She ran back into the kitchen.
    It was her sister, Frances.
    Marie inwardly rolled her eyes and glanced at the clock. Frances was a lot of work. She did all the talking and Marie listened. Yes, her sister was exhausted. Yes, the baby had kept her up all night. Yes, she could understand why Frances wasn’t taking Max out today, not in this deep freeze. Marie made all the right conciliatory sounds and agreed with everything Frances said. It was quicker that way.
    “I can’t drop by today,” she finally said to her sister’s invitation. “Elizabeth is coming for lunch.”
    “What’s the occasion?” Frances asked.
    “Why does everyone think there needs to be an occasion to see a friend? I just have some news to tell her, okay?”
    “Okay, okay. Relax. What news?”
    Marie juggled her options. “Promise you won’t tell Mom?”
    “Oh yeah, like Mom’s the first person I go to,” she said.
    “I’m pregnant.”
    “Good one.”
    “No, I am.”
    “I thought you and Barry were done having kids.”
    She grimaced. It was like the grand inquisition with Frances, and Marie didn’t feel like defending herself. “Yeah, well, so did I.”
    “So you forgot birth control, or what?”
    “For God’s sake, Frances. Do you think that’s helpful?”
    “Sorry. I’m just surprised is all; I was caught off guard.”
    “Well, you and me both,” Marie said.
    “So you’re going to tell Elizabeth?”
    “Yeah, I want to tell her before she guesses.”
    “Do you think she’ll take it okay?” Frances asked.
    “I’ll find out,” Marie said. “Look, I’ve got to get to the grocery store. We’ll get together soon, okay? The girls would love to see Max.”
    She dressed quickly and herded the girls into the van. The garage door opened automatically behind her. Marie imagined Elizabeth’s mouth, opened wide with joy, opened wide with anguish. Her stomach twisted tight with anxiety. She put the van in reverse and drove slowly down the icy street to the four-way stop at the corner.

FOUR
    Across town in an old wartime bungalow with