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Chapter 14

EverysoulonDroghedaturnedinsideoutperforminganticstomakehergerminateagrin,withoutsuccess.Whenitcametoinnatesolemnitysheoutdidhergrandmother.

OnthefirstofOctober,whenJustinewasexactlysixteenmonthsold,Meggie’ssonwasbornonDrogheda.Hewasalmostfourweeksearlyandnotexpected;thereweretwoorthreesharpcontractions,thewaterbroke,andhewasdeliveredbyMrs.SmithandFeeafewminutesaftertheyrangforthedoctor.Meggiehadscarcelyhadtimetodilate.Thepainwasminimal,theordealsoquicklyoveritmighthardlyhavebeen;inspiteofthestitchesshehadtohavebecausehisentryintotheworldhadbeensoprecipitate,Meggiefeltwonderful.TotallydryforJustine,herbreastswerefulltooverflowing.NoneedforbottlesortinsofLactogenthistime.

Andhewassobeautiful!Longandslender,withaquiffofflaxenhairatophisperfectlittleskull,andvividblueeyeswhichgavenohintofchanginglatertosomeothercolor.Howcouldtheychange?TheywereRalph’seyes,ashehadRalph’shands,Ralph’snoseandmouth,evenRalph’sfeet.MeggiewasunprincipledenoughtobeverythankfulLukehadbeenmuchthesamebuildandcoloringasRalph,muchthesameinfeatures.Butthehands,thewaythebrowsgrewin,thedownywidow’speak,theshapeofthefingersandtoes;theyweresomuchRalph,solittleLuke.Betterhopenoonerememberedwhichmanownedwhat.