t time I saoo aruck to touc a freak or a devil, but perfect in every iful boy. After t to meet  so mucer being  to sometess smiled at my confusion and the look in my eyes as I beheld him.

    quot;You  break ; she said.

    My son. Our cen fingers, ten toes. Good color, great lungs, a natural at t. I co me as s an autumn football game. t moto cras, and t of cac my skin. I kissed our boy and considered teful for the human child.

    e named tled into t Mom and C for us in t up in t first, I could not bear t of living t tess pregnant and ting, I could not say no. t a small studio, moving in taugo seventudent orcra at Mark tion t evoked to another.

    For inspiration, I imes unfold tocopy of t and study tav. ts appeared in fragments. A doctor listens to my beat  understand.  as szes. tang of apple en in ted ers day, te joke. In tands touch again.

    Playing music is t only do I recall te ting vines of tand, t I can unes again, and feel tions  es resound from tion of notes makes up translate to t time, to make true link to my first c sensation of bringing tes to life. ts, and noury or more later, I attempted to create tion, but it o communicate my desires all over again.

    Being around our tiny speec lost life and made me ced every passing day. ood, greeetalked,  beime, t happy family.

    My sisters marred t ideal picture. Mary, ial ones to point out ty. tended family  my mot eigceps over and over again. Ces of tess guarded t skillets, so I  time in ages, wed opinion.

    quot;You know, ;

    quot;And ;

    I looked at Edo till air.

    quot;Look at ; Liz observed. quot;Neit cleft.quot;

    quot;And  eit; said Mary. quot;Green as a cats.  get too bad  a girl.quot;

    quot;ell, t odeake a good look at tess.quot;

    quot;All mascara.quot;

    quot;And t later, youll see. ts a beak on tle man.  get t nose.quot;

    quot;No Day ever .quot;

    quot; are you t; My voice artled my son.

    quot;Not;

    quot;Kinda odd, dont you t  look like s?quot;

    At sunset my mot on tcter of Edwards appearance arose again.

    quot;Dont listen to t; my mot; and image of you, tle tess around t;

    Uncle Ctle, burped softly. quot;tly like me. All my grandc; Eddie tottered across t Ciger.

    As  I did my best to ruto tess, and per . But s er er t t I ten o interest a cet in ty. Of course,  playing er a feable. tess excused o go to tco ciced ss against ts.

    quot;Dont you tting a bit too big for t?quot; Oscar asked.

    quot; of trouble after dinner. Besides,  t;

    Oscar s . Seeing my single friends react to my son, I couldnt  feel t t t were sligened of ed.

    quot;Drao tick,quot; Oscar said. quot;ts one cool kid. Youll  to stay aoo o carry around.quot;

    quot;Sure ; Cummings asked. quot;ess, for t matter.quot;

    Oscar joined t;No you mention it... look at t split c;

    quot;Cmon guys, cut it out.quot;

    quot;C,quot; Oscar w;;

    tess delivered t, oblivious to turns of our conversation. I s up my festering doubt, made a joke of it, said somet of  I didnt.

    quot;So, tess,quot; Jimmy said, balancing e on ;er?quot;

    quot;You  t; Sroked  . quot;tle man?quot;

    Educk raigo t in h.

    S;Just like ;

    turned my smile.

    After t and Edaring out tcars s er in teamy languor. I put doea towel and, from behind, wrapped my arms around her, kissed her damp warm nape, and she shivered.

    quot;I  get too mad about Jimmy going on about  look so muc;

    quot;I kno; s;Its creepy.quot;

    For a split second, I t sed somet so face me and grabbed my face ;You  trangest t; Sion  elsewhere.

    A feess and I  of sed ;

    quot; is it?quot;

    quot;ould you listen? Someones do; I grumbled t it hing.

    quot;And Im telling you, someone is in t;

    I rolled out of bed and stood t, trying to rouse my senses, t Edo top of tairs. I did not see, but ion, t a lig doairs and t someto t. Anxious, I took teps one by one in a sort of ic trance, sorting ting emotions as it became darker and darker. At ttom, I turned into tcs. t for a fes, images of tess and me as co, and a parade of portraits featuring Ed  turn at tchen door.

    quot;; I yelled, and sped out in time to see tside in t, ty las, I called for to stop, but tcry  not muc rail dotted prints. t sort of break-in by a buncess came doairs and  s of tco put it back in order. Back in t tV, stereo, nothing of value gone.

    I examined tograpess looked almost exactly t illiam Day stared out, frozen in t in ary dress. From tc full of love and pride. In t frame, t, of course, t  me. too young. And in t instant, I realized who had come and why.

    tess came in and laid ;S;

    I could not ans. e  ced up tairs to o , dreaming as if notc face, I kne once t  looked like till see in my nig the piano.