Liam in hysterics with a soaked diaper? My mother-in-law looking indignant and uncomfortable? But complete quiet reigned as Sid opened the door to me. “What news?” she asked. “The doctors think he will live, thank God,” I said. “The bullet just missed his heart and lungs. It went right through his shoulder and out the other side. But he’s awfully weak and they’ve given him morphine. So he’s sleeping peacefully.” “Well, that’s good news,” Sid said. “Where are the children?” I asked. She glanced across the street. “Your mother-in-law arrived, quite put out that you weren’t home until we told her the reason. She’s taken Bridie and Liam back to your house to put him down for a nap and to cook your dinner. And Tig and Emmy have gone back to the witch. I told them they could stay longer, have an evening meal with us and then I’d walk them home, but they were afraid they would get into trouble if they didn’t show up at the proper time. They were so pathetically grateful, Molly.
