Thursday, April 13, 2006

She had found her two older children playing at being herself
and father on the occasion of Wendy's birth, and John was saying:

"I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now a
mother," in just such a tone as Mr. Darling himself may have used
on the real occasion.

Wendy had danced with joy, just as the real Mrs. Darling must
have done.

Then John was born, with the extra pomp that he conceived due
to the birth of a male, and Michael came from his bath to ask to
be born also, but John said brutally that they did not want any
more.

Michael had nearly cried. "Nobody wants me," he said, and of
course the lady in the evening-dress could not stand that.

"I do," she said, "I so want a third child."

"Boy or girl?" asked Michael, not too hopefully.