liked, and the idea of New York appealed. "For the music and the
statement."
"You go for the statement." Stevie grinned. "I'll go for the naked
birds."
"We'll get Pete to fix it up. What do you say, Bev?"
She didn't like New York, but she could see Brian's mind was set. And
she didn't want to spoil the easy, peaceful mood of the last weeks.
"It'll be fun. Maybe we can take Darren and Emma to the zoo and through
Central Park before we fly home."
EmmA WAS THRILLED. She remembered her first trip to New York well, the
big bed in the hotel room, the soaring thrill of standing on top of the
world, the glorious rides on the carousel in Central Park. She wanted to
share all of that with Darren.
She tried to explain all the wonders of it to him as they prepared for
the trip. As Alice Wallingsford packed up the nursery, she kept Darren
out of mischief with his favored farm.
"Moo cow," he said, holding up the black spotted white piece from the
set. "Want to see a moo cow."
"I don't think we'll see a moo cow, but we'll see lions at the zoo."
She made a roar that had him squealing.
"You're getting him too excited, Emma," Alice said automatically. "And
it's nearly bedtime."
Emma just rolled her eyes as Darren danced around her. He was wearing
his Oshkosh overalls and little red Keds. For Emma's approval, he
struggled to do a sloppy somersault.
"All that energy." Alice clucked her tongue, though in truth she was
charmed by the boy. "I don't see how we'll get him to sleep tonight."
"Don't pack Charlie," Emma put in before Alice could drop the stuffed
dog into a packing box. "He has to ride on the plane with me."
With a sigh, Alice set the worn dog aside. "He needs a good washing. I
don't want you sneaking him into the baby's crib anymore, Emma."
"I love Charlie," Darren announced and tried another somersault. He
landed heavily on his Playskool TI tool bench, but instead of crying,
picked up the wooden hammer to play a tatoo on the colored pegs. "I
love Charlie," he sang to his own rhythm.
"Be that as it may, sweet thing, he's getting a bit smelly. I don't
want germs in the bed with my baby."
Darren sent her a sunny smile. "I love germs."
"It's a heartbreaker you are." Alice picked him up to bounce him on her
hip. "Now Alice is going to give you a nide bath before bed, with
bubbles. Emma, don't leave those pieces spread about," she added as she
paused in the doorway. "You can have your bath as soon
as Darren's finished. Then you can go down and say good night to your
parents."
"Yes, ma'am." She waited until Alice was out of sight before she got up
to get Charlie. He did not smell, she thought as she buried her face in
his fur. And she would put him in Darren's crib, because Charlie
watched over him when she was sleeping.
RLY WISH YOU MDN'T asked all those people over tonight."
Bev fluffed the pillows on the couch, though she knew such niceties were