tummy rounding out in her effort to assume proportions. “I’m big!” She moved closer to Meris. “I had a birthday.”
“Oh, how nice!” said Meris.
“We don’t know what year to put on it, though,” said Lala solemnly. “I want to put six, but they want to put five.”
“Oh, six, of course!” exclaimed Meris.
Lala launched herself onto Meris and hugged her hair all askew. “Love you, Meris!” she cried. “Six, of course!”
“There has been a little discussion about the matter,” said Valancy. “The time element differs between here and the New Home. And since she is precocious-“
“The New Home,” said Meris thoughtfully. “The New Home. You know, I suspended all my disbelief right at the beginning of this Lala business, but now I feel questions bubbling and frothing-“
“I thought I saw question marks arising in both your eyes,” laughed Valancy. “After church tomorrow, after this cherub receives her name before God and the congregation, we’ll tackle a few of those questions. But now-” she hugged the wide-eyed, moist-mouthed child gently “-now this is the center of our interest.”
The warm Sunday afternoon was slipping into evening. Davy, Tad, and Johannan were-again-three pairs of feet protruding from under the Overland. The three had managed to nurse it along all the way to the University City, but now it stubbornly sat in the driveway and merely rocked, voiceless, no matter how long they cranked it.
The three of them had been having the time of their lives.
They had visited the Group’s auto boneyard up-canyon and then, through avid reading of everything relevant that they could put their hands on, had slowly and bedazzledly come to a realization of what a wealth of material they had to work with.
Tad, after a few severe jolts from working with members of The People, such as seeing cars and parts thereof clattering massively unsupported through the air and watching Johannan weld a rip in a fender by tracing it with a fingertip, then concentrating on the task, had managed to compartmentalize the whole car business and shut it off securely from any need to make the methods of The People square with Outsiders’ methods. And his college fund was budding beautifully.
So there the three of them were under the Overland that was the current enthusiasm, ostensibly to diagnose the trouble, but also to delight in breathing deeply of sun-warmed metal and to taste the oily fragrance of cup grease and dust.
Mark and Jemmy were perched on the patio wall, immersed in some point from Mark’s book. Lala was wrapped up in the wonder of Alicia’s tiny, flailing fist, that if intercepted, would curl so tightly around a finger or thumb.
Meris smiled at Valancy and shifted the burden of ‘Licia to her other arm. “I think I’d better park this bundle some where. She’s gained ten pounds in the last five minutes so I think that a nap is indicated.” With the help of Valancy, Karen, and Bethie, Meris gathered up various odds and ends of equipment and carried the already sleeping ‘Licia into the house.
Later, in the patio, the women gathered again, Lala a warm weight in Valancy’s lap.
“Now,” said Meris, comfortably. “Now’s the time to erase a few of my question marks. What is the Home? Where is the Home? Why is the New Home?”
“Not so fast-not so fast!” laughed Valancy. “This is Bethie’s little red wagon. Let her drag it!”
“Oh, but-I” Bethie blushed and shook her head. “Why mine? I’d rather-“
“But you have been wanting to Assemble for Shadow, anyway, so that she’d have a verbalized memory of the Crossing. It’s closer through your line.” Her smile softened as she turned to Meris. “My parents were in the Crossing, but they were Called during the landing. Bethie’s mother was in the Crossing and survived. Karen’s grandparents did, too, but that’s a step farther back. And, Bethie, haven’t you already-“
“Yes,” said Bethie softly, “from the Home to the beginning of the Crossing. Oh, how strange! How strange and wonderful! Oh, Valancy! To have lost the Home!”
“Now you’re question-marking my eyes,” laughed Valancy.
“I’ve never gone by chapter and verse through that life myself. Jemmy-Mark-we’re ready!”
“It’ll be better, subvocal,” said Bethie shyly. “Karen, you could touch Meris’s hand so she can see, too. And Jemmy, you and Mark.” The group settled comfortably.
“I went back through my mother’s remembrances,” Bethie’s soft voice came through a comfortable dimming and fading of the patio. “Her grandmother before her verbalized a great deal. It was a big help. We can take it from her. We will begin on one happy morning-“
DELUGE
… and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
GEN. 7:17
“The children are up already, Eva-lee?” asked David, lounging back in his chair after his first long, satisfying swallow from his morning cup.
“Foolish question, David, on Gathering Day,” I laughed.
“They’ve been up since before it was light. Have you forgotten how you used to feel?”
“Of course not.” My son cradled his cup in his two hands to warm it and watched idly until steam plumed up fragrantly. “I just forgot-oh, momentarily, I assure you-that it was Gathering Day. So far it hasn’t felt much like failova weather.”
“No, it hasn’t, I answered, puckering my forehead thoughtfully. “It has felt-odd-this year. The green isn’t as-Oh, good morning, ‘Chell,” to my daughter-of-love, “I suppose the little imps waked you first thing?”
“At least half an hour before that,” yawned ‘Chell. “I suppose I used to do it myself. But just wait-they’ll have their yawning time when they’re parents.”
“Mother! Mother! Father! Gramma!”
