“Ring around the roses, pockets full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”

Earl laughed as he watched the children play in the summer moonlight. He watched them

float with the fireflies, and generally enjoy themselves, the way children do. He almost wished their parents could see them now, well and happy. He knew his own child would be coming any time now. He was excited at the prospect of finally becoming a father at the age of fifty-two, but he was also scared for his Martha. They said thirty-five was rather old for having a first baby. It was June now, and Martha looked ready to pop. She didn’t expect the baby to come before next month, but she had been awfully queasy this past week.

Rose Brown and Lark Shandley both said the baby could come any time, because her morning sickness had returned. Earl was having a hell of a time dealing with it all. He was so worried about his Martha, that instead of working until noon, he went home to check on her after he dug every single grave, or completed every single task. It was driving her crazy. He knew he was getting on her nerves, with his worrying, but he just couldn’t help it. Poor Martha fell asleep every time she stopped; he knew she was as eager for the birth as he was- partly because she wanted her body back, and partly because he’d stop worrying so much.

It was now time for supper, and Earl went inside after taking his boots off on the porch, as was his custom. He always tried to be considerate of her. He knew she worked a lot harder at keeping that little house clean than he ever had. He walked into the house in his socks, kissed her neck, and sat down at the table. She was wearing the blue dress he’d bought for her months ago from Black’s Department Store. It was her favorite. She was wearing the shoes he’d picked as well. She said they were the most comfortable for her. She had to put them on before she even got dressed in the morning, or her feet would swell so that she couldn’t even wear any shoes. This annoyed her to no end. She didn’t like to wear her shoes all the time- she liked to put them on only when they were going somewhere, because the shoes would last much longer that way. Now her feet and ankles swelled so that she had popped several of the threads in her shoes, and they were going to need repair.