ALISON
"Oh, my gosh. Look at this. It's so tiny!"
I lifted a precious white cotton sleeper from the gift bag, holding it aloft so that everyone could coo over it. The front of the little outfit was embroidered with ducks and bunnies-and, I saw with a smile, there were miniature stethoscopes and footballs mixed in, too.
"Anna, I love it. Thank you so much." I held the sleeper to my chest.
"I thought it might make a nice coming-home outfit." The older woman smiled.
"Anna, didn't I tell you that Alison's giving birth at home?" Emma piped up.
"Oh, did you?" Anna shook her head. "Well, either way, I hope he or she wears it in good health."
"Thank you," I said again, and then raised my voice a little bit to be heard about the low-level chatter. "Thank you, everyone. I can't tell you
