Sarina was not listening. She was remembering home and plans for her delivery and the room prepared for the baby. But everything had changed. She was alone now and far from all that was familiar, and there was no comfort to be had from her husband. And then, today, Hannah had come. Sarina smiled at Max. “Hannah is going to take me to the doctor of her daughter, a lady doctor like I had at home.”

“That’s good. She’s a fine doctor. You’ll be in good hands with Hannah and with the doctor.”

They shared iced tea that Anna brought on a tray, and when Anna called them inside for dinner, Sarina sat with them at the table and ate and felt sad that her husband had not returned. Why, she wondered, was he making life so hard for himself, for them both?

A few days later, at the baby superstore with Hannah and Grace, Sarina clapped her hands when she saw a cream-colored French Provincial crib and dresser/changing table, which Hannah insisted that they order. They shopped for diapers, sleepwear, undershirts, socks, and sweet little dresses, everything the mother of a baby girl could possibly desire.

Finally, exhausted, they headed for the food court to sit among other weary people, whose children, some happy and smiling, some cranky and crying, some running helter-skelter, seemed to be everywhere.

“I remember when Roger, my son, was little and we took him Christmas shopping,” Grace said. “He climbed into a display window in the store and hid. The saleswoman, the store manager, Ted, and I were frantic. We were about to report him missing when he stuck his head out from under a mannequin’s long evening coat.”

“If I had done such a thing, my father would have reddened my bottom,” Sarina said.

“His father scolded Roger and sent him to bed without dinner. Tell you the truth, I was so relieved that he hadn’t been kidnapped or wandered off and gotten lost that I cried and coddled him. I shouldn’t have, I know, but I couldn’t help myself.”

“It’s not easy to raise a child,” Sarina said. “I think Zachary is afraid to be a father. The closer it comes to my time, the more he is gone. It was so even at home in India. Some days I hardly saw him, but I didn’t notice so much, as my mother and sisters were always about.” Her eyes grew sad. She threw her hand wide. “But here, I do not want to even ask him where he goes. He is always angry.”

They fell silent. Neither of the older women, though furious with him, wanted to express their concerns about Zachary’s daily absences, his obvious immaturity, and his complete lack of sensitivity to his wife’s needs.

Later, at home, Grace asked Hannah, “Zachary leaves the house so early in the day. Where does he go, do you think?”