“Really, Mama?” Lu demanded, and now her voice was strong. “Really? Can you promise me I'm not going to be angry? Can you promise me I'm not going to take it out on this child?”

And as she looked at her daughter, for no reason in the world a picture flashed through Mifalda's mind of a girl with carrot-colored hair skating on a pond, in a red dress that showed off her knees. The girl twirled and swooped, flying across the ice, free to go as fast and as far as her pretty legs would carry her. The image lasted only for a second, but it was long enough. In a flash Mifalda knew what she had to do.

“Sit,” she told her daughter. For once, Lu did as she was told. She went back to the table and sat down. Mifalda finished making the coffee, her mind racing as she went over the outrageous plan that had just come to her, checking it for flaws, for anything that could possibly go wrong. When she was sure there was nothing she'd overlooked, she poured two cups of the coffee, brought them to the table, and sat opposite her daughter. “Here's how it's going to be,” she said. She stopped to add some cream to her cup. Her voice was so calm, it shocked her. “Ricky is not going to tell his parents about the baby today. You are not going to marry him.”

“Mama, what—”

“Quiet!” said the calm voice Mifalda didn't recognize as her own. “You're going to California. We'll say that when you were there visiting Eddie's wife last spring you met a boy and you fell in love with him. You're going out there to get married. You're going to do it fast, because the boy is going to go into the army. Like your brother Eddie.” Her voice was still calm. She took a sip of her coffee and her hands were steady. “After you're married, you're going to find out that you and your husband are going to have a baby. But your husband will die in the war before the baby is born, and you'll come home. And because you're so young, I'm going to raise your baby. You're going to New York to do what you want to do.”

Lu's mouth was a shocked little circle in her face. Her eyes were huge—but the haunted look was starting to leave them. So, your mama can surprise you, Mifalda thought. Your mama has a few tricks up her sleeve.

“Mama, we can't—” Lu started to say.