“Who's going to stop us? Ricky? That one will be so happy to be out of this, he'll be dancing in the street for joy. If he does give us any trouble, we'll tell that snooty father of his. The man will pay us to save his son from having to marry you. Now, besides Ricky and your brother Paulie—who will keep his mouth shut because I'll tell him to—does anyone else know?”

“No one,” Lu breathed. “I never told anyone about Ricky and me. And he never said anything either.”

“So, it's settled.”

“Mama … do you want to do this?”

“Do you want to take care of a baby?”

There was no hesitation. “No,” Lu said.

“Then I'll be fine.”

Lu wanted to hug her—Mifalda could feel how much she wanted to—but she sat where she was. “I love you, Mama,” she said.

“Every Sunday, from New York, you'll come home to visit me and the baby,” Mifalda said. “You'll get here in time to go to Mass with us.”

Lu nodded. She was sitting up straight and her eyes were glowing with happiness.

AFTER A YEAR and a half in California, Lu came home to New Haven as a widow. In her arms she carried a baby—a little girl with reddish gold hair and big, beautiful green eyes. We'll have to say the father was Irish, Mifalda thought. That will serve you right, Carmine. Then she held out her arms to take the child. But Lu was still holding on to her.

“This is Rose, Mama,” she said, and there was a quiver in that voice that was usually so firm and sure. Mifalda let her arms fall to her sides.

“You remember I wrote you? I named her after Pop's aunt in Italy—the one who was named Rosella.” Lu's voice was shaking now, and her eyes were filling up. “He told me about her once. She stayed in the old country when everyone else came here—I thought he'd like it if the baby was named after her …” The tears were spilling over now. Lu nuzzled the baby's cheek. “She's pretty, isn't she, Mama? Isn't my baby pretty?” And Mifalda could only nod because her throat had suddenly tightened too much to talk. “I dress her in blue and green most of the time—I think those are the best colors with her eyes. All her clothes are in the suitcase …”

“Lu.” Mifalda forced the name out. “Have you changed your mind?” At the same moment the baby turned to her and smiled. And she knew her heart would break if Lu said yes. She wanted her house that was so empty and quiet now to be full of baby sounds again. She wanted baby toys on the floor and the smell of baby powder in the air.

But Lu was her child, so Mifalda had to ask. “Do you want to keep Rose?”