Melt the milk chocolate chips with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of shortening in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Dip the opposite end of each cookie one-third of the way up; place on wax paper. Let stand until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Store the cookies between sheets of wax paper at cool room temperature or freeze up to 3 months. Makes about 2 dozen (3-inch) cookies

AFTER SISSY FINISHES HER story there’s silence. We don’t often consider our bodies as part of the evolutionary process. We focus on our individual, particular selves and ignore the universal. The message from my grandmother is forgotten in our daily lives. Occasionally, when one of us is complaining, we might say, “Oh, what am I bitching about? Everyone goes through this.” Or, “I should count my blessings. I have two healthy children and Joannie’s having chemo-therapy today and people in New Orleans still don’t have homes.” We’re so thrilled with our unique and particular babies that we forget when we give birth we are contributing to evolution. Now I’m about to become my own evolutionary Eve.

I check my phone, but no calls.

I check my watch. It’s 9:45 P.M. Almost seven in California. You’d think that the doctor would have called by now.

Softly, so softly at first that I can hardly hear it, Al Green starts singing from my iPod player. I had forgotten it was on, it was turned down that low and we were so immersed in passing out cookies and one another.

“Hey, is that what I think it is?” Juliet trills. “That’s my song and perfect timing for our seventh-inning stretch!”

Allie walks to the stereo and turns it up and we hear him promise to make it all right. Juliet sings with him and begins revolving her hips, moving her shoulders as she grabs my hand to pull me toward her. Her palms are on my back as her eyes look into mine, the smell of Addict perfume now replacing the Charlie.

“Remember?” she asks. “It was so long ago that day at the jazz festival.” She shakes her head and spins me away to turn me under her arm. “No. It was just yesterday.”

The rest of us follow Juliet’s and my example. In the corner, Taylor’s hand is on Allie’s back as they rock to the music, Allie pulls back and Taylor swings her and then moves toward her, hips swaying until they return to each other’s arms.

Sissy rocks her hips, sways her shoulders, and catches the subtlety of the beat. Vera rises.

And the horns blare.

Disney bounces between us, mouth grinning and tail wagging. “Look, Disney is dancing, too.” Taylor laughs at Disney’s excitement. His Christmas tie shakes with his movement. “He’s doing the two-step.” Her grin lingers and her fire has returned.