We eased up the driveway of my parents’ home to see my mother waiting on the front porch. Before the van came to a full stop, Celine was out the door, flying up the steps, she and my mother embracing like twins separated at birth. My father, of course, was out working. It was my job to go to him. We got off to an awkward, uncomfortable start, but I grabbed a bale of hay and joined him in the afternoon feeding. Being willing to jump into hard work forgives a lot of sins in America’s heartland.
And, of course everybody 1oved Celine. It is said that pregnant women have a certain glow. Celine had started out with a glow. Now she could be light house beacon on the darkest, stormiest night of the century. The idea of “family’ was important to her and now she had one. Even the most stright1aced
