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Elliot was standing by the window. "If s too late. Don't you understand? I told you, it's too late."

"No!" I cried back at him.

His smile changed to an angry look, "He thought you would be the son I wasn't, that you would take my place. He's dying a fool," Elliot said with satisfaction. "A fool."

I shook my head. "No. I won't let him." I stepped toward Elliot just as I had outside and he backed away. His laughter followed him as he sank into the wall and was Gone.

Out of the corner of my eye. I saw Dave shudder as though a deep chill had cut through him like a knife.

I reached down and found his hand under the blanket. It felt cold. stiff. I had to make him understand what was happening to him. Desperation seized me. I had to help him.

"Dave, listen to me. Baby Celeste is really your granddaughter. I am not Noble. Noble is gone and has been for a long time. Elliot and I... we... I'm the real Celeste." Tears were streaming clown my cheeks now. "Baby Celeste is my daughter, mine. Don't you see? Don't you understand what that means? You've got to get well. You haven't lost your whole family. You haven't."

He was looking up at me, but his eyes were still quite dull, his face unmoving.

I let go of his hand and slowly brought my fingers to my shirt. Although he continued to look confused and dazed, he didn't turn his head away as I unbuttoned it. Then I lifted the strapping that flattened my breasts and showed him my bosom. His eyelids flickered and his lips moved apart, but his tongue looked paralyzed. Then his eyelids closed.

"Dave!" I reached down to touch his face. His eyes didn't open. He didn't move. "Dave, are you all right? Dave?" I screamed.

"What are you doing in here?" Mama asked from the doorway.

I turned and looked at her.

"Why is your shirt unbuttoned?"

"Mama, he is very sick. He can't even talk. He looks like he's in a coma or something."

"I'm very well aware of how he is. I've made arrangements to take him to the hospital in the morning if he is not any better. Now get out and leave him be."

"But I think he should go right now." I looked clown at him again. His eyelids Buttered and opened.

"He's taken something to help him rest. He decided to do it himself, so leave. You're disturbing his very needed rest. Leave. Noble, now!" she ordered. "You don't belong in here."

I hesitated,

"You're only making things worse for everyone. I don't like this insubordination. Noble. What does it mean? Who told you to come in here?"

"No one," I said, my heart pounding. I shook my head. "I was simply worried about him, that's all,"

"If you're worried about him, leave."

I glanced back at him, and then I walked out, my head down.

She seized my arm. "Go to sleep. And don't come back in here unless I tell you to do so."

When I stepped out, she closed the door. I stood there in the hallway, torn between rushing to the phone and calling an ambulance myself or doing what she told me to do. If I made the call. I would be defying her more dramatically than I ever had. I had no idea what that would lead to, how it would impact our lives. Our world would surely come crumbling down around us and I might do irreparable harm to Baby Celeste.

I couldn't help crying, even though I managed to subdue my sobs. The tears flowed as I got ready for bed and even after I crawled under my blanket.

"Daddy, help us," I prayed. "Please, please, help us " I waited and listened.

I heard Mama's footsteps as she went by and then down the stairs. A little while later, she returned, paused at my door, then went to her own bedroom. Emotional exhaustion finally lowered sleep over me and shut me up in my own tumultuous night of dreams. I tossed and turned and woke many times during the night so that when morning came, I was too groggy and tired to keep my eyes open. I slept much later

than usual, but when I finally woke. I realized how late it was and practically leaped out of bed to wash and dress.

It was so quiet in the house that for a moment I thought everyone was gone.. Could it be that the ambulance had already come and left? I couldn't have slept through something like that. could I?

Mama and Dave's bedroom door was closed as usual. but I hesitated outside my door, then decided that before I went down, I would check on him. I went to the door and knocked softly.