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"Mama? Are you in there?" I waited.

The sound of Baby Celeste laughing at something downstairs told me Mama had gone down. Once again. I went through a hard debate with myself. Should I just go downstairs, too, or should I look in on him as I had done last night? In the end I couldn't turn away despite her order and her warning. I opened the door and looked in. Dave was lying just as he had been. but I felt something different about him. I listened for Mama and then I went in and up to the bed.

He was staring cold-eyed at the ceiling. His lids were not flickering and his face was ashen.

"Dave?"

I reached down slowly and touched his face. The shock of deathly cold made it seem more like I had put my fingers in a candle flame. I literally jumped back and then brought my closed fist to my mouth to smother a scream. For a long moment. I felt that I couldn't move, that my feet had been nailed to the bedroom floor. but finally. I turned, rushed out and down the stairs.

Mama was sitting in the dining room having breakfast with Baby Celeste, smiling at her and laughing at something she had said. They both looked up as I came through the doorway.

Well now, look who has decided to grace us with his presence this morning. Celeste," Mama said.

"Noble," Baby Celeste said.

"Yes, Noble. He just gets up and we're nearly finished with our breakfast, aren't we, Celeste?"

"Mama. I went in to check on Dave and... and... he's gone," I said. the words choking in my throat.

Mama nodded. "Yes. I know," she said with a nonchalance that took my breath away. She gave Baby Celeste another piece of toast and jelly, then leaned over to wipe her lips. She sat back again and looked at me.

"Mama. Pm saying Dave is dead."

"I think I know that. Noble." She leaned toward me, her eyes narrowing. "He was doing just fine. What made you go in there last night and do what you did?" she asked accusingly.

I shook my head and backed away a few steps. "I didn't do anything. I wanted to help him."

"You're so pathetic when you lie. You didn't help anyone. You only endangered us all. There was a great swirl of displeasure about this house all night. I felt the anger and disappointment and I heard them mumbling. I have a lot to do to make things right again, a lot to do."

"But. Mama, what about Dave?"

"It was what was meant to be You are no longer to be concerned about it." She brushed some crumbs off Baby Celeste. "We'll need more firewood tonight. It's going to be a particularly cold evening, And I think you should clean out the roof gutters on the south side of the house. I noticed the old leaves and melted ice building up there, and you know that can lead to leaks in the roof."

"But..."

"Its all taken care of. Noble." she said sharply, and looked at me again. "I've called for an ambulance. You'd better have your breakfast. I'll be busy in a little while and you'll have to mind the baby. Don't just stand there looking stupid. Get cracking." she snapped.

I didn't want to eat anything. but I got myself a glass of water. Soon after we heard the paramedics arriving. Mama went to the door to greet them.

"Hurry!" she cried, and two paramedics rushed into the house. She showed them where to go. I stood back with Baby Celeste in my arms watching all the activity. A stretcher was brought upstairs moments later.

Could it be that he would be all right, that they had come in time to revive him? Give him CPR or some sort of electric shock that would bring him back? I wondered hopefully. I heard them emerging. The stretcher was empty. Mama followed, her head down. The two men glanced at me and then went out to their vehicle.

"What's going on?" I asked. breathless.

"The medical examiner is on his way," Mama said, her lips curled in the corners disdainfully. "It's considered an unattended death so there has to be an examination here. A lot of bureaucratic nonsense. Just take care of the baby as I told you. Dress her and take her out. Keep her out of everyone's way."

The medical examiner and a sheriffs deputy arrived shortly afterward. Since there were no sins of foul play. Dave's body was carried down and placed in the ambulance. I overheard them say there would be an autopsy, of course. All of the drugs Dave had taken and all of the herbal remedies Mama had created for him were carefully bagged and taken as well.

Baby Celeste and I stood off to the side watching everyone and all the activity. When the ambulance left and the sheriff s deputy and the examiner followed. Mama nodded at us and then went inside.

I followed with the baby. She was already sitting in the rocking chair, her eves closed,

"'What's going to happen now, Mama?" I asked softly.

She opened her eyes and looked at me. "Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be as it should be Tend to your chores. You can leave Baby Celeste here with me." She rocked herself gently, "Just leave her with me," she whispered.

Later that day Mama began to make funeral arrangements. She called Mr. Bogart, who called the Reverend Mr, Austin. The date of Dave's funeral would depend on when the medical examiner released the body. Mama had a list of Dave's relatives, cousins and one elderly aunt. None of them had come to their wedding. He had explained he wasn't close with anyone. so Mama didn't anticipate any of them coming to the funeral. When she explained to the police that neither she nor Dave had any idea where Betsy would be, they said they would see about finding her, but that didn't lead to anything. Mama said they probably made the smallest possible effort, not that she could blame them. It wasn't, she reminded me and any of her customers, like searching for a kidnapped child.