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made this happen too soon with one of your secret

herbal concoctions. You backward Cajun faith healers

believe in all sorts of superstitions. You probably

think the baby will curse you or something. Isn't that true? The baby's death would solve the problem for

you, wouldn't it?"

"What? Of course not," Mama said. "What a

terrible and ridiculous thing to say. If anyone is

thinking like a backwards Cajun, it's you!" Mama

retorted.

But Gladys continued to nod, convinced of her

own suspicions. "I heard stories about traiteur ladies

killing babies because they thought the babies were

born with evil souls. When they wash them off,, they

deliberately drown them or they suffocate them when

no one's looking."

"Those are stupid lies. No traiteur would take a

life. We are here to ease pain and suffering and drive

away bad things?'

You said it There. You said it," she accused,

pointing her right forefinger at Mama. "Drive away

bad things. If you think a baby's bad . . "

"A baby can't be bad," Mama insisted. "The

baby can't be blamed for its own birth," she explained,

"especially if the mother was raped," she added

pointedly, but Gladys didn't look convinced. "I'll be right here, every minute," she said,

"watching your every move."

"Fine," Mama said. "You do that."

Gladys folded her arms across her chest and

dropped herself into the pink cushion chair across

from me.