going to wear them, are you?”

“Well, I don’t normally wear Converse. They’re for teenagers. Boy teenagers.”

Maybe I’d give them to Kenny.

“That’s not true,” Mom said.

“I’ll try them on.” I sat on the couch and kicked off my house slippers. “Thank you for getting Galigani to sponsor me,” I said, lacing up the left shoe.

Mom nodded and took off the hat and poncho, then proceeded to place the items on my dining room table. “Coffee?” she asked.

“In the kitchen.” I laced up the shoe.

Hmmm. It was comfortable.

“Where are Jim and Laurie?” Mom called as she disappeared to the kitchen.

“Jim went for a run. Laurie’s in the nursery.”

Mom reappeared in the living room and placed her cup on the coffee table. She grabbed the maracas and headed to the nursery singing a goofy made-up song and shaking the maracas like crazy.

“Mom, you’re going to wake her.”

I heard Laurie let out a loud scream that escalated to a pitch that could break crystal. I ran into the nursery with my Converse on my feet.

Hey, I ran fast in these shoes.

Mom had Laurie in her arms. “I don’t know why she doesn’t like the maracas. She’s going to be just like her mommy—difficult to shop for.”

We decided to bathe Laurie as I filled Mom in on the last few days. I told her about Celia being hospitalized but left out the part about me and Laurie.

As I put warm water in the baby tub, Mom undressed Laurie. She placed her in the tub and poured a few cupfuls of water over her. Laurie cooed from pure enjoyment. I pulled out the Magic Moments cradle cap cream.

Mom frowned. “What’s that?”

“It’s special cream so she doesn’t get cradle cap.”

Mom examined Laurie’s head. “She doesn’t have cradle cap.”

“I know. I’ve been using this stuff. Smell.” I stuck the bottle under Mom’s nose.

Mom crinkled her nose. “You don’t need special cream, just use soap and water. That’s what I did with you and your brother.”

“That’s because they didn’t have Magic Moments when I was a baby,” I taunted her.

“How much did you pay for that?”

“Too much probably, and it wasn’t a two-for sale,” I said.

Mom laughed at me. “You were had!”

The phone rang, interrupting us. I left Mom to bathe Laurie and answered the call.

“Kate? This is Mandy from Gary Barramendi’s office.”

I snapped to attention. “Yes! Hi. Um, uh . . . I mean, hello!”

“Gary would like the daily report. I’ll transfer you now.”

Daily report?

Oh no! I had forgotten. What was I supposed to tell him?

I cleared my throat, hoping to sound professional and not like I’d just been bathing my infant and arguing with my mother.

“Good morning, Mrs. Connolly. Any news?” Gary asked.

“Good morning.” Good, my voice sounded fine—intelligent even! “Yes. I interviewed Celia yesterday.”

There! I did have something to report!

“Interview? I thought you were going to stake her out.”

Shoot!

“Uh . . .”

“Anything relevant?” he probed.

What could I tell him about? The stakeout and interview had been a complete dud?

Before I could think of an answer, Gary said, “That’s my other line, I have to take it. I’ll look forward to reading the transcript.”

“Transcript?” I squawked.

“You do tape your interviews, don’t you?”

I was supposed to tape them?

“Uh . . . no . . . I mean . . . yes. Of course. Just not this one. I had a problem with my . . . device.”

“It happens. Okay, type up a summary and fax it to Mandy.”

I hung up as the front door squeaked open.

Jim appeared, dripping from his run. “Look at what the cat dragged in,” he said.

Paula trailed him. “Looks more like you’ve been dragged. What happened to you?” she teased.

Jim laughed, greeted Mom, then kissed me. “I’m jumping in the shower.”

Mom stopped him. “Wait! Look at what I brought back for you!”

She handed a towel-wrapped Laurie to me and proceeded to put on the poncho. She threw the mariachi hat onto the floor and sang the tune to the “Mexican Hat Dance.”

Paula laughed hysterically watching Mom dance around in the red Converse and poncho.

Jim looked concerned. “Is that safe?”

Mom frowned. “What’s unsafe about it?”

Paula pointed to my feet, still clad in the Converse, and giggled. Jim simply shook his head.

“I love the ‘Mexican Hat Dance,’ ” Paula said.

“The ‘Jarabe Tapatío’!” Mom exclaimed with the worst Spanish accent imaginable. “How was Paris?”

As they caught up with each other, Jim showered and I got Laurie dressed. When I’d finished, I joined them in the living room and brought Paula up to speed on my interview with