Morag quickly decided she had gotten the better deal as she smiled at Polly. The little girl seemed fascinated by her red hair and was determined to put some of it in her mouth. For the third time in the few minutes she'd held her, Morag was pulling some of her hair away from the little girl's mouth. She had to hold her up because there was another little girl, yet unborn, taking up her lap, so her hair was in easy grasp of the determined little Parkinson.
'Grown-ups are silly, aren't they, entertained by grain futures and growth funds,' she told the little girl in a singsong voice.
Polly smiled and said, 'Beh! Eh-eh!'
Morag laughed and tickled the little girl under her chin. 'I'm going to have a little one much like you,' she told Polly. 'She's going to be a year behind you in school. Maybe you and she can play together when she gets here,' she added.
The little girl turned her head for a moment, like she was looking for someone. 'Haweeee!' she called and laughed. Then she grabbed some of Morag's hair in her hand and waved her arm up and down as she laughed again.
Morag leaned in to the little girl, trying to decide what she was looking at.