Tara sat cross-legged on her Uncle John's front porch; her favourite rag doll clutched under one arm. The late afternoon sun shone through the leaves of the giant oak tree, casting its flickering light on the cabin. This golden motion of light entranced the girl and she sat with her face turned upward, as if hypnotized. The steady hum of conversation flowed from inside of the cabin.
             "Ellen, I'm sure happy that you came to church with us today. Why don't you spend the night? It's getting awfully late and it will be dark before you make it home."
             "I'll be fine Sally," replied Tara's mother. "Anyhow, you know how Ben is about his supper. I left plenty for him and the boys on the back of the stove, but he'll want Tara and me home. Besides, he'll want to hear if Harry Kenworth's wife managed to drag him into church."
             The laughter that followed her mother's statement broke the child's musings and she stood up, pulled her dress over the protruding petticoat, and stepped inside.
             "Get your coat Tara. When the sun goes down, it'll get chilly."
             As the little girl went to the chair by the fireplace to retrieve her coat, her uncle came in from the back with a lantern.
             "I think you'll need this Ellen."
             "I appreciate it Johnny," Ellen said. "I'll have Ben bring it back when he goes to town next week."
             Ellen kissed her younger brother good-bye and hugged Sally gently. Patting her sister-in-law on her swollen belly, she said," I'll be back at the end of the month. Don't be lifting anything heavy. If that queasy feeling keeps bothering you, brew some of that mint tea I left in the kitchen. Lord knows I've never seen a baby bother its mammy as much as this one has. It's a boy for sure."
             Upon hearing this, Tara frowned. She was the youngest in her family, and the only girl. After living with four brothers, she had prayed fervently to God every night for Him to let her aunt have a girl...