WHIRLPOOL 

Part 3 - An Open Door
By Tessa Harvey


    Esther and Lucas had gathered the children together. Sandra had popped over with her irrepressible blond, giggley toddler, Anna. Archie, darker, more intent, was trying to get her to play ball, throwing it carefully to her. She usually hurled it back with force or lurched through an unsteady circle and fell over it, laughing.
    Finally, she lay down on a couch exhausted and promptly fell asleep, watched over by Sandra.. Katie was in her bassinet playing with her toes and gurgling happily.
    Archie sat with his dad, leaning back, tired. He was puzzled. "Dad, Helen isn't a grown-up. Why has she got a baby?" Susan and Thomas had been longing to ask this, Susan especially worried. Esther carefully replied, "a nasty man made her have a baby, but he is in prison now. Helen is very young, but we are going to help if you all agree." 
    The three children looked at each other. What to say? They liked life as it had been. All futures seemed uncertain.


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