“Oh yes, Jim, I hope that’s okay. I’ve just always loved that name. Can we name her Layla?”

“Huh, baby, huh.”

“What is it, Jimmy, are you okay?”

“Sweetheart, you’re not going to believe this,” I said as I finished off my wine and reached for more. “You know I went to see Mama Vermillion today and, well, something really strange is happening.”

“What happened Jim? What did Mama say?”

Still reeling a bit and not knowing what to do, I said, “Don’t you think we should eat first? Our supper is getting cold.”

“Jim, tell me what is happening. What did Mama say?”

Trying to collect myself, I poured another glass of wine and, after a few healthy gulps, I reached into my pocket and held in my open hand the red and grey feather and the tiny silver pendant that Mama Vermillion had given to me.

Maggie said, “What is that? Where did you get that, Jim?”

“Mama Vermillion gave these to me this evening as gifts for our daughter, for our daughter Layla.”

“For Layla? What do you mean?”

“She did this card reading and she said we were going to have a daughter and her name was Layla.”