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AFTER SOME YUMMY GINGER-SOFT FORTIFICATION AT THE VILLAGE BAKERY, MAMA FELT BRAVE ENOUGH TO GO BACK TO THE LIBRARY WITH THE BEAN. HERE WE HAVE HOLDEN AND THE FRITH ENGROSSED IN A STORY BEING READ BY MS VICTORIA (WHO LOOKS VERY PRETTY HERE, MIGHT WE ADD!)

THEN, FRITH MADE ANOTHER TRY FOR THE PLAYHOUSE. AS LUCK (OR WHATEVER) WOULD HAVE IT, THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL PLAYING INSIDE NAMED RACHEL. THE MOMENT FRITH STEPPED INSIDE, RACHEL LOOKED AT HER, GLARED, AND SAID NO. WHEN FRITH ATTEMPTED TO BEND OVER AND PLAY WITH ONE OF THE PUPPETS, RACHEL SAID NO. NO. NO. THEN SHE SAID : GO BACK TO YOUR MUMMY.

I AT THIS POINT INTERVENED. I ASKED RACHEL IF THIS WAS HER PLAYHOUSE? YES. ARE THOSE YOUR PUPPETS RACHEL? YES. CAN FRITH ALSO PLAY WITH THEM? NO. HER COLD BLUE EYES REMINDED ME OF ALL THOSE HARD LITTLE GIRLS WHO MADE MY LIFE SO DIFFICULT WHEN I WAS JUST A TINY SHY LITTLE RED-HAIRED THING.

RACHEL'S FATHER WAS ABOUT FIVE FEET AWAY. HE HEARD ALL THIS, AND LOOKED AT ME AND SHRUGGED, WITH A WEAK LITTLE SMILE. QUITE CLEAR WHO THE BOSS WAS IN THAT FAMILY. SO, I PICKED UP FRITH AND BROUGHT HER BACK TO THE COUCH FOR ANOTHER STORY. WAS I WRONG? I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING TO AMEND THE BEHAVIOUR OF OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN.

FRITH STILL WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE PLAYHOUSE. SO AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, I LET HER. SHE WENT INSIDE. I COULD HEAR RACHEL FROM WHERE I SAT. NO. NO. NO. GO BACK TO YOUR MUMMY. THEN I HEARD FRITH. IN HER SWEET, TINY LITTLE FRITH VOICE, THE ONE SHE USUALLY USES TO SAY MAMA, OR THEO, OR CHEESE.. SHE SAID IT. SHE SAID NO. THE FIRST TIME SHE'D EVER SAID IT. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE LAUGH, THEY THINK IT IS FUNNY SOMEHOW, WHEN LITTLE CHILDREN START TO SAY NO ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T THINK IT IS FUNNY. NOT IN THE LEAST BIT. I'VE TRIED SO HARD TO KEEP THAT WORD FROM ENTERING HER LIFE. I TRY TO KEEP THE HOUSE AND HER LIFE AS FRITH-FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT NOTHING SHE TRIES TO DO NEED EVER BE MET WITH A NO. THERE WILL BE TIME FOR THAT MUCH, MUCH LATER. NOT YET. SHE IS SO YOUNG. HER WORLD IS ABOUT EXPLORING, AND LEARNING, AND TAKING IN ALL OF THIS REMARKABLE BEAUTY. HER WORLD GROWS EXPONENTIALLY BIGGER WITH EVERY PASSING DAY. BUT... NO. TODAY IT GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT SMALLER.