it was dark with a hard crust and spots of green mold . you better go back to getting dolls for christmas , she said , because thats the only baby youre ever going to hold . perhaps , but only if it was kept together with the bones . they 'd been here for over ten minutes . i could n't ease the pain then , and i knew i could n't do it now . if she were half the woman you are , she would n't dream of doing what she just did . 