Miranda had been right, of course. Pregnancy did get easier the longer the weeks passed. Andy glanced at her shadowy reflection in the department store window, as she stopped to look at an impressive collection of strollers and car-seats on display, and couldn't help noticing how much she was now leaning backward as she walked. This was to counteract the weight of little Amelia's large bump growing ever bigger in front of her. Her waist had disappeared and her breasts had almost doubled in size.

She was now more than six months pregnant, not quite at the beached whale stage, but well on the way. Subsequent scans had proved her right; she was expecting a daughter, and the name was a foregone conclusion.

With her sister Hannah beside her, she pushed through the crowds and went inside the store. The Christmas lights were lit everywhere, and downtown Cincinnati was bursting at the seams with shoppers.

Hannah, and Andy, along with Hannah's three-month-old baby boy Johnny, had flown to Ohio to have a 'sisters' Christmas shopping weekend with their sister Margot and her two children, three-year-old Rose-Marie and baby Jamie. Connor, Margot's husband, would be away at some football coaches' convention for two nights, so it was a girls-only event, one to which Margot had said she was really looking forward.

They'd both arrived on the Friday shuttle from New York but Margot had to teach until 3 pm, so Hannah and Andy were amusing themselves for a few hours, window shopping around the city center department stores. Hannah was still on four months' maternity leave, as the UN had a far more realistic and caring protocol than most employers in the USA, but she would return in the New Year to her demanding job on the East Asian desk. This little jaunt was a real treat for them all.

"What did Miranda think about you joining us?" asked Hannah, pushing Johnny in front of her in a rear-facing stroller. She didn't like the idea of exposing him to all the exhaust fumes, slobber of passing dogs, and greetings from enthusiastic strangers if he faced forwards into the on-coming traffic.

"She never much likes me being away, but she understands," said Andy. "Anyway, Runway has swallowed her whole again in these last weeks running up to Christmas. I do think I married a woman with an obsessive-compulsive disorder when it comes to that magazine. Even when things are going well, she likes to invent a crisis. It's a matter of how to manage the disease, rather than trying to cure it completely."

"What about that cute family calendar on your fridge I saw in your kitchen? How is that working for the work/life balance?"

"Three of us are adhering to it just fine. One member of the family has won far fewer gold stars I'm afraid. When I go home on Sunday, we are going to have to have a little show-down. Miranda is already in big trouble with the twins, so I am making sure she comes with me to all their end of term events, whatever happens. And then, Charles and George are joining us for Christmas itself, so I'm insisting she takes a full week off for the holiday itself."

"Maybe you need to impose a system of forfeits for your habitual offender."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. What does Miranda really like to do, that you could deny her?"

"Well, I can think of something, for sure . . . The only trouble is, I like doing it too!"

They both laughed, and then Hannah changed the subject, "Andy, have you noticed anything different about our Margot lately?"

Andy jumped a little. Hannah had brought up a subject she'd been worrying about herself.

"Yes, actually. She seemed quite unlike her usual cheerful self at Thanksgiving. And as far back as Jamie's christening, she mentioned how tight she and Connor were for cash. I think they are struggling a tad."

"Well, let's do a bit of fishing while we're there. I hate to think of her worried, and you and I are both much better off than she is. She must find that difficult to swallow at times when she was our big sister and led the way into the workplace."

"Teachers will never get paid what they are worth," said Andy, "And I expect they are both still paying off student loans, on top of everything else. Come on, let's buy a basket of goodies to supplement whatever she has prepared for our weekend. I'm not drinking, but I don't mind treating you two to a decent bottle of plonk."

"I'm not drinking either," said Hannah. "I'm still breastfeeding Johnny and want to keep it going as long as I can. I may even express my milk with a breast pump and send it with him into day-care when he goes."

"Poor little guy. It seems so young for him to have to go to nursery."

"I know, Harry and I have tried to find a sensible alternative, but we can't see one. There's a good child-care facility attached to Cornell University, so Harry could drop him off there, or even more suitably, one for UN staff children at the bottom of my building, but I want him to have one-to-one attention with someone I trust completely."

"I know what you mean. And look at him, isn't he completely adorable?"

They both began to idolize the little redheaded boy, whose bright blue eyes were taking in the whole world now, and then walked together with him around the food department of the department store.

When a taxi deposited them at Morgot's suburban tract home, at the opposite end of the city from where her parents' lived, they unloaded Johnny's gear and went up the drive together. It was the only house in the avenue not sporting a heavy canopy of Christmas lights and did look a little bit forlorn. The paintwork was peeling and the front yard needed a trim, for sure. No one seemed to be home, even though it was way past four o'clock. And the two girls wondered what had happened to their big sister.

Hannah was just about to pull out her phone, when Margot's car came roaring down the street and swung into the drive beside them. The back seat had two small children in it, and Margot jumped out to greet them as soon as she pulled up.

They all came together in a joint hug as she said, "I'm so sorry! I had this annoying parent who wanted a lengthy conference with me, and so I was much later leaving school than I planned. Then I had to pick these two little monsters up from day-care. The joys of a working mother!"

She did look worn-out, as though it had been a hard week, not just a hard day. "We've been rehearsing the Christmas pageant. Teaching carols to a class of thirty seven year olds is not for the faint-hearted, I can tell you. Anyway, do come on in. Andy, do you think you could scoop up your godson, while I help Rosie out of her seat?"

Andy was only too happy to oblige. Jamie was such a happy baby, and rewarded her with a gorgeous smile. His brown skin and dark curly hair followed his Dad's coloring, and he had the biggest dimples, and longest curliest eyelashes she'd ever seen on a child.

Big sister Rosie, once she was released, rushed around the car and kissed both her aunties and then delivered a smacking kiss to her cousin Johnny. At three, she was just the age to adore playing with all babies. She would have picked him up if she could have managed it.

They all went inside and settled down to a time of sisterly domesticity, chatting as the children were fed and bathed, read to, and eventually tucked up in bed. Margot had borrowed a travel cot for Johnny, and while he didn't seem to like the idea at all, to begin with, after ten minutes of yelling, he fell fast asleep, exhausted by the early start, the flight and all the shopping, as he had only slept for an hour or so.

Then the three sisters collapsed together on the sofa in the living room, and Margot laid out the supper she had managed to prepare earlier in the week. Hannah and Andy presented her with their little hamper of goodies, and while there was no alcohol, as Margot also was still giving Janie night feeds at the breast, she made up three decadent hot chocolates, complete with chocolate swizzle sticks, mini-marshmallows, and a swirl of cream for each mug. She handed them round and they each sipped in almost orgasmic pleasure.

By nine they were all in a state of semi-stupor.

"I've never felt so tired as I do these days," said Andy. "Is this what it's going to be like from now on?"

Margot grimaced. "You don't know the meaning of torture till you go months without sleep. I don't think I've had a straight seven hours in my bed in the last four years. And when I do get the chance to sleep, then I toss and turn all night worrying about everything."

"Worrying about what, hon?" asked Hannah, picking up the cue.

Margot closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. Andy could see a few grey hairs appearing within the thick brunette bob.

"Money, mostly. It seems we took out the wrong kind of mortgage when we bought this house. The bank has suddenly hiked our interest payments up by 500 dollars a month, without notice. We were pretty fully extended already, and this will tip us into real debt, not just on luxury items but meeting essential payments. You would think two full-time teachers could manage, but we can't, and we can't sell up and down-size because everyone is selling rather than buying at the moment. I tell you, 2008 is going to be a horrible year, not just for us, but for loads of our friends. Lots of young families are in the same boat as us."

"When did you learn about this?" asked Andrea, alarmed. She knew about ends not meeting from her earliest days in New York, when the frankly risible salary offered to assistants at Runway had left her living way below the breadline.

"In March, but it only really began to kick in in May. That was why I was so off with you at the Christening. I was so anxious. You see everyone else in the family is flying along financially. I have one brother who's a doctor, another who's a lawyer, and married to a lawyer, a sister who is a section leader for the United Nations, and now my littlest sister is married to a multi-millionaire Magazine editor, with a seven-figure salary, and an original Rubens on the wall!"

"It's only a little drawing," protested Andy, thinking of their lady with the fat bottom. "But, darling Margot, I do totally get your point. And we're here to help, all for one and one for all, you know, like the three Musketeers."

"I feel dreadful for even mentioning it, but I don't want to get into deeper debt. Connor was picking up extra work with the Little League at weekends, but that seems to have dried up, and I don't want to have to ask Mom and Dad."

"You know they would help, if you asked them," said Hannah. " I bet they do know, or at least suspect, but haven't wanted to interfere. But upfront Margot, how much are you short every month? How much do you need to balance the budget."

"Our outgoings are currently seven hundred a month higher than our joint income," sighed Margot. "We've tried to economize everywhere we could. Food, clothes, family trips, all cut to a minimum. You can see we haven't even lit up the house this year, or had the bushes trimmed. I adore Jamie, but he was an unexpected gift from God, and it means most of my salary goes on child-care costs, now double what they were."

"That is something any self-respecting god-mother would help with," said Andy. "Look, let me cover Jamie's costs in child care, at least until he goes to elementary school in five or six years. It will be an absolute joy, and I can easily spare the cash right now. I've done some very well-paid articles for the New Yorker, and for Vanity Fair this year, so we don't even have to touch Miranda's stash."

"And whatever Andy pays to keep Jamie in the manner to which he should be accustomed, let me do the same for Rosie," chimed in Hannah, just as positively.

Margot's eyes filled with tears. She looked so relieved, and yet mortified she had had to ask.

"Oh, I don't know what to say, to either of you. It's such a generous offer, but Connor will be angry I even brought it up."

"Oh, pooh to Connor. He can deal with it. Sisters have a special bond. We have a relationship unlike any other, and Andy and I will always look up to you as our inspiration, Margot. Just say Yes. Then we can all relax and have some fun this weekend."

So Margot gulped down her pride and said yes.

"And then, on Saturday morning, instead of dragging the children round the shops in all the Christmas crowds, we worked together on the front yard, and put up a little line of budget twinkly lights we bought as the local gas- station and made a holly wreath for the front door. By the time we left, Margot looked so much better, so much less stressed. She was back almost to her old self. You know, Miranda, it would be a tragedy if she was forced to give up teaching and look for a better paying job. She's an inspired educator."

Andy was telling Miranda all about their sisterly weekend, lying on their long sofa late on Sunday evening, with her head on Miranda's lap, and a small pillow in the small of her aching back.

"Do you think I did the right thing, taking on Jamie's child care costs? I didn't want to appear condescending."

"Of course, you did the right thing. And Margot is right. I think 2008 is going to be a tough year for everyone. I'm following the markets, and this bubble will have to burst very soon. The banks are dangerously over-extended and beginning to panic. I think lots of people will lose their homes. It will affect the profitability of publications like Runway as well."

"You know Sunday evenings are a Runway free zone, don't you? We don't mention the word."

"Sshh, if you're going to say what I think you're going to say, don't bother. I have had a thorough telling-off from both Caroline and Cassidy while you were away. They accused me of shamefully neglecting you, and metaphorically gave me a good spanking. So I have promised to be a reformed character from now on."

Miranda ran her fingers through Andy's waves, and then rubbed her side of her face very gently.

Andy liked it, a lot. Then she said, "Hannah suggested I instigated some forfeits for when you come in later than midnight, or forget the twins' parent-teacher conferences."

"Oh yes, like what, reciting a nursery rhyme standing on one leg, or real punishment?"

"Not sure. I'm still thinking about it . . . Would you like to be punished, and if so, in what form? Hmm?"

Miranda's eyes went wide like a cat's, and her voice dropped to a purr.

"What about a good spanking, only not exactly metaphorically?" she suggested very quietly.

"But you would have to be very bad indeed, to warrant that. Are you?"

"I feel very bad tonight. I might be planning to stay out late all next week. Who's to know?"

"And so, you'd like to be punished first, is that what you are suggesting?"

"Be prepared well ahead, that's always been my motto."

"Miranda, you are outrageous."

"Am I? All I know is that I have missed you like hell all weekend, and I can't do to you what I'd like, because of your current condition. I think you've reached the stage in your pregnancy where we have to be a little more inventive."

"Come upstairs then, and let's see what we can come up with."

And they retired to their bedroom together. All one can say is that no nursery rhymes were recited, by either party, whether on one leg, or two. And Miranda slept on her stomach all night, but with a very happy smile across her beautiful features.