"She's so sweet!" Patty stroked the rabbit's soft, white fur. "What's her name?"

"Sanna," said Anton. "She will help us find out what is causing your symptoms."

Patty frowned. "But how can she do that?"

Anton grinned and winked at her. "Wait and see!"

Sanna's cage was in the corner of Anton's lab, where he spent many hours doing research when he wasn't either working at the hospital or spending time with his wife. Patty spent a lot of time visiting when she wasn't busy with housework. She brought Sanna fresh vegetables to eat and took her out of her cage to hold and pet her.

After a few days, Anton summoned Patty to look into his microscope. All she could see were what looked like purple blobs.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Those are Sanna's ovaries," Anton told her.

"Oh, no!" Patty glanced over at the rabbit to see her sleeping peacefully in her cage. "Did you hurt her?"

"Of course not. I would never hurt Sanna. I gave her a whiff of chloroform and performed a minor surgical procedure on her. She will be fine in a few hours, and as you can see, her ovaries show fully mature follicles."

"That's Greek to me. What does it mean?"

Anton smiled, clasped both her hands, and gazed into her eyes. "It means that you - we - are going to have a baby."

"A baby?" Unable to believe her ears, Patty slumped back down into the chair. "Are you sure, Anton?"

"I am certain." His smile disappeared as his fingers caressed her cheek. "Are you not happy, PR?"

"I - well, yes, of course I am, but - " She struggled to find the right words. "Anton, I'm not sure I know how to be a good mother! I mean, look how my own mother is..." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Patricia Ann Reiker." Anton's voice was tender as he gathered her into his arms. "I have never known anyone more loving and caring than you. You took care of Sammy as if he was your own child. I have no doubt you will be a wonderful mother."

"So you don't think I will turn out like her?"

"I know you will not. What did I tell you seven years ago?"

"I'm a person of value, no matter what anybody else thinks."

"Never forget it." He gave her behind a light swat. "I cannot wait to write to my parents and Hannah and tell them the news."

Patty thought of something. "When will our baby be born?"

"Based on what you told me about your last cycle, around the middle of April next year."

"So I still have about seven and a half months to get ready."

Anton laughed. "The time will go fast."

"Will I ever be able to eat meat again?"

"In several months, you will want to eat everything that is not nailed down."

While Anton began writing his letter, Patty wandered around in a daze, wondering who she should share the news with first. Sharon would want to know, of course, but she wouldn't be home from school for several hours. She should call Aimee, too.

And what about her? Was there any chance she'd be happy about the news that she was to be a grandmother?

"I'm going over to the store," she told Anton. "Do we need anything?"

"Not that I know of. Be careful."

She arrived to find Ike running the register while Pearl sat out new merchandise.

"Hi, Patty!" Ike greeted her as she walked in. "What can I do for you?"

"I just came to tell you and Mama the news - I'm gonna have a baby next April."

Ike's face lit up. "Why, that's wonderful! How 'bout that, Pearl?" he asked his wife.

Pearl frowned. "So you're gonna have his baby, Patricia? That Nazi's genes have been mixed with mine?"

Patty began to cry. "Anton's not a Nazi, Mama. I was hoping you'd be happy about it!"

"Oh, she will be, Patty," Ike said soothingly. "I'm sure it's just a surprise to her. She'll come around. I think it's wonderful. I'm thrilled that I'm gonna have another grandchild."

"Thanks, Ike." Patty gave her stepfather a hug and left the store.

She walked the short distance to Paul and Elizabeth's house. Elizabeth was sitting in a lawn chair in her front yard, watching Max and Laura playing in their sandbox.

"Hi, Patty!" she called to her visitor.

"Hi," said Patty.

Elizabeth fetched another lawn chair from the garage for her. "Please, have a seat."

"Thanks." Patty sat down.

"How are you?" asked Elizabeth.

"I just found out I'm gonna have a baby in April," Patty told her.

"Really? That's great, Patty. Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"So when did you find out?"

"Just this morning. Anton took out Sanna's ovaries and looked at them under his microscope. That's how he knows."

"Well, is he happy about it?"

"Oh, yes, he's very happy. He can't wait to tell his parents and sister. Ike's happy about it too, but Mama - " Patty began to cry again, and this time, she couldn't stop.