Lizzy struggled to open the shop door as the large white masses beat down upon her. Racetrack placed an arm carefully around her, helping her step inside.

"What is the meaning of all of this?" Mrs. O'Connor shouted to the gangly group of ruffian youth.

Elizabeth nodded. "Hello again. Er.. I stopped in your shop about a week ago. I'm a friend of Josie's."

The woman sighed and brushed her free hand against the folds of her skirt. In her other arm sat a small infant not more than a few days old. "Well, I guess you'd best come and warm yeselves amongst the cheery fire."

"Thank ya, Mam," Jack muttered, removing his cabby hat in respect. The others did the same as she led them behind the cash register and through a back door. As Mrs. O'Connor passed by the young girl she ever so roughly placed the small babe in Lizzy's care. The small and premature form twisted to get comfortable in the bundle of blankets. It yawned and stretched, it's small fingers clasping Lizzy's pinky.

Mrs. O'Connor wrung her hands. Lizzy couldn't help but think that she looked well past ill. Her thick Irish voice rattled in her chest when she spoke, "Come and warm ye selves. I guess that it should be a relief for poor Quentin and I that ye should stop by," she paused to gaze at her baby boy.

"Why is that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, we ain't got no one left. As you can plainly see, Josie ain't here, as well as my drunken fool of a husband. I was stricken to worry that the fire would go out."

"Well, where is she?" Lizzy exclaimed.

"Probably got lost in the storm. She never did make it home from the market," she replied indifferently, taking the child from Elizabeth's cradling arms.

"What? We must go look for her!" Lizzy said. Her hand clutched tightly to Blink's forearm and her eyes pleaded wearily with his, "Please, Blink!" He nodded and beckoned the others to follow.

Mrs. O'Connor followed them back into the shop shouting furiously, "Are ye mad? No one should dare risking it out there in the weather. Ye should be thankful that ye made it this far.

Elizabeth fingered the doorknob nervously as she continued to stair out into the white street. The snow was no longer raining down at a grueling pace, but never the less, it continued to fall. Sprinkles of the fluffy participation rained into the shop once the opened the door. The group shivered as the blast of cold seared the room.

The young child began to cry after being awakened from its slumber after the chilly blast. Its mother frowned and once again began to shout, "Out! Out! Out! Mad as a pot of hens, the lot of ye!" She ushered them out the opened door.

Carrolton Avenue was quite solemn besides the few wisps of wind that rattled the many vendors and shops.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. O'Connor! You have born a beautiful child and I am sure that you will make an excellent mother." Elizabeth smiled to her.

As soon as the last of the courageous gaggle had left the building, (Mush toating the Christmas tree) the woman slammed the door to, muttering to herself, "What a horrid mess!"