Less than half an hour left. David was humming. Anna was here, they had a plan, the riddle was solved, Babe would have her baby, and the song Lily had referred to was stuck in his head. He looked at Anna, who was studying the two photos on the mantle. He stopped humming.

Jamie had left to take Lily back home. Babe sat on the couch, this time painting her toenails. She was also humming, but what he wasn't sure. He saw Anna's eyes move from the picture to Babe.

Her thoughtful expression changed suddenly, seeing him looking at her. "So," she said quietly. "What's your cute little name?"

"What?"

"Babe said everyone in her family had a real name and a cute little name. I've heard you called quite a few names by people in Pine Valley, but I'm not sure I'd call any of them 'cute'."

"That's the other side of the family," growled David with a scowl. He wasn't angry, though. In fact, this was the happiest he'd been in ages. He glanced over at the corner of the hearth, and wondered again if time really flowed more slowly in the cabin.

Anna's eyes read him clearly, and a small smile flickered across her face. "You still are not sure this is real, are you."

"It's a little too sci fi for me. But" he shrugged. "The figures check out." He cocked his head studying the corner again. "And as
long as it's what Erica believes, we've got --."

Three quick raps on the door cut him short. "Perfect" he said under his breath, and without knowing it, began humming again. He exchanged glances with Babe, who immediately cranked out a few tears and looked fretful. Anna elbowed him, and he stopped humming and tried to look grim.

"Hello, dear!" said Erica as Babe opened the door. Her usual bright smile was frozen on her face, and her eyes were cold.

"Come in Miss Kane" said Babe nervously, gulping, trying a small smile, and wiping a tear.

Boy, she's good, thought Anna. Ten emotions on the face within thirty seconds, and all a ploy.

Erica looked beyond Babe and nodded acknowledgment of David. Her eyes glinted a little as she saw his dark look. "David," she said. "And-" her smile widened slightly, looking almost like it would crack. "Anna! What a surprise. How nice to see you here."

"Anna's been informed of what's going on-" began David . "And-"

"And I think it's despicable," said Anna. "These papers-" she indicated the documents Babe had signed. "Will never hold up in
court- they are not le-"

"Oh, I assure you dear, they are most legal" said Erica. "I've had my lawyers check them thoroughly. But certainly Babe here won't have a problem. We added a clause-"

"Yes, we know" said David. "you're age."

Erica's smile widened. "If you can tell me my true age, and prove it- then the entire contract is void." She looked at the nervous Babe. "In fact-" she said, beaming. "I'm feeling generous! I'll give you three guesses."

Anna caught the little flicker of victory in Babe's eye, which fortunately, was quickly covered by a tear. Babe looked with well
played nervousness back at David and Anna. "Um... well... I had a little trouble finding the actual age-- but... forty three?"

Erica's smile flashed and she tossed her head. "No, dear. Try again."

Babe began to nervously shred the tissue in her hand. "Well... Bianca is like, twenty or something, right? And... and... I don't
think you were as young as me when I had my sweet baby James... so... um..." Her eyes widened and tears glistened again.

Anna was awed. She had written this child off as a total ditz, apparently having her father's penchant for getting into trouble,
but lacking his brains. Which, she supposed, was both good and bad. But... the way she was working Erica right now... she could have a career in the WSB. She and David both watched Babe keenly. Despite himself, David began humming again. Erica cast him a disparaging look, just as Anna elbowed him with a whispered "David!"

"Yes, David," said Erica imperiously. "MUST you do that?"

"What's the matter Erica?" he answered coyly. "Don't like the Beatles?"

"Please," said Erica with a dismissive smile. "The Beatles are fine, but you're no Paul McCartney. Spare your daughter the distraction."

David ran his tongue along his cheek, in an effort not to smile. Good thing Erica wasn't up on her Beatles's songs. But he stopped humming.

"Oh, let me think! let me think!" cried Babe, the tissue in tiny shreds. She ran to the table, and picked up a yellow tablet. "Can... can... I do some math?"

"Certainly dear," Said Erica. "Surely this can't be THAT difficult."

Babe leaned over the tablet and began to do simple sums. "If Bianca is...wait... and Kendall... how old is Kendall?"

Okay, thought Anna. This is too much, tone it down, tone it down...

"Forty FIVE?" asked Babe in a squeak. She "unconsciously" waved the pencil she'd used over the paper, causing Erica to look at the figures.

"No dear. One more guess. I do have a car seat in my car. You don't have to worry... little Ace will be well cared for. Bianca is an outstanding mother."

"But I get one more guess... let's see..." She began to scribble again. Erica leaned over the pad. David broke into a grin despite himself. Babe, as coached by Anna and Jamie, was writing out the Temporal Formula... and plugging in the correct figures from Erica's life.

"No..." began Erica half under her breath. She looked up at David and Anna, smile gone, fear flashing in her eyes. "...you... " She turned her gaze on Anna. "YOU did this... you helped her..."

"Hey, we've just been standing here!" objected David.

"Oh, my..." said Babe in an almost puzzled tone, her nasal voice rising. "Wow. You sure look good for your age."

Erica grabbed the paper away from Babe. "No. No one will believe this..."

"We have the formula, Erica," said Anna. "And all the figures check out."

"And- " said David, flipping open his cell phone. "I have an email here to Brooke at Tempo, ready to send-- "

"NOT BROOKE!" gasped Erica.

"Oh, come on, Erica," continued David. "This has to be good for business. 'Cosmetics Queen Erica Kane's Real Age Revealed.' Sales will go up. You surely don't LOOK--"

"--Sixty Four," continued Babe. Anna watched amazed at the change in Babe's face. She wore a wicked smile, head tilted slightly down, eyes looking up at Erica, bright and victorious. Anna glanced at David, and saw the same expression. Almost in unison, they tilted their heads back and looked at Erica through lowered eyelids.

"No!" Shrieked Erica. "NO!" She stomped her foot, breaking a heel. She picked up the broken shoe, a look of dignity returned to her face, and she tossed her hair. "I am NOT Sixty Four!"

"I dunno, Erica" said David. "These figures don't--"

Erica's eyes narrowed. "If you know where to position yourself, you don't age at the rate others in town do," she said. "So technically, one is not the age one seems if one goes by birthdates."

"Well," said Anna smoothly. "Technically, age is figured by birthdates, and therefore--" she picked up the contract. "Babe has
fulfilled her part of the contract by figuring your birth year, but if you want to dispute it we could always take this to court and --"

"--make it very public," continued David.

The smile was long gone from Erica's mouth. She glared at both of them, then Babe. Grabbing the contract out of Anna's hands, she ripped it into tiny pieces. Without another word, she limped out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her. They heard her car screech down the driveway.

"Oh, Daddy!" shrieked Babe, flinging her arms around David's neck. "You did it!" David beamed. Anna raised an eyebrow. What had David done? Other than call her. Babe pulled back from David and flung her arms around Anna next. "Thank you, too, Anna," she said, gulping. "I can't believe you came all the way over from Paris just to help me and my sweet little baby boy--" She wiped a leaking tear. "And Jamie, wasn't he just the SMARTEST MAN? Everything is going to be so perfect now!"

Anna doubted this. After all, this was Pine Valley. But she decided not to dampen the mood.

Babe grabbed her purse off the couch. "I'm going to go tell Mama."

She bounced out the door, taking the talk with her.