Iwouldnotwanttobeachildagain,forachildexistsiaintyanddanger.Ourfleshandblood,weothelpbutfearforthem,aswehopeforthemtomaketheirwayinthislife.Afterthebreak-in,Iworriedaboutoursonallofthetime.Edwardisnotwhowesayheisbecausehisfatherisanimposter.HeisnotaDay,butagelingschild.Ipassedonmyinalgenes,givinghimthefadfeaturesoftheUngerlands,andwhoknowswhatothertraitsleaptthegeions.Ofmyownchildhood,Iknowlittlemorethananameonapieceofpaper:GustavUngerland.Iwasstolenlongago.AhegelingscameagaiobelievetheysawEdwardasoheirownandwishedtoreclaimhim.Themesstheyleftiwasasubterfugeforamoresinisterpurpose.Thedisturbedphotographsonthewallindicatedthattheywereseargforsomeone.Wiesshoveredinthebackgroundahroughthewoods,plottingtostealourson.

    WelostEdwardoneSundayinspringtime.Onthatgloriouslywarmafternoon,eobeiy,forIhaddiscoveredapassablepipeaninachurShadyside,andafterservicesthemusiisterallowedmeanhourtoexperimentwiththemae,tryingoutwhatnewsoundscoursedthroughmyimagination.Afterward,TessandItookEdwardtothezooforhisfirstface-to-faterwithelephantsandmonkeys.Ahugecrowdsharedouridea,andtheerecrammedwithcouplespushingstrollers,desultoryteenagers,evenafamilywithsixredheadedchildren,staggeredayearapart,aspiracyoffrecklesandblueeyes.Toomanypeopleformytaste,butwejostledalongwithoutplaint.Edwardwasfasatedbythetigersandloiteredinfrontoftheironfence,pullingathiscottondy,ratthebeaststoencethemoutoftheirdrowsiness.Initsblad-edreams,oigertwitcheditstail,annoyedbymysoreaties.TesstookadvantageofEdwardsdistratof