"Overnight, like a mushroom?" sneered Aggie.
Almost vanquished by her friend's new air of cold superiority, Zoie
was now on the verge of tears. "Somebody must have a new baby," she
faltered. "Somebody ALWAYS has a new baby."
"For their own personal USE, yes," admitted Aggie, "but who has a new
baby for US?"
"How do I know?" asked Zoie helplessly. "You're the one who ought to
know. You got me into this, and you've GOT to get me out of it. Can you
imagine," she asked, growing more and more unhappy, "what would happen
to me if Alfred were to come home now and not find a baby? He wouldn't
forgive a LITTLE lie, what would he do with a WHOPPER like this?" Then
with sudden decision, she rushed toward the 'phone. "Let me talk to
Jimmy," she said, and the next moment she was chattering so rapidly and
incoherently over the 'phone that Aggie despaired of hearing one word
that she said, and retired to the next room to think out a new plan of
action.
"Say, Jimmy," stammered Zoie into the 'phone, "you've GOT to get me a
baby. If you don't, I'll kill myself! I will, Jimmy, I will. You got me
into this, Jimmy," she reminded him. "You've GOT to get me out of it."
And then followed pleadings and coaxings and cajolings, and at length,
a pause, during which Jimmy was apparently able to get in a word or so.
His answer was not satisfactory to Zoie. "What!" she shrieked, tiptoeing
to get her lips closer to the receiver; then she added with conviction,
"the mother has no business to change her mind."
Apparently Jimmy maintained that the mother had changed it none the
less.
"Well, take it away from her," commanded Zoie. "Get it quick, while she
isn't looking." Then casting a furtive glance over her shoulder to make
sure that Aggie was still out of the room, she indulged in a few dark
threats to Jimmy, also some vehement reminders of how he had DRAGGED her
into that horrid old restaurant and been the immediate cause of all the
misfortunes that had ever befallen her.
Could Jimmy have been sure that Aggie was out of ear-shot of Zoie's
conversation, the argument would doubtless have kept up indefinitely--as
it was--the result was a quick acquiescence on his part and by the time
that Aggie returned to the room, Zoie was wreathed in smiles.