"That's true," said Kristy thoughtfully.

"How about anighttime plan?"I suggested. "Doesn't it seem that pregnant women always rush off to the hospital in the middle of the night? I was born at two-twenty-two A.M."

"I was born at four-thirty-six A.M.," said Claudia.

"I was born at four A.M. on the dot," said Kristy.

We looked at Mary Anne. She shrugged. "I don't know what time I was born." Mary Anne's mother died when Mary Anne was

little, and Mary Anne is not very close to her strict father. It figures that they'd never talked about the day (or night) she was born.

A knock came on Claudia's door. Mimi, her grandmother, stuck her head in the room. "Hello, girls," she said politely.

"Hi, Mimi," we answered.

"May I offer you something to eat?" she asked. Claudia's family is Japanese, and Mimi, who didn't come to the United States until she was thirty-two years old, speaks with a gentle, rolling accent. She has lived with Claudia's family since before Claudia was born.

"No thanks, Mimi," replied Claudia, "but maybe you could help us."

"Certainly."Mimi opened the door the rest of the way and stood just inside the room.

"Do you know what time Mary Anne was born?" Claudia asked. She figured Mimi would know since Claudia's parents have been friendly with theThomases and theSpiers for years, and Mimi had gotten to know the families, too.

Mimi looked only slightly taken aback. "Let me think for a moment, my Claudia. . . . Mary Anne, your mother and father left for the hospital around dinnertime. That I remember clearly. I believe you were born neareleven o'clock ."

"Oh!" A grin lit up Mary Anne's face. "I didn't know. So I was anothernighttime baby. Thank you, Mimi."

"It was my pleasure." Mimi turned to leave, and almost bumped into Janine, Claudia's sister, who had come up behind her.