Tina teared up again, as Kit put her arm around the blonde’s shoulder, and walked her over to the group’s table.

They were all excitedly hovering around the baby, reaching out to touch her, while Alice kept slapping their hands away.

“Will you all please just stop!” Alice said in a whisper that could’ve been  a shout.

“Can’t you see that she’s asleep?!”

“Do you know how rare it is for an infant to be asleep in the middle of a pack of noisy women?,” she continued her lecture.

“Al…,” they begged, each wanting a touch of the baby.

“TK will you please order these women back to their seats?” Alice asked Tina, in a sharp voice.  “To allow the baby to…you know…sleep?”

“Phew, Alice, what do you know about babies?” Shane asked dismissively, as she dared to touch the sleeping infant’s cheek, rubbing the soft skin affectionately.

“Will you please keep your hands off of her, fatty?” Alice retorted. “I know that you have to disinfect your hands, at least, before you touch her.  That much I know!” she said, one hand on her hip, as she pulled Shane’s hand away from the stroller.

“Tinaaa…. a little help here,” she looked at Tina pointedly.

Tina smiled, reached down for something at the back of the stroller, and pulled out a few mini bottles of disinfectant to pass around the group.  They were all still packed around the stroller.

“A little germ here and there won’t hurt, Alice,” she responded quietly, but smiled her thanks at Alice, rubbing her arm affectionately.

Shane went over to Tina’s side, and put one arm around her, to give her a side hug. “How’ve you been blondie?” she asked warmly, and with concern.

“Yeah Tina,” everyone asked, voices just above a whisper, as they all looked at Tina with the same look of concern.

“How are you holding up?”

“Do you need anything?”

“Maybe one of us can go back to New York with you?”

“Maybe we should each take turns, to stay with you.  Make sure one of us is with you over there all the time,” someone asked.  The girls exchanged looks, nodding, at one another.

“For once, good idea, Alice,” Shane said dryly, but with affection.

The baby stirred, then began to wave her arms and legs around haphazardly, as she roused herself awake.