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Mother Mary wants to draft two more kids,_ Astrid told Sam.__kay. Approved.___ahra says we__e running low on kids_ Tylenol and kids_ Advil, she wants to make sure it__ okay to start giving them split adult pills.__am spread his hands in a helpless gesture. __hat?___e__e running low on kid pills, Dahra wants to split adult pills.__am rocked back in the leather chair designed for a grown man. __kay. Whatever. Approved._ He took a sip of water from a bottle. The wrapper on the bottle said __asani_ but it was tap water. The dishes from dinner__orrible homemade split-pea soup that smelled burned, and a quarter cabbage each__ad been pushed aside onto the sideboard where in the old days the mayor of Perdido Beach had kept framed pictures of his family. It was one of the better meals Sam had had lately. The fresh cabbage tasted surprisingly good.There was little more than smears on the plates: the era of kids not eating everything was over.Astrid puffed out her cheeks and sighed. __ids are asking why Lana isn__ around when they need her.___ can only ask Lana to heal big things. I can__ demand she be around 24/7 to handle every boo-boo.__strid looked at the list she had compiled on her laptop. __ctually, I think this involved a stubbed toe that __urted.____ow much more is on the list?_ Sam asked.__hree hundred and five items,_ Astrid said. When Sam__ face went pale, she relented. __kay, it__ actually just thirty-two. Now, don__ you feel relieved it__ not really three hundred?___his is crazy,_ Sam said.__ext up: the Judsons and the McHanrahans are fighting because they share a dog, so both families are feeding her__hey still have a big bag of dry dog food__ut the Judsons are calling her Sweetie and the McHanrahans are calling her BooBoo.___ou__e kidding._____ not kidding,_ Astrid said.__hat is that noise?_ Sam demanded.Astrid shrugged. __ guess someone has their stereo cranked up.___his is not going to work, Astrid.___he music?___his. This thing where every day I have a hundred stupid questions I have to decide. Like I__ everyone__ parent now. I__ sitting here listening to how little kids are complaining because their older sisters make them take a bath, and stepping into fights over who owns which Build-A-Bear outfit, and now over dog names. Dog names?___hey__e all still just little kids,_ Astrid said.__ome of these kids are developing powers that scare me,_ Sam grumbled. __ut they can__ decide who gets to have which special towel? Or whether to watch The Little Mermaid or Shrek Three?___o,_ Astrid said. __hey can__. They need a parent. That__ you.