The Thirteenth Tale

It is Margaret’s birthday, which means that it is also the anniversary of her twin’s death. When she and Vida meet, she asks if Vida or Emmeline ever had a child, and Vida dismisses her for the day. Margaret goes outside, even though it is raining, and thinks about how her birthdays usually go at home. Her father is always torn between celebrating Margaret’s birthday with her, and caring for her mother, who is reliving the day she gave birth to twins and lost one of them. She reflects that it is easier for him, now that she is grown, but it was very difficult when she was a child. Out in the garden, she runs into Aurelius. He takes her to his nearby car, where they can get out of the rain. He has come with a cake for her birthday. Margaret tells Aurelius that Vida had been the one to leave him at Mrs. Love’s, and that Emmeline is his mother. Aurelius asks Margaret to take him to Emmeline, and Margaret agrees.

After meeting Aurelius, Margaret takes a bath and goes to bed. She awakes with a headache and prepares to meet Aurelius at the appointed time and take him to Emmeline.