Mother Mary wants to draft two more kids, Astrid told Sam.Okay. Approved.Dahra says were running low on kids Tylenol and kids Advil, she wants to make sure its okay to start giving them split adult pills.Sam spread his hands in a helpless gesture. What?Were running low on kid pills, Dahra wants to split adult pills.Sam rocked back in the leather chair designed for a grown man. Okay. Whatever. Approved. He took a sip of water from a bottle. The wrapper on the bottle said Dasani but it was tap water. The dishes from dinnerhorrible homemade split-pea soup that smelled burned, and a quarter cabbage eachhad 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. Kids are asking why Lana isnt around when they need her.I can only ask Lana to heal big things. I cant demand she be around 24/7 to handle every boo-boo.Astrid looked at the list she had compiled on her laptop. Actually, I think this involved a stubbed toe that hurted.How much more is on the list? Sam asked.Three hundred and five items, Astrid said. When Sams face went pale, she relented. Okay, its actually just thirty-two. Now, dont you feel relieved its not really three hundred?This is crazy, Sam said.Next up: the Judsons and the McHanrahans are fighting because they share a dog, so both families are feeding herthey still have a big bag of dry dog foodbut the Judsons are calling her Sweetie and the McHanrahans are calling her BooBoo.Youre kidding.Im not kidding, Astrid said.What is that noise? Sam demanded.Astrid shrugged. I guess someone has their stereo cranked up.This is not going to work, Astrid.The music?This. This thing where every day I have a hundred stupid questions I have to decide. Like Im everyones parent now. Im 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?Theyre all still just little kids, Astrid said.Some of these kids are developing powers that scare me, Sam grumbled. But they cant decide who gets to have which special towel? Or whether to watch The Little Mermaid or Shrek Three?No, Astrid said. They cant. They need a parent. Thats you.