Something about the glass pumpkin spoke to her. Of the many dozens of glass pumpkins offered at the on-line charity exhibition, this one, it seemed to Jamie, was special, though exactly how she wasn’t sure. She knew only that she had to have it.

The package arrived the very next day, and Jamie opened it immediately. She peeled away the protective wrapping to reveal first the stem, then, lifting her purchase from the box, the whole of it.

The weight of it was just right, more than a cat, less than a child. The surface felt like glass, yes, but unlike any glass Jamie had ever felt before. It exuded a mild, comforting warmth. Jamie admired the pumpkin as she held it, then clasped it to her tummy.

At that contact, Jamie felt a tremble deep within her, and, fearful she might drop it, she quickly but carefully lowered the pumpkin to the floor.