She likes to play catch-up, which usually includes her gushing over my new friend. She had lots of thoughts this morning when I relayed all of last night’s messages to her. It was better than yesterday when all her questions surrounded Ambrose.
Unlocking the door, it’s a surprise when, only a second later, Annabelle jumps into my arms from the other side.
“Yay! You survived! I knew you would,” she says as she flings both arms around my neck, hitting my loose updo.
“You’re home early!”
“Well, I’m glad I am! So I don’t have to miss your birthday. The last clients canceled.” She lets go and moves into the reading room, looking over her shoulder to talk to me. “I can’t say I’m disappointed. They’re such a drag. I’m happy to be home. Well, here, in your home. Girlie night and pizza to celebrate?”
“I actually have a job tonight, remember?”
Before another word can be exchanged, Bubbles comes pounding in, circling our guest and sniffing her out.
“Meet Bubbles!”
“Hi, pretty pup!” Annabelle smooths over her dirty ears.
“I’ll be giving her a bath this weekend.”
“She needs one! No offense, poochy.”
The mere mention of a bath has Bubbles rushing back out to the yard. “Anyway, the cupcake thing! That’s amazing. And so is this wall.”
Distracted by Nyx’s handy work, Annabelle runs her fingers over the new plaster on her way to the kitchen. It’s been painted to perfection, too—this room and every other one downstairs. In the last week, I’ve done the reading, kitchen, and music rooms.
“Any more intruders?”
“Well…”
“No, he doesn’t count. He lives here… apparently.”
“Yeah, I feel stupid about that, but aside from him, not a soul.” Literally, not even the souls.
“Good. Then it’s finally over. Have you spoken with your friend today?”
“I have. Luckily, last night didn’t put him off.”
“No, it probably got him off.”
I don’t answer, thinking of the few messages we shared today. Any other day, we’d easily talk every hour as we read together, separately.
“Maybe. But we haven’t talked as much today.”
“Don’t let your mind run away with you. It’s probably because of the job.”
“Well, yeah. I’ve had to make four hundred cupcakes for the event tonight. It’s at some place called The Funhouse. Do you know it?”
“Yeah, it’s a bar on the outskirts of town. Really out there kinda place. Funky. Sometimes, they dress up as clowns, just a warning. Though I believe that’s only on Fridays.”
“Then, thank fudge, it’s Wednesday! Anyway, I have to get all four hundred cupcakes there for tonight. Do you think they’ll fit in your car?”
“Well, if they don’t, we’ll make a few trips. The little yellow beast is capable, you know.”
Linking arms with Annabelle, I guide her to the kitchen where all those cupcakes wait in their respective dozens. “And out of my earnings, I’ll buy us a pizza tonight.”
“Wait, they are all accounted for? No spares?” Annabelle says, while practically drooling over my hard work. “Why don’t I have a cupcake?”
“I wasn’t expecting you to be here, remember?” I circle the table opposite my friend, as I move some more cupcakes and place them in their boxes.
