Page 42 of The Sweet Part
I stand near the edge of the room as little girls run through the downstairs. Their excited voices reach levels only dogs can hear. Not the time to talk to May about what happened this morning. But I’m not leaving here today until we can talk.
Another high-pitched shriek rings through the air. My shoulders tense, and I’m tempted to cover my ears, but just then Sophie runs by me and says, “I’m having the best time!”
I can’t be a downer to the birthday girl. They’ve been playing an elaborate game of Twinkle Fairies led by Sophie. All the girls have fairy wings on their backs. Apparently, they were told to bring their wings from home.
“Where’s your fairy wings?” Alice asks me with a grin.
“Guess I left them home. Didn’t want to outshine the girls. They’re huge.”
“So I heard.”
I do a double take at the innuendo. Did May tell Alice about last night? I thought it was just between us. Did she tell her about Evie showing up at my door too? No, she couldn’t have. Alice is smiling way too much for that.
“She’s glowing,” Alice says. “Just look at her.”
I find May in the center of the insanity, gently guiding girls off the furniture left and right. I’m tempted to yell that they heard the no-jumping-on-the-furniture rule when they got here, but it’s not my place. It occurs to me that’s what my parents would’ve done. Dad was in the military, and Mom was tough, so I’m used to a different parenting style.
“She just looks stressed,” I tell Alice.
Alice shakes her head. “I know she went to your place for dinner, and she asked me to keep Sophie for the night. Good on you. She hasn’t been with anyone in a year. Can you imagine?”
I catch May’s eye. She frowns and looks away.
“Uh-oh, trouble in paradise already?” Alice asks.
May smiles sweetly at a little girl with a lopsided ponytail and guides her off the coffee table.
I have no answer for Alice, so I make myself useful, throwing sofa cushions on the floor. “The floor is lava.”
The girls start hopping from cushion to cushion. I toss the cushions from the other sofa and some throw pillows for good measure.
May joins me, standing behind the sofa, and gives me a wry smile. “I should’ve thought of that.”
The noise level quickly rises again as the girls shout at each other to avoid the lava.
May leans close to my ear. “I did warn you about six-year-old birthday parties. Do you have a headache?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure I lost part of my hearing.” At least we’re talking again. I thought she might manage to avoid me for the entire party. Someone’s staring at me. Alice and her mom, Liz, watch us from across the room. Liz has a hopeful look on her face.
I whisper in May’s ear, “It seems Alice and your mom know about last night.”
“Shhh. Not in front of the…” She looks around. “Where is the birthday girl?”
“I found them!” Sophie announces, running into the room with a potato chip bag. She rips it open, and chips fly everywhere. The girls rush over to examine the mess.
“They’re dirty,” one girl says.
“They fell in the lava,” another girl says.
“I don’t mind lava,” another girl says, picking up a chip and eating it.
“Ewww,” the girls say at once. They walk as a group to the far side of the room, stomping some chips into the rug as they go.
Sophie stands there with a wobbly lower lip, clutching the ripped chip bag.
May rushes over to her. “It’s okay. I’ll clean it up.” She dashes into the kitchen.
Sophie stares at the mess in horror. May appears with a garbage bag and makes quick work of cleanup.
