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“Well, I don’t want to say I told ya, so, but—”
“Don’t,” Alice interrupted. “Don’t say I told you so, or I’ll dangle your hairy legs over the edge for Dotty’s dinner. If those unsightly rugs’ll even appetize her.”
“Deep Blue will save me.” I smiled.
And Percy.
He may not have been with me in person today, but he was with me in spirit, and I knew someday, when I found him in whatever afterlife awaited us, he’d be thanking me for taking him on the journey.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
As the hot tub bubblestickled my skin, I sat back and stared up into the sky, admiring the countless stars sparkling against the black canvas. After living in Las Vegas with all the light pollution muting the night sky, I didn’t think I’d ever stop appreciating them whenever I got a chance.
“I can’t believe it’s our last night,” Sylvie said with a sigh, tipping her head back and looking up with me. “I honestly thought I’d be begging the Captain to get us home faster, but now I don’t want this part of our trip to end.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying it,” Doris started from her seat across from us, “But I’m not ready to go back either. This has been such a wonderous experience.”
Doris had been the biggest surprise since we’d had to drag her kicking and screaming onto the ship. She’d gone from gripping the railings and pleading for dear life not to get near the water to spending the past three days jumping into the shark cages as much as she could, always coming up with a face-splitting grin.
Alice spun her martini dangling between her fingertips. “It was rather remarkable.”
“I’m so glad you ladies enjoyed my wish too. I can’t thank you enough for doing this with me. It was a dream come true. Percy couldn’t be here, but you ladies were, and that means a lot to me.”
“That’s what we’re here for, Marge. To help make each other’s dreams come true. Lord knows you all helped me with mine.” Sylvie smiled. “And now I get to marry him in less than two weeks.”
“Goodness gracious. Time is just flying, isn’t it?” Doris shook her head. “I feel like we were just back on Wilder Lane picking out our first wish, and now we’re halfway done.”
Sylvie tipped her head. “Is it just me, or does time seem to go faster along with each birthday?”
“Not just you.” I snorted. “When I was a little tyke, I swear everything took forever to get here. I’d just be counting the days and hours until I was old enough to ride a bike or drive a car. Time seemed to move at a snail’s pace. But now ... now it seems like I blinked, and a year went by.”
“I second that,” Alice said. “It really does seem to be speeding up, and I’m just trying like holy hell to slow it down.”
“Too bad you can’t Botox life, right? Then it could go as slow as those nonexistent wrinkles of yours.” I waggled my eyebrows, and she just scoffed.
“Can it, Marge. Better to be botoxed than look like a bulldog.”
