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“Seriously, no one can guess? I’m Lola. Like the song.”
Oliver strolled back in, drink in hand. “Her name was Lola? L-o-l-a, Lola.”
“Not that Lola, jackass.”
“Good, because I was going to ask when you intended to sit on my lap.”
I choked on a laugh, but Sage merely slitted her eyes. “Lola from the song by the one and only Barry Manilow, thank you very much. You know, she was a showgirl with yellow feathers in her hair.”
Oliver plucked at her halo of curls. “Not too many feathers, but there’s a couple of leaves. Have you been crawling around in the bushes?”
Sage smacked him away, nearly upending his drink. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“No, actually, I don’t care.”
Sage sniffed. “Sounds like you do to me.”
“Do I dare leave you two alone in my house for an hour? Possibly less. Laurie usually has to pee, which cuts things short. Though now that’s a factor with Ally too.”
“I heard that,” she said, opening the door with Laurie right behind her. “I’ll visit the bathroom before we go.”
“Maybe I should go with you.” Sage peered at Laurie. “Wouldn’t you like that, Peanut?”
“Scaredy cat.” Oliver sipped his drink and smiled when Sage nailed him with a look.
“Unca Ollie needs help. There’s a lot of kids.” Laurie spread her arms wide.
I shuddered. “That settles it. Bathroom time, ladies, because this bus is about to leave.” I took the bowl of candy from Ally and pushed it into my brother’s gut. “You two can fight over doling out the candy as you see fit.”
“C’mon, sweetie. Daddy is being impatient again.”
“Again?” I called after Ally as she and Laurie trooped down the hall to the bathroom. “When have I ever been impatient?”
“Since birth.” Oliver flashed me a beatific smile. “Actually, no, since before then. Pretty sure I remember you kicking me in the womb.”
Sage wrinkled her nose. “It’s creepy thinking of you two in the same pocket.”
I had to laugh. “Nice dainty way to describe childbirth. Wait until you get to help coach Ally. You’ll see it’s not all wine and roses and cute little pockets.”
“Yeah, I almost would’ve missed it. I won this thing from a radio station, can you believe it? I was listening to Flashback to the Eighties on satellite radio and there was this contest. All expenses paid trip to Vegas, but it was for Valentine’s Day and that’s when the baby’s coming. Well, around there. And that just wouldn’t do, because it’s for two and I can’t go party like a rockstar without my best friend, and she can’t travel then, and oh my God, Vegas.”
“Take a breath,” Oliver advised. “You’re going to pop a seam.”
Sage ignored him and stared hard at me. “So I switched the date to right before Christmas. That was my only other choice. My parents are traveling for the holiday, and I’m flying solo. Besides, we really need one last hurrah before the baby comes. Tell me you won’t cock-block her. It’s just for, like, a weekend.”
“Like a weekend?” I echoed.
“Yes, two nights, three days. A weekend.”
“No, I won’t cock-block her, but um, she’ll be under two months from giving birth then. Her doctor might object. Maybe not, but he’s been wanting her to take it easy.”
“What?” Sage wailed. “No way.”
“The miracle of childbirth lamented once again.” Oliver finished off his drink in one long swallow.
“What are you screeching about?” Ally asked, tugging Laurie down the hall. “We could hear you in the bathroom.”
“Later,” Sage muttered, wiggling her brows at Laurie.
