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Brt.
“Be right there from where?” Sonya muttered. “That’s another of her bags up there. Maybe she—”
She broke off as the servant’s door opened.
Cleo stepped out. She shoved a hand at her hair, then lifted her arms in the air. “Surprise!”
“You scared thecrapout of me.”
“Sorry. I got everything done, and thought why the hell should I wait until morning? So here I am,” she continued as she walked down the stairs.
“How did you get in?”
“The door opened. Just like that one did.” She pointed up. “But manners first as my Mama says. Hi, I’m Cleo Fabares.”
“Anna Doyle.”
“I know. I recognized you from your website. Wonderful work, by the way. The site and the pottery. And would you look! It’s now five-oh-two. Give me some wine, Son. I’ve had my first solo adventure.”
“Sit in the parlor with Anna.”
“Anna doesn’t need to sit in the parlor,” Anna said. “The kitchen’s fine. I’d like to hear about the solo adventure. You don’t seem worried about it.”
“Got some chills, literally, but no, I’m not worried. We have this fierce guard dog.” She crooned to Yoda, gave him some loving rubs. “You’re even more adorable in person.”
She straightened, and continued as they started back, “And I’ve got one of my grand-mère’s charms in my pocket.”
“Her grandmother’s a Creole witch. Maybe.”
“You’ve got my full attention.”
“You get the drinks, Sonya; I’ll put the groceries away.”
“What would you like, Anna?”
Still studying Cleo as if fascinated, Anna said, “Ginger ale if you have it.”
“Okay. To start,” Cleo said to Anna, “a friend’s taken over my apartment. A friend I’m fond of, but grew less fond of every day since she moved in. She’s not easy to live with. Sonya is. So when I realized I had everything done, I ran. Since I’m also fond of the surprise, I didn’t give Sonya a heads-up. That’s on me.”
“I would’ve been here.”
“Yeah, but then I wouldn’t have had my first solo adventure. You got Toaster Strudels! She knows I have a weakness. So, when I didn’t see Sonya’s car, I realized my surprise might have been a little ill-conceived, but what the hell. She’d be back. I hauled one of my ridiculously heavy suitcases to the door. And it opened.”
She picked up the wine Sonya set in front of her. “I came in.”
“I don’t think of myself as a coward.” Anna considered as she sipped her drink. “But I don’t think I’d have done that.”
“She would.”
“And did. And the house sang ‘Welcome Back.’ Or I should say Clover played me in.”
“Clover?”
“You haven’t filled her in?”
“I guess not.”
“Then over to you for that.”
