Cali:Is it getting hot in here?
Penelope:I’ll ask him today. But I’m sure he’ll do it.
Millie:Neil asked me about the haunted house…
Me:Neil from The Junction Box?
Millie:And the Bohemia Bartenders. He says they’d like to do the bar for the VIP party.
Me:Holy shit.
Ez:Now I’m definitely doing the music.
Me:Ghouls. Check. Cocktails. Check. Thea? Anything to add?
Cali:Thea? You there?
Thea:Sorry. I was talking to Duncan. He says he can vlog the opening night VIP party so you get more exposure.
Me:THAT WOULD BE AMAZING!
Thea:And I have some ideas for sets, if you let me see inside.
Me:It’ll be safe to go back in the house Sunday. Maybe you can come over?
Cali:I want to come over! I want to shoot it before you make it all nice!
Me:Ha ha ha. You have plenty of time.
Penelope:I want to come over too.
Ez:Ditto ditto ditto we all want to come over.
Me:That’ll work. We’re taking Sunday off before we kill each other.
Ez:With sex?
Me:WITH WORK. How about a picnic Sunday afternoon on the grounds? Just warning you, the only bathroom is a port-a-potty.
Penelope:Love it! The picnic, not the port-a-potty.
Sloane:We’ll survive. I’ll bring some apps.
Millie:I’ll set up a spreadsheet and we can all sign up for stuff.
Me:You all are the BEST! How can I ever thank you guys?
Sloane:Bring Landon.
[chorus of gooey hearts and heart-eye emojis]
Me:Shut up. I’ll bring Landon.
* * *
Except for my cousin Gary,I’d only really gotten to know these people better since I moved back to Bohemia from Orlando, but were they great friends or what?
Whatever food they didn’t cook for the picnic, they shopped well for, and Gary even filched a charcoal grill from his mom’s house at my suggestion so we could grill up some chicken and steaks and mahi. We’d scraped together some folding tables and chairs with mismatched tablecloths and set everything up under the oaks and palms near the river.
