“You can taste each one and decide for yourself.”
“That’s ginchy. Isn’t that ginchy, Brogan?”
“Stop saying ginchy,” I said. “Thank you for the flyers, Franny. Good-bye, now.”
I shoved the door, but Abbi was fast, the little fink.
She slipped out and stood in front of Franny.
“I think I’d like you to take me to the Blarney Stone. Me and Brogan. Our dog needs to cool off because she’s really furry, and Texas is hot for fur.”
“Abbi, let’s not bother the nice lady.”
“Oh, it’s no bother. I enjoy showing people around the place. Route 66 goes right through here, did you know that? Showing off Shamrock is no bother.”
“It’s no bother,” Abbi repeated, her eyes innocent, like she didn’t know she was getting away with doing exactly what she’d been begging to do.
“I think it’s time for a...a nap. You need a nap, Abbi.”
“I’m not tired, and you were going to go on a walk without me even though I wanted to see the Blarney Stone. So now you can go on your walk, and I can go with Franny to see the magic stone. Keen!”
“I really don’t mind,” Franny insisted. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you my phone number so you can contact me in case you want to talk to her.”
“I am not going to let her out of my sight with a stranger.”
“But your walk,” Abbi said. “What about your super-important walk?”
“My walk can wait.” I glanced at the room, grabbed Abbi’s purple backpack, which mewled, and handed it to her. “Stay, Lorde,” I said.
Lorde lifted her head, yawned, and lay back down.
I’d already put water out for her, and she’d done her business, so I knew she’d be fine sleeping in the cool room for however long it took me to drag Abbi away from the stone.
I locked the door. Abbi wrestled into her backpack then took my hand. “Thank you. This is going to be so fun!”
“So fun,” I said. Then to Franny, “How far is it?”
“Just a few blocks from here. Are you comfortable walking?”
“Yes.”
“In those shoes?”
“Something wrong with my boots?”
“No, but it is hot. We can stop for water, if you want. You look a bit flushed.”
“I don’t want water.”
“Ice cream,” Abbi repeated for the millionth time. “That will keep us cold. We can get ice cream. Even if it’s not the best, I bet it will be good.”
“Wonderful,” Franny said. “Follow me.”
She started across the parking lot like a woman on a mission.
“This motel has been here since 1959. It’s changed names, of course. It used to advertise having the luxury of televisions in powder rooms. There used to be a heated pool, right here in the middle of the parking lot. Why, I don’t know how cars didn’t end up in the middle of it.”
She prattled on, pointing at the horseshoe building behind us, then went on about a water tower and gas station.
