"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Johnny asked when she got off the phone.
They were in the sitting room of the luxurious Cascade Suite at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle. By the window, Fat Bob sat in an overstuffed chair, capturing this whole conversation on tape. Cameras and equipment covered most of the floor; huge lights created a staging area along the couch. Marah lay curled catlike in an overstuffed chair, reading a book.
"She needs me," Tully said simply.
Johnny shrugged and said nothing more, just looked at her.
"Well." She stood up, stretching. "I think I'll hit the sack." To Fat Bob, she said, "That's it for the night. Go get a good night's sleep. We'll start again at eight."
Fat Bob nodded, packed up his gear, and headed to his room down the hall.
"Can I sleep with Aunt Tully?" Marah said, letting her book fall to the floor.
"It's okay with me," Johnny said, "if Tully doesn't mind."
"Are you kidding? A slumber party with my favorite goddaughter is a perfect end to the day."
After Johnny went to his own room, Tully played mommy to Marah—telling her to brush her teeth and wash her face and get into her jammies.
"I'm too old for jammies," Marah informed her smartly, but when she climbed into bed, she snuggled up to Tully like the little girl she'd been only a few short years ago.
"This was so awesome, Aunt Tully," she said sleepily. "I'm going to be a TV star, too, when I grow up."
"I don't doubt it."
"If my mom lets me, which she probably won't."
"What do you mean?"
"My mom won't let me do anything."
"You do know that your mom is my best friend, right?"
"Yeah," she answered grudgingly.
"Why do you think that is?"
Marah twisted around and looked at her. "Why?"
"Because your mom rocks."
Marah made a face. "My mom? She never does anything cool."
Tully shook her head. "Marah, your mother loves you no matter what and she's proud of you. Believe me, princess, that's the coolest thing in the world."
The next morning Tully got up early and went to the bedroom door across the hall. There, she paused, gathering her nerve, and knocked. When no one answered, she quietly opened it.
Her mother was still asleep.
Smiling, she left the suite and closed the door quietly behind her. At Johnny's door, she paused and knocked.
He answered quickly, dressed in one of the hotel's robes, his hair dripping wet. "I thought we were starting at eight."
"We are. I'm just going to get Cloud some clothes to take to rehab and some breakfast for all of us. Marah's still asleep."
Johnny frowned. "You're moving awfully fast, Tully. The stores aren't open yet."
"I've always been fast. You know that, Johnny. And everything is open for Tallulah Hart. It's one of the perks of my life. You have a key to my room?"
