“But we can put it in the harbor, and it’ll make its way to the ocean,” Nina suggests, and that seems to pacify Lanie.
Visit a cemetery is next on the list.
“For what?” I say, not bothering to elaborate on which item I’m referencing.
“I don’t know…play with the dead?” Lanie barks.
“Honor the dead, maybe?” Nina suggests. “We could take some of those flowers and place them on the graves.”
“That’ll work,” I say, turning to Lanie to see what she thinks.
She’s nodding her head, which is a good sign.
“Where exactly do you plan to burn a scarecrow?” I ask. “The ground is covered in snow.”
“That…I’m not sure,” Lanie says, tapping her chin. “I’m also wondering where we’ll even get a scarecrow, considering it’s going to be January in a few hours.”
“I have some options,” I say, drawing Lanie’s attention.
“Why?” she asks, sounding appalled by the idea that I would actually have the very item she needs.
My nose scrunches. “I’m an adult homeowner who likes to decorate for the holidays…” I lift a hand and look to Nina for support.
She’s too busy reading the list to acknowledge me.
A smile spreads across Lanie’s face. “Thank god one of us is an adulty adult.”
Nina chuckles, finally joining the conversation. “I too have scarecrows. We might as well use mine, because I have no intention of taking half my shit with me when I pack up and move.”
“Okay, so the plan is to stop by and grab Corinne, and then we’ll head to your house,” Lanie says, pointing to Nina.
“Corinne is coming?” I ask, sounding a little underwhelmed by the idea.
Corinne has fast become a part of our group, but there’s a piece of me that loves the idea of simply hanging with my two best friends tonight.
“She’s the DD. We’re all drinking,” Lanie says, as if I should’ve known that. “Dress warm,” she says, heading up the stairs.
“Where are you going?” I ask, and she makes a face.
“To your closet. I need a sweater.”
Tonight is going to be interesting.
“We could alwaysgo to the mortuary,” Corinne says behind the wheel of my car, on our way to start our list of rituals. “My parents are gone until well into tomorrow morning, dancing the night away, buzzed up on champagne and gummies.”
“Is that safe? To mix the two?” Nina asks.
Lanie makes a face. “Who cares?”
“Fine. Let’s do that,” I say, and Lanie’s head snaps to me.
“Where do you think I’m going to get gummies at this late hour on a holiday?”
My mouth drops open, and my nose scrunches. “I was talking about going to the mortuary.”
Her mouth forms an O. “Got it. Makes more sense.”
I turn back to Corinne, shaking my head. “It’ll be a lot safer than burning anything in the cemetery.”
