Bobby demanded a pickup. “Mommy, please!”
She gathered him while giving a quick kiss. “You need to go see Granny. Come on. You, too, sweet girl.”
Leah took the twins away as Lourdes appeared atop the stairs, her hair still in rollers.
“Oh, you made it, darling!”
I smiled at her, “Yes!”
“Come, get changed,” she beckoned. “I’m finishing up.”
I lifted my bag and climbed towards the guest room. She observed me as I opened my suitcase.
“You need eyebrows, child,” Lourdes leaned against the door.
“Help me in a sec. I need to change.”
“Fine, fine. What are we wearing?”
I held up a bright pink dress, Lourdes appeared unenthusiastic.
“Okay. Like is it giving vamp or…” She stopped. “No, you cannot go with that color. It’s Leah’s. It will throw the whole look off. She told me to wear blue. Maybe another jewel tone?”
Hand on hip, I asked, “Shetoldyou to wear blue?”
“Well, I asked her for her opinion. It’s honestly her dress. Do you have any other contenders?”
“Well, no. Because I’m here for like a day and a half, then on a plane to show a horse. I figured if this didn’t work, I could just… borrow?”
“Fine,” Lou sighed. “Let’s find you something.”
I followed Lou to the room she and Leah shared with massive hers and hers wardrobes. I remembered being jealous the first time I visited Keir and Ingrid’s place and saw their luxurious closets. Ingrid even had a place to sit in hers. Leah’s was like a shrine to everything she’d ever done. Meanwhile, Lou’s was more organized and built around her shoe collection. Someday, I told myselfIwould have a fabulous closet.
“What about this?” She handed me a purple dress with a structured corset bodice.
“If I wear that, all you will see is my tits.”
“So?” Lou asked. “I know you aren’t trying to be subtle.”
“What does that?—”
Leah appeared, “Okay, your mum has the kids under control. I worry Vicky will try to start a mutiny while we’re out and will never go to sleep, but I must let it go.”
“You have to let her try, love,” Lou said. “Now, try on the dress while we find you some shoes.”
As I shimmied into the hot number Lourdes provided, the two fought about shoes in Leah’s closet. I ignored the conversation at first until it appeared interesting.
“These are fine, Lou! You can play fairy godmother with the dress, while I bring the shoes. Calm down!” Leah said.
“Well, she’snew, darling. I just wanted to… welcome her,” Lou protested.
Striding in, I saw three pairs of shoes.
“I’m new at what?” I asked.
They exchanged glances, then Leah spoke. “You asked me to get you backstage to meet the band. Then, I hear through the grapevine that you were at The Bookstore after the showwith one Marit Jensson. Finally, you were in Trondheim with her—per reports—andleftwith her from some event. Now, you ring us and ask to stay with us and attend this fundraiser. It’s all a little suss.”
“All of that from a lot of conjecture?”
