"Babies toss."
"Uh-huh. And stare at the ceiling sighing."
"You were watching me?That’screepy."
"I had got up to pee.” She shakes her head. “You didn’t even notice.”
“Well,excuseme.” I swallow a sip of my coffee and roll my eyes. “I didn’t know I was supposed to keep track of your nocturnal urination habits.”
She sticks her tongue out at me as the screen door behind us squeals.
Laurel steps out onto the porch balancing three cinnamon rolls on a plate, her coffee, and between her teeth, a folded piece of paper. She sets the saucer and mug down on the table between us.
“You do know we get a full breakfast at the lodge in…” I glance at my phone on the table, “...forty-five minutes.”
“I know. But Lucinda came around with these while you were in the shower, and I wasn’t going to turn her down.Lookat them.”
They do look divine. “Point taken.”
“Besides,” she flips the piece of paper open. “It’s my birthday week, and I can have as many cinnamon rolls, or other sweet treats, as I want.”
“Yes. You. Can,” Lyla says, and we all clink our coffee mugs.
Then Laurel adjusts her reading glasses and clears her throat. "Activities," she announces. "Day Two."
The birthday girl also gets to decide what we do for the next six days. Mostly.
"Wildflower hike at ten, lunch under the oaks at eleven-thirty, pool at two, massage appointments at three-thirty, dinner at the lodge at six, then at eight we have the sunset hayride. We wagon out to a bonfire site for s'mores and live music under the stars." She raises her head, pleased with herself. "Logistics locked."
"Thank god," I say. "I was worried we'd have to wing it."
“Ha ha,” Laurel replies.
Lyla hums into her coffee. "Wonder if you’ll see Big, Broad, and Grumpy today, Lark?"
"What now?" Laurel glances between us, pastry paused halfway to her mouth.
"Our girl had a late night," Lyla says.
"I was right behind you."
"You stood in the cabin doorway for ten full minutes staring at the stars before you came inside."
"I can’t enjoy the scenery?"
"Oh, you were too busy swooning to notice the landscape."
"Not true!"
Laurel sets her cinnamon roll down after taking a hefty bite. With a mouthful she says, "Okay. Walk me through this."
"There's nothing to walk through."
"She danced with a man last night," Lyla says.
I shrug. "I danced with a lot of men last night. And some kids.”
"That’s not news, Lyla," Laurel says, licking her fingers.