I am Baaack! Part 6

When Lou opened the door and saw Robbie, if she hadn't been wearing shoes, she probably would have jumped out of her socks. As it was, she stood stock still, looked her up and down, looked at Joan, who had a mile wide grin on her face, having just taken a pic, looked back at Robbie, and called out, "Ed, get your luscious bunns out here; you've got to see this!"

Ed turned the corner into the vestibule, and stopped dead in her tracks. "OHMYGAWD! Is this.?"

Lou nodded.

Robbie said, "Surprise!" and gave them a twirl.

"How.?"

"When.?"

"Where.?"

"OHMYGAWD, Robbie?!"

"Robbie!?"

Joan stepped forward, and held out both hands palms forward. "Ladies, enough! It seems as though your protŽgŽe has anticipated and exceeded your expectations. Come, give her appropriate kisses and hugs." As they did, she took pictures. The photographic story of this evening should prove to make a very effective sales brochure, she thought, dollar signs once again dancing in her head.

As they were, by this time, in the heads of both Lou and Ed. Like Joan, even as they were hugging Robbie they were thinking of her sale, and how much her own actions had added to the price she would bring. It was like Rose times two.

Later, they were seated in the living room, drinks in hand. Joan had a little twinge of concerned premonition when she saw that Robbie was drinking Jack Daniels neat, but it quickly passed. Robbie had explained to them how he had gotten wise to what they were doing, loved it, and upon her friend Stephanie's and Joan's separate urgings, decided to surprise them.

With the end of Robbie's story, the three conspirators noticed that Robbie's speech was becoming a little slurred, and that she was slumping a little in her chair. She opened her purse and took out a hankie. She took a swipe at her forehead, missed, and the hand that held the hankie brushed the top of the back of the couch she was seated upon. She tried again, got it right, and seemed to straighten up a little.