Her lips were parted slightly and she didn’t stir until I touched her shoulder. “B sixteen,” she blurted. “Bingo!” I gave her a moment to enjoy her dreamland win and then helped her upstairs. By then she was fully awake and ravenous. Fortunately, Jennifer was true to her word, and within a reasonable length of time delivered two Grand Slams and a pair of diet colas right to the door. Along with the food came an espionage update: the weirdoes from Charleston had inquired again about their vertically challenged friends. Jennifer called three more times before I told her we were turning in for the night. The news, by the way, was always the same: the couple was anxious for our arrival. Thank goodness Mama is an early riser, and by five-thirty the next morning we were ready to hit the road. I’d arranged it with Jennifer so that our room account was already settled; all Mama and I had to do was walk out the side door. By six we were seated in the IHOP opposite the PetSmart, still working on putting a game plan in place.
