is just a bigger problem.” Tensley rolled her eyes. “All right, much bigger. Same principle, though.”
“Bigger than the kid who kept farting in class and making us nauseous?”
“Yes. Bigger. But we did solve that one.”
“You’re right. We did. Except then we had another one to solve. He thought we had crushes on him because we brought him peanut butter sandwiches every day.”
“He never figured out the crunchy part of the sandwich was Beano tablets.” Tensley sighed. “I wonder what he ended up doing in life. Something alone. Has to be.”
Kate’s smile became a touch bigger. “I heard he’s a dentist now.”
“No.” Tensley began to laugh. It felt good. “Can you imagine him asking patients if they want gas during their appointments?”
“And they think he means the other kind.” Both women snickered.
“Some dental assistant has to be sneaking him Beano now. Otherwise, it would be hazardous working conditions.” Tensley wiped the corners of her eyes. “So, fine. The ‘Problem Solvers Club’ is back in business.”
“Guess so. Lead on, Tensley Theron Tanner-Starbrook.”
“You had to go there.” Tensley rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “You don’t remember we’ve been friends all these years, but you remember my middle name.” She couldn’t have a nice normal middle name, since she’d already been saddled with Tensley, which made people wrinkle their noses and ask how to spell it. No. It had to be Theron. Parents should be required to get a license before naming their children.
Kate’s smile was genuine. “I did. I had to go there.”
In spite of the head injury she must have suffered from landing at the bottom of the rabbit hole, Tensley smiled, too. “Apology accepted.” Then she locked her fingers together, moving into urgent project mode. “We need a ‘to do’ list. Now.”
“I’ll get the paper and pen.” Kate followed Tensley out of the door. “While you tell me what happened when you saw Max again.”
Tensley pulled up short, nearly causing the two women to collide. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
• • •
The first item on the ‘to do’ list, of course, was to go see Madame Claire. But that would have to wait until the next morning. It was nearly eight P.M. by the time they’d caught up on the little that was known about Tensley’s current bizarre life, settled the animals, and left the vet clinic.
Tensley had been tempted to leave Gemini there for the night, but his furious yowl was a clear protest and she was too tired to argue. Kate had offered to let them stay at her house, but Tensley had declined. Her brain felt so full, she wasn’t sure how long she could continue to hold her head upright. On the other hand, if she tipped it to one side or the other, valuable information about her real life, like her address and phone number, might spill out. She couldn’t afford to lose them by jamming in more information about a life where she was a stripper, with a boyfriend named Razor.
“Thank you. Really. Thank you,” she said to Kate in the parking lot. “I’d love to stay with you, but I’d keep you up all night, asking questions.” She paused. “And to be completely honest, I’m not sure I could handle the answers right now.”
“Here’s my address and phone number.” Kate put a piece of paper into Tensley’s hand. “If you change your mind, call me. Otherwise, I’ll meet you at Madame Claire’s first thing in the morning.”
“Yes.” The relief Tensley felt stretched the one syllable into several. Once everything had returned to normal, she wouldn’t need to think about anything else. Including the squirming cat in her arms, who would become somebody else’s problem. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” Kate hesitated. “I’m so, you know. I mean … ”
Tensley threw her arms around her friend, folding her in a hug. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I know,” came the answer in her ear. “But I’m
“Bigger than the kid who kept farting in class and making us nauseous?”
“Yes. Bigger. But we did solve that one.”
“You’re right. We did. Except then we had another one to solve. He thought we had crushes on him because we brought him peanut butter sandwiches every day.”
“He never figured out the crunchy part of the sandwich was Beano tablets.” Tensley sighed. “I wonder what he ended up doing in life. Something alone. Has to be.”
Kate’s smile became a touch bigger. “I heard he’s a dentist now.”
“No.” Tensley began to laugh. It felt good. “Can you imagine him asking patients if they want gas during their appointments?”
“And they think he means the other kind.” Both women snickered.
“Some dental assistant has to be sneaking him Beano now. Otherwise, it would be hazardous working conditions.” Tensley wiped the corners of her eyes. “So, fine. The ‘Problem Solvers Club’ is back in business.”
“Guess so. Lead on, Tensley Theron Tanner-Starbrook.”
“You had to go there.” Tensley rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “You don’t remember we’ve been friends all these years, but you remember my middle name.” She couldn’t have a nice normal middle name, since she’d already been saddled with Tensley, which made people wrinkle their noses and ask how to spell it. No. It had to be Theron. Parents should be required to get a license before naming their children.
Kate’s smile was genuine. “I did. I had to go there.”
In spite of the head injury she must have suffered from landing at the bottom of the rabbit hole, Tensley smiled, too. “Apology accepted.” Then she locked her fingers together, moving into urgent project mode. “We need a ‘to do’ list. Now.”
“I’ll get the paper and pen.” Kate followed Tensley out of the door. “While you tell me what happened when you saw Max again.”
Tensley pulled up short, nearly causing the two women to collide. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
• • •
The first item on the ‘to do’ list, of course, was to go see Madame Claire. But that would have to wait until the next morning. It was nearly eight P.M. by the time they’d caught up on the little that was known about Tensley’s current bizarre life, settled the animals, and left the vet clinic.
Tensley had been tempted to leave Gemini there for the night, but his furious yowl was a clear protest and she was too tired to argue. Kate had offered to let them stay at her house, but Tensley had declined. Her brain felt so full, she wasn’t sure how long she could continue to hold her head upright. On the other hand, if she tipped it to one side or the other, valuable information about her real life, like her address and phone number, might spill out. She couldn’t afford to lose them by jamming in more information about a life where she was a stripper, with a boyfriend named Razor.
“Thank you. Really. Thank you,” she said to Kate in the parking lot. “I’d love to stay with you, but I’d keep you up all night, asking questions.” She paused. “And to be completely honest, I’m not sure I could handle the answers right now.”
“Here’s my address and phone number.” Kate put a piece of paper into Tensley’s hand. “If you change your mind, call me. Otherwise, I’ll meet you at Madame Claire’s first thing in the morning.”
“Yes.” The relief Tensley felt stretched the one syllable into several. Once everything had returned to normal, she wouldn’t need to think about anything else. Including the squirming cat in her arms, who would become somebody else’s problem. “See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” Kate hesitated. “I’m so, you know. I mean … ”
Tensley threw her arms around her friend, folding her in a hug. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I know,” came the answer in her ear. “But I’m
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