I'm wrapped up in the sheet, cuddled up against Owen, the TV playing in the background, when my cell phone rings from the bedside table. I sit up abruptly and grab for the phone. It's Zia's number and I try to take a deep breath before I answer. Owen sits up beside me as I answer.

"Hi!" It's Maisie.

"Hi, Cat," I say, smiling at the sound of her cheerful voice. "How are you?"

"I'm good! We just got home from the movies. I had blue cotton candy, a chocolate bar, popcorn and a red slushie!" she reports.

"Oh wow," I say, laughing. "Did Zia have as much sugar as you did?" I ask.

Maisie laughs. "She also had a slushie-only hers was blue. Jessie had a Pepsi flavored one and I tried it and it was gross! Zia didn't have any cotton candy or chocolate though. But she's scooping out ice cream for herself now. I can't eat anything else though, my stomach is so full!"

"You two may never sleep again," I tell her, laughing. I hear her laugh too and it makes me smile. "How were the movies?"

"Good! They were both funny! But Jessie fell asleep during the second one. Zia said she worked early today. Zia and I are going to play Uno now. I'm going to put on my pajamas first," she says.

"Zia's going to love them," I say.

"She will!" Maisie sounds excited, and I can tell she's having fun. "When you pick me up tomorrow, Zia said I can do a fashion show for you and Owen to show you all the new clothes we bought! But I wanted to call now and say goodnight to you and Owen before we start playing cards. In case I fall asleep or get super tired or something."

"I'm glad you called. I'm so glad you're having fun, sweetie." We talk for a minute and before I hand her to Owen she says "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby," I tell her.

I pass the phone to Owen and he cheerfully says "Hey, Mais!" but I can't hear her reply. He laughs and listens. They talk for a while and then finish up their conversation with the reminder of the 3 am pinky promise and he responds with an "I love you, too," before hanging up.

We sit quietly for a minute with the cell phone between us in the covers. The sheets are pulled up over our waists, but I don't have anything covering my chest.

"She's ok," I say. I turn to him and smile.

"She sounds better than ok. She sounds good," he says, smiling back.

I lean into him and he wraps his arms around me, kissing my forehead. I make sure my phone is on ring in case she does call at 3 am and set it on the bedside table before I cuddle up against Owen's bare chest. I smile to myself, thinking about how good Maisie seemed. I hope she makes it throughout the full night. And if she doesn't, we'll be there to go and get her.

The End