Page 87 of You'll Be the Death of Me

“Yes, you can!” Dell encouraged. “Come on, Robbie is a willing host. And I know he’ll agree when I tell him the plan.”

“Dell, that’s not a good idea.”

“You’re right. It’s agreatidea.”

“What’s going on right now?” Jason cut in. “What’s a great idea? Remember I can only hear half of this conversation.”

“Right, sorry,” Dell said with a shake of her head. “Cole would like to stay here for a while, and I’m encouraging him to borrow Robbie to tell his parents goodbye before you go.”

“Oh, thatisa great idea!” Jason concurred. “You should do it, Cole. Wherever you are.” He waved his hands around in front of himself.

“He’s over here,” Dell said, and pointed to where he was standing. “And if Jason agrees, then you know it’s a good idea, Cole.”

Cole gave her a nervous look. “Remember that steamroller thing we talked about earlier?”

“Yes, but this doesn’t count. This is for your own good.”

“Believing this is for my own good is part of the steamrolling.”

“No, it’s not. Now get ready. I’m going to tell Robbie what we’re doing. Hang tight—”

“Dell, wait,” Cole said. He shot out his hand and gripped Robbie’s arm. His eyes swam with worry. “What if I... can’t?”

Oh.He was scared.

Dell softened when she realized. She put her hand on his and smiled. “You can. I promise you. And if for some reason it doesn’t work, I’ll be right here.”

He looked at her with enough gratitude to knock her over. “Thank you. It would be nice to hug my mom.”

“You got it,” she said, feeling useful in giving him something he wanted. “Be back in a minute.” She turned her thoughts inward and spoke to Robbie.

“Robbie? Would it be okay if Cole borrowed you for a few minutes? He hasn’t seen his parents in a long time, and he’d really like to give his mom a hug.”

His voice took a moment to surface from wherever it had been. “His mom? I’d give anything for a chance to hug my mom. Of course.”

“Thank you. I knew you’d understand. Okay, stand by.”

Dell did her now customary spring-free leap and was soon standing beside Cole, back in her nightie. “He said yes, of course,” she told him with a smile.

“Damn. I was hoping he’d refuse,” Cole said with a shy half smile.

“No such luck. Now get in there,” Dell said, and steered him by the shoulders.

“How do I do it?”

“You justdo,” she said, and pushed him.

“Okay, but—?”He cut off when his body disappeared.

Dell cautiously watched Robbie with her arms out like he might faint and need to be caught. His face contorted into strange shapes, and he briefly bent over at the middle. When he stood up straight and took a breath, Dell reached for his arm.

“Cole?”

He blinked several times like his head was spinning. “Yeah,” he eventually said with a gasp.

Dell rose up on her toes and clapped. “You did it!”

“Somehow, I did,” Cole said in Robbie’s voice.