“Wait just a second.” Eloise raised her head and her voice. “Is that you, Ramona?”
“Yes,” a small child’s voice answered.
“Close the front door after you, please,” Eloise called.
“Is that Ramona? Oh, I’m dying to see her. Do you realize I haven’t seen her since she had her—”
“Ramona,” Eloise shouted, with her eyes shut, “go out in the kitchen and let Grace take your galoshes off.”
“All right,” said Ramona. “C’mon, Jimmy.”
“Oh, I’m dying to see her,” Mary Jane said. “Oh, God! Look what I did. I’m terribly sorry, El.”
“Leave it. Leave it,” said Eloise. “I hate this damn rug anyway. I’ll get you another.”
“No, look, I have more than half left!” Mary Jane held up her glass.
“Sure?” said Eloise. “Gimme a cigarette.”