Briar draped the big pink blanket over the sofa throne. She tucked the edges under every cushion. The living room shimmered like a castle.
She poured tea into two small cups and set one before the stuffed rabbit. "Toots!" she whispered. The blanket rustled like wind through a field.
A small "Hi?" floated in from the hallway. Maya twisted her blue sock, barely peeking through the curtain of pink fabric.
Briar lifted the blanket and pointed at the spare cushion. "Come in! There's a seat!" Maya tiptoed forward while the tin cup clinked on the floor.
Briar peeled back a cardboard box to reveal the secret library — a tunnel of stacked boxes. A flashlight buzzed blue against the dark walls.
Maya crawled in, her fingers scraping the rough tape. The stuffed rabbit wobbled on top of the pile. Her breath fogged the cold cardboard.
All three crowded the cushion throne and the pink blanket tipped. The tower groaned, slid, and folded over them in one soft swish. Glitter stuck to their hair.
Maya tucked the blanket back, pinning the corner with the stuffed rabbit. "Can I stay for the whole party?" The tin cup clinked three times. The rabbit tooted.