Mandy’s head was heavy on Stuart’s shoulder, but it was a pleasant heaviness. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever been this high. He felt almost ecstatic.

“We don’t even have to move. We can stay here ’til the sun comes up.”

“Mmmm,” Mandy responded.

A family was walking their huge dog down the street. The woman’s hair was a pretty strawberry blond that glowed gold beneath the street lamps. Their dog’s fur was the same color. Stuart watched them get bigger and bigger. It was her—Nurse Peaches, with a couple of guys and a gigantic hairy animal.

“Hey,” Stuart called out a little too loudly. He wanted to say something more formal and stand up and shake everyone’s hand and give the dog a biscuit and be charming, but Mandy’s head was so heavy and he was pretty sure it was safer to stay put. His mouth and face were not functioning very well.

Nurse from school comes by my crib

Tongue don’t work, I can’t ad lib!

“Nice night,” Nurse Peaches called back brightly. “Guys, this is Stuart Little, and um—”

“Mandy, the mother of our child,” Stuart said biblically.

Mandy didn’t stir. She was either asleep or completely comatose.

“Their son goes to my school. We’ve been de-liceifying. Good times!”

Peaches was overcompensating. How had she missed Stuart’s address when she’d searched for his number? If she’d known he lived on Cheever, she would never have allowed Big Boy to drag her there.

Stuart wavered on the step. Should he invite them in?

“I’m Greg.” The dude who must have been Peaches’ husband raised his hand. He was wearing dark denim overalls, a brown bucket hat, and Doc Martens. He was either very punk rock or very weird. “You’re that Stuart Little?”

Stuart nodded slowly. He closed his eyes and then opened them again. “I guess I am.”

“He is,” Peaches verified. “Liam,” she added, addressing the tall, blond teenager hiding deep inside his hoodie, “Stuart is a famous musician.”

“Nice to meet you,” Liam’s mouth said.

The dog pleaded with his sad eyes. He wanted to go smell things. He wanted to go poo and pee.

“We’d better keep moving,” Peaches said. “Big Boy makes some pretty huge poops. I don’t want him to mess up your sidewalk.”

“Thanks,” Stuart said weakly, grateful that they were leaving. “Good night.”

Mandy chose that moment to wake up. She lifted her head. “Hey guys. What’s going on?”

No one quite knew what to say. The dog sat down again and began to pant.