Lisa was so happy to be at Clair’s 14^th birthday party sleepover. There were five other girls besides, but Lisa was sure Clair was her best friend. She made sure to sit next to Clair when they were eating the cake, and she was so happy when Clair fed her some of the pink rose frosting from her fingertip. When it was time to put on their nighties, Lisa was happy to see Clair had an identical nightie, except Clair’s was yellow and Lisa’s was pink. “I’m not going to wear panties under, are you?” Clair whispered, and Lisa whispered back, “Me neither.”

“Okay, girls,” Clair’s mother announced. “Let’s get the pillow fight out of the way. Give you a chance to burn off some of that excess sugar.” The playroom had been cleared away except for half a dozen plump pillows. Several of the dads were still there with video cameras. Soon there were feathers everywhere. Lisa and Clair concentrated on bashing each other.

“That was so fun,” Lisa said, once the feathers had settled. “I hope I can have a pillow fight for my next birthday too. And cake just like yours. Everything exactly the same.”

“Yeah, but you’ll be 15 then,” Clair said. Old!” Both girls laughed.

They stayed up late talking and talking, mostly about movies and boys, which ones might be the best kissers. Clair whispered to Lisa, “I think your dad is so hot.”

Lisa didn’t know how to respond to this. The thought of her dad being hot unnerved her a little. She wasn’t sure she liked the mental picture of Clair and her dad kissing. But she said, “I think your dad is so hot too.”

Eventually everyone fell asleep.

Three years later Clair and Lisa were still best friends. They happened to be at Clair’s house after school one afternoon. Clair was doing a report on bananas and Lisa was helping. Clair’s dad came into the room and when he learned what they were doing, he suggested Clair include “The Banana Boat Song.” “What’s that?” Lisa asked. “Harry Belafonte,” Clair’s dad said. “Day-O! Look it up on the Internet. I’m sure it’s there.”

Clair searched for it on her laptop and found it. “That’s too funny,” she said. “Day-O. Day-O, Day-O, Day-O. Maybe I will put it in the report.”

“Your dad is so funny,” Lisa said.

Clair smiled. “And hot too, right?”

Lisa gave Clair a quizzical look.

“Remember at my birthday party a few years ago, you said he was hot.”

“Oh, yeah,” Lisa said. “That was a fun party. Remember the pillow fight?”

“Feathers and fathers everywhere,” Clair said. “Didn’t your dad make a video of it? It might be fun to watch. Do you think you could find it?”

“Maybe,” Lisa said.

“Oh gross!”

“What?”

“Look what this woman’s doing with this banana.”