RAVE DINGODINO
The rest of the week after that seemed to go by fast. Up until Saturday, things were rather boring. Nothing seemed exciting after such a party as we had. The next days consisted of movie watching and hardly any going outside. Sarnie didn't stay over on after the night of the party, so one point of interest was lost. Danni spent Thursday at her own den, getting the urge to exercise at her gym, so then it was just me, Rave, Coco, and Crash (and not to mention the dumb pets that made quite a mess during our party. They were already handfuls, and now we had to handle them without Danni.). Of course, they could be handled by Coco and Crash alone, but they still seemed to like to bother me. Baby T. took a liking to Rave, since she was part dinosaur, too. I thought it was odd, and I tried to avoid that particular pet as much as I could. Coco spent the days on her laptop, and Crash snored away the day, asleep. Rave told me a bit more about back when she, Crash, Coco, and Danni hung out a lot and teased Cortex. However, aside from that, we didn't talk much. Rave seemed to get very secretive lately. I wanted to know her secret (because I'm nosy); I wanted to know what was so secret. And by the time it was Saturday, when Danni came back and Sarnie visited again, I found out what Rave was dearly hiding. Sometime in the middle of Saturday, I stopped my reading of a newspaper we rarely got (due to our location) because I heard someone on the phone. However, the phone wasn't in its original place. I followed the phone line to find that it had been stretched into the kitchen. I entered the kitchen and found out that it was Rave who was talking. I decided to be a little sneak and listen in.
She was saying, "Well, I know I said I'd be back in a week, hon, but... I know, but... I feel I should stay 'ere a while longer to see if I... well, ya might be able to get a new..."
I couldn't hear her completely. She started to speak softly.
"Don't worry, I will be back soon... Oh, I miss you too..."
Who could she be talking to? A loved one, perhaps? Rave sure is daring around other people if she's married.
"I promise I won't be gone fa' too long... I know I've been gone long enough, but I neva' thought I'd find... Oh, please don't cry... How about this: I'll send ya a post card... Yeah, I know we're both in pretty much the same area, but I'll do it to make you happia'... OK... I miss ya, too... Promise t' see ya again soon, I PROMISE... Love ya, son... bye, Nicky..."
'Son'? Rave has a son? Now I was really interested. So, that's what she was hiding. I had to know more...but how? She hung up the phone. Just as she turned to come out of the kitchen, she noticed me. I tried to get away, but she stopped me.
"Did you hear ANY of that?" she asked with a worried tone and look.
"Yeah...I heard a lot, actually. Who was that you were talking to? Or should I not know? Is it something really personal, something I really shouldn't know? Or you just don't want to say? Tell me, if you can, and if you can't then... maybe now I understand."
Rave stood silent for a moment. I was hoping she would tell me whatever it was she was hiding, for she was acting rather oddly lately after the party. After that party, she had been very secretive. I figured for a while that the party tired her out, being that we partied for about twelve hours straight. However, now I knew she hid something, one thing that kept her from totally breaking loose. I could sense it somehow; but I don't know why I would care... Rave wrung her hands nervously while looking at the floor. She looked like she was having a battle in her mind. She thought: Should I tell him? No, I couldn't... no... How could I share my secret? She briefly looked up at me. My expression was a look of questioning and confusion.
"Listen, Rave," I said, "if ya don't wanna tell me, then ya don't hafta..."
"No... I somehow have a feeling that you should know... I have a feeling that you have a right to know... YOU, and only you..."
I looked even more confused. After a moment more, she took one of my hands and pulled me into the back of the dark kitchen.
"C'mere, Da'win. This might take a while of explainin'..."
"Why? Why's this secret so...long?"
"...You'll see..."
She sat me down in a chair in the nearly blackened kitchen, and then she sat beside me in another.
"Rave, shouldn't we turn on the light? 'S kinda dark in here, y'know..."
"No. I don't want anyone tah know we're in 'ere."
"Well... what if someone looks for us? Like, what if Crash is lookin' for us, and..."
"I'm sure 'e won't. Now then... this might take a while... where do I start..."
"How about from the beginning?"
I anticipated a light whack from her, but instead, she put her hand on mine and began her long story.
"Da'win... a few years ago... quite a few years ago, about when me an' Crash and all were in our late teens... I suddenly had to leave them alone... I had to leave the area. Our friendship had to stop, perhaps temporarily, for MY sake..."
"Why?" I already seemed sucked into thought. I concentrated on her every word.
"Well, you see... one day... I was at this bar... an'..." She paused.
"And...?"
She swallowed and continued. "I met this guy - a dingo guy he was - who was handsome, an' brown-furr'd, an' he had eyes so dark brown that they seemed black... such deep, brownish black eyes... Oh, an' 'is name was Darrek, an' we met, an'..."
She paused again. She seemed to be looking for the right words to say.
"And then what, Rave?"
"An'... we started goin' out. He thought I was funny an' sma't and pretty, an' I thought he was funny an' intelligent and handsome - an' he had such soft brown fur...did I say that already? Anyway, I was sa'prised he thought I was sma't, 'cause I neva' got a propa' education... but anyway..."
I was surprised how Rave went into detail about this person. She must have really liked him, and he must have really liked her... This must've been one special guy, I thought.
"Anyway, we liked each otha' a lot and dated a lot... I sta'ted spendin' a lotta time with him instead of my friends, and I sta'ted driftin' away from 'em... One day, though..." -She paused once again, but not as long- "...I think we got a little carried away... Me an' 'im... 'Ey, we were alone at my place... we couldn't help but..." She sighed, shaking her head, then looked directly at me. "You know what I mean, right?"
I paused for a moment, then nodded. "I see..."
"I neva' told Crash an' them... I neva' wanted them to find out..."
I nodded again. I understood her. If I were in her shoes, I would have probably done the same. It almost happened once, ALMOST.
"...Afta' that, me an' Derrek vowed ta get married some day when we were olda' and ta neva' stop lovin' each otha'... Unfortunately, he could neva' live up ta that vow..." Rave then got a sad look on her face, as if she was about to cry.
"What? Did he leave you? That's sad. And mean."
"No, he didn't leave me. He died."
I paused a long time, trying to find out what to say. So many words came into my mind at that moment that I almost said them all at once.
Finally, I said, "...How? That is, if you'd like to tell me..."
"I still dunno exactly how... I know 'e was shot... but I dunno why, or by whom... To this day, I regret it... I wish I coulda been there to help him... I wish it coulda been me sometimes..."
I nodded, slowly and solemnly. I was starting to understand more about Rave now. She tried to hold in her tears, but I could see she really wanted to cry.
"Rave... I'm sorry."
"Naw, it's OK... it's not like you did it or anything, right?..."
"Rave...if ya wanna cry right now, then don't hold it in. Holding it in will give you heart trouble..."
Rave took my advice and started to cry. She tried not to bawl loudly, though, so others wouldn't hear. I wanted to console her, but I didn't know how. I then hugged her suddenly, patting her back. I wanted her to feel better.
"Thank ya, Da'win..." Rave said when she finally calmed down. She then pulled away from me and sat straight up. "But there's more to tell..."
"OK... go on."
"...A while afta' Derrek died, well... I 'ad 'is baby. I was all alone through givin' birth, an' I tell ya, it wasn't easy..."
"...Wow." It was the only thing I could think to say: 'Wow.' She had a baby, all alone...
"Yeah...It was a boy. I named 'm Nicholas. He looks just like 'is fatha', only the tips of 'is fur ar' green, like my skin. 'E's th' cutest little thing eva'...an' right now, 'e's five...Every day I see 'm, 'e reminds me of 'is fatha'..."
I tried to think of something to say. The story seemed to have a mini-tragedy in it, but the end seemed like a happy ending... or was it?
"Wow, Rave... So, that's why you had to leave Crash and all for so long? So you could support Nicholas?"
"Yeah..."
"And the thing you had on Wednesday night... and the phone call..."
"I 'ad a picta' of my son an' was lookin' at it 'cause I miss 'm...and I had to call 'm today to tell him that I'd be staying here longer than I said I'd be... he misses me and I miss 'im, and I 'ad to talk to 'im to cheer 'im up... 'E gits lonely..."
"Ah..." I nodded.
"...But still, that's not all."
I started to listen again. She had quite a lot to tell.
"This is where you an' I come in... Y'see... I know we don't get along all too well most a' the time... an' that's why I've wanted to make several truces... but the truces neva' seem to last... but I want that to change."
I was listening, with my ears straight up. What was she getting at...?
"...Y'see, lately, I was thinkin' that Nicky needs a fatha'... and not only did I come 'ere t' revisit Crash and all... but I came t' see if I could find anotha' love... a person who'd be a good fatha' t' Nicky... someone with similarities t' Derrek..."
I froze for a moment. That moment, the room seemed so incredibly quiet. It was eerily quiet, and for some reason, my heart felt as if it was rushing.
"...Someone like you."
Rave looked right up at me and, to my surprise, opened her eyes wide. They were grey, but not a bland grey - more of a silverish grey that seemed to sparkle even in the darkness.
I slowly said, "But... Rave... you… hate me."
"Ah, I don't hate ya, mate, if that's what you were thinkin'. Sure, we had an argument 'r two, but that doesn't mean I HATE you... HATE is such a strong word..."
"Then... you like me...?"
"I thought you were 'andsome eva' since I came."
"But, what about callin' me a 'creature' and such?"
"That was 'alf-jokingly."
"What about the party? Why'd you dance with me last?"
"The last dance was the best. An' we had a spotlight." Rave grinned.
I paused for a moment. Then I said, "Ah, I see. I've been meaner to you than I should have been... I'm sorry..."
"Don't worry about it at all, Da'win, don't worry about it at all."
"So... Rave..."
"Da'win...you 'ave 'is eyes. Not as dark, but just as deep... An' your fur may be gold instead a' brown... but it's just as soft."
"Wha...?"
"Like Derrek... You remind me SO much of him..."
"...I do?"
"Yes..."
"Ah, Rave..."
"And Da'win..."
"Yes...?"
"What do you think of me?"
"Well... er... well... I, uh... Well, you are... pretty... 'specially with your eyes opened. And..."
Rave leaned against me just then, and I felt as if I had gotten shocked. However, that was nothing compared to the shock I was about to get.
"...And you're also smooth and... shapely, Rave..."
Rave put her hand to my cheek and said, "You're so sweet, Da'win. Ya gotta be like that more often."
She then gently kissed me. We kissed for what seemed like a long time. And, of course, I returned the kiss, and, for the first time in my life, felt overwhelmed. We kissed long and passionately, and Rave seemed to be letting herself finally give away the emotion that was hidden inside of her for the past weeks. I felt my heart rush with passion. She had given me a kiss so sweet, as kiss that not even Danni could have provided... It was amazing, truly... As soon as we finally broke away from the kiss, she smiled at me and hugged me. I had a look of pleasured shock on my face, which quickly turned to a big grin as she hugged me.
"Gee..." I began, "...it sure is...hot in here all of a sudden..."
She chuckled and slightly pulled at the fur on my chest.
Smiling, she then said, "Well, yer belly fur's just like Derrek's main fur, too..."
I smiled, then thought, Gee, I remind her of her old love - that's kinda nice.
"Listen, Da'win," Rave continued, "I don't wantcha t' tell anaone else about this yet, alright? I just don't want Crash an' them to know - yet. I gotta wait until the right time... OK?"
"OK," I said, "I'll be sure not to tell 'em. We can just keep this as our own little secret." I smiled. "But... when's 'the right time'?"
Rave paused for a moment; the she said, "...You'll see."
She closed her eyes again and began to exit. I still sensed mystery within her, but that didn't matter to me at that moment. What mattered was that someone actually liked me now - maybe even loved me. And I love to be loved.
"Ar' ya comin'?" Rave said back to me as I was thinking.
I snapped out of it and said, "...OH! OK, I'm coming..."
We left the kitchen and went back to what we were doing. However, it was hard to concentrate on anything else knowing what we knew now. She was willing to love me, and I was willing to accept her love and give her mine... Sometime before we all went to bed again, Rave showed me the picture of Nicholas in the tiny frame she had.
"See? Isn't 'e the cutest lil' thing? He turned out t' be all dingo and not part dinosaur thingy like me..."
"He IS cute..."
Suddenly, Crash peeped into the guest room, where we were.
"What're you guys doin'? In fact, what've you been doin' all day? I haven't heard much outta you two today."
"Oh, uh..." I tried to make up an excuse as Rave put the picture away. "We're just extra-lethargic today."
"...OK." Crash shrugged and went away. "G'night."
"G'night..."
Soon, everyone was in bed. Rave and I shared beds again, and I could tell that tonight it was going to be hard to get to sleep.
*
Sunday Morning. It was going to be a beautiful day. It was going to be a hot day. We all woke up sweating practically, and we regretted that Crash didn't have an air conditioner installed in the house. We turned on all the plug-on fans we could find, and the polar bear kept hogging them. However, we couldn't blame him; he was a POLAR bear. Danni came back that day, and she found us all trying not to move much at all. We watched the weather forecast: Ninety degrees in the shade. Hooray.
"Well, a lazy bunch t'day, eh?" Danni said as she came in through our wide-open front door. "Jus' a little bit a' heat and you all just lie around."
"It's ninety in the shade, Danni," I groaned.
"So?"
I gave up and grabbed the remote control. Danni sat down next to Rave on the couch.
"Yeah, Danni..." Coco said, coming up behind us, "we're so lazy today that we haven't even eaten breakfast yet."
"...An' I'm starving," Crash said.
"Well then, eat!" Danni said.
"But we're lazy," everyone except Danni and Rave said. Danni shook her head, then noticed Rave silently sitting on the couch, looking rather distant.
"...Rave? Are you OK, mate? Why're ya not talkin' 'r anything?"
"...Huh?" Rave slowly came out of a trance, barely noticing Danni.
"Why're ya so quiet this mornin'?"
"Ah, I'm only thinkin'... don't worry."
Danni nodded, got up, and walked into the kitchen. Just as soon as she was gone, Rave and I secretly held hands. It made us both feel good. However, at that moment, Pura barged his way onto the couch in between us two. We groaned as we tried to shove the tiger kitten back off.
"'Ey! Leave us alone!" Rave shouted as she pushed at the tiger. Pura only meowed confusedly.
Coco came up behind the couch and pulled Pura off, laughing slightly.
"That wasn't funny," I said.
"Darwin, you have NO sense of humour," Coco said.
"Sure I do. But I'm sure you don't wanna hear one of my jokes, like the one about the guy who dreamed of a toilet--"
"You're right, Dar, I DON'T wanna hear it!" Coco walked off. I sighed.
*
What kind of day would this be now? I didn't know what to do, and if anyone else caught Rave and I staring at each other with goo-goo eyes, then they would stare at us oddly. I wanted to do something with Rave, I just didn't know what... Later that day, while I was lying in a meadow not too far from Crash's house, Rave brought up the suggestion that I was somewhat afraid to ask for many reasons... She came into the clearing and laid down beside me.
"'Ey, Da'win," Rave said to me, "Hows about we go on a... date?"
I didn't respond. I didn't think she'd really want to date me. She continued:
"C'mon, we could have some fun, eat, dance... you could try your luck..." She winked. "I might just end up really likin' ya."
It took me a few more seconds to reply. Then, finally, I said, "Sure," just as casually as ever. I was too surprised and stunned to show my extreme pleasure. Rave smiled.
"Great! How about... later t'night? 8:00?"
"Yeah..." Again, the shock prohibits my clear thinking. If only I could have shown her how happy I really was at that moment.
"At that fancy Chinese place?"
"Mmm-hmm..."
"Great! You're so sweet, Da'win."
Rave stroked my cheek, then ran off somewhere. I watched her, and although I seemed blank, I was full of joy.
After a few more moments of thought, I snapped out of it, jumped up, and shouted, "WOO HOO!!!" After a few more moments, I shouted, "Holy cheese, I hafta get cleaned up!" I then ran off towards my den.
*
Later on, at about eight o' clock, as Rave and I were about to leave, Crash stopped us.
"Where are you two goin'?" Crash said.
"Er... why do you care? We're just... goin' somewhere," I said. I didn't want to sound so mean, but how else could I get Crash to leave us alone?
"Geesh... just askin'. Is it a date or somethin'?"
"No, it is not a date! ...It's just, uh..."
Rave seemed to be turning red (with impatience, I'd guess). "Can we just... get goin'? We hafta get our reserved table on time..."
"Reserved table?" Crash said.
"Er... Ignore what she said, Crash!" I said. "C'mon, Rave, let's ditch this pop stand..."
Crash looked at us confusedly as Rave and I walked off. He said to himself as he watched us depart, "...Why have they got their arms around each other...??"
*
We soon arrived at the fanciest Chinese restaurant in town. We didn't know the name of it, however, because the sign that had its name on it was in Chinese. I pointed out all the Chinese decorations to Rave as we walked through the front of the restaurant.
"See, Rave? There's a paper maché dragon... Chinese lanterns... Buddha shrines?"
I stared oddly at all the Buddha shrines around. Someone had set an apple and orange in front of one as an "offering" and now the fruit was going rotten. I thought it as odd, yet forgot about it quickly and continued pointing at things.
"...Anyway, hear the Asian music?"
"Yeah, Dar. I feel like I'm in Chinatown."
"Mmm-hmm, this is authentic Chinese stuff, with the real 'made in China' tags on 'em...I bet the food's actually really authentic, too..."
"Yeah. I'm real glad ya brought me 'ere. I like Chinese stuff." Rave smiled.
I thought, YES! She likes it so far! Two points for ME! We then went up to the front counter to order.
"Konichiwa..." the lady on the other side said.
"Isn't that JAPANESE?" I asked.
"Oh, right... Dang... oops... Well, hi. What will be your choice of food today?"
"We'll take the, uh...Rave, what was it that you mentioned before?"
"Th' 'Stuff Your Egg Roll' Buffet, please," Rave said.
"OK..." the lady put on a fake Chinese accent. "Ninety dolla'! You pay now!"
"Ninety dollars?!" I exclaimed. Rave stared at me.
"Is that too much?" Rave asked me.
I sweat dropped, then replied: "Oh! No, no..." I then whispered to the lady, "Do I HAVE to pay NOW??"
"Well, no, but you'd better play later. This place is expensive, y'know. Now then, eat all the food you take, and waste none."
"O... K..." I said.
I pulled Rave over to a table that a non-Chinese waiter was waiting at.
When we approached, he said, "This table is reserved for two."
"We're that two. Move over, bud, we're on a date!" I said, pushing the waiter out of the way.
"Oh... I'm sorry... YOU reserved this table?"
"Yes... so?"
The waiter chuckles. "You must be pretty rich..." He then walked off. I shrugged.
We picked up our menus that explained the buffet and were instantly confused. It was all in Chinese.
"Rave... Can you read any of that?"
"A' course I can't! It's just a buncha squiggly lines an stuff... Waita'! Waita'! C'mere!"
Rave pounded her clawed hands on the table, and a waiter ran over. Well, I thought, she sure can get attention.
"Yes, Ma'am?" the waiter said, sweating.
"What's all this 'ere? Chinese writin' in a English place!" Rave pointed to various places on the menu as she spoke. "How am I s'pose t' read this?"
"Well, Ma'am, this IS a Chinese restaurant," the waiter calmly said.
"Well, I'm Australian, and I need a menu in good ol' English, please!"
Rave pointed at the man looking frustrated. Nervously, the waiter began to back off.
"OK, Ma'am... Right away, Ma'am... I'm sorry, Ma'am..."
"Wow, Rave," I said, "ya sure handled that well."
"A' course I did. I'll get my way." Rave smiled. I smiled, too. Rave looked so cute when she smiled...
A few minutes later, the same waiter came back, this time with English menus.
"Thank you," I said as he handed us two menus.
"'Bout time," Rave said.
As we began looking over the menu, the waiter hung around. After a few moments, I noticed him still standing near our table.
"Uh... Rave... D'ya think he wants a tip?" I said.
Rave looked up from her menu and glared at the waiter. "I'll give ya a tip: don't smoke in bed. Now go away, please, we're tryin' tah have a romantic time."
The waiter, looking unsatisfied, slowly walked away. Rave smiled and looked at the menu. I did as well.
"Lessee here..." I said, "sweet 'n' sour chicken...fried rice...egg rolls..."
"Oooh!" Rave said. "Egg rolls! We hafta get that!"
"So, ya like those, huh?"
"I sure do! C'mon, Dar, let's go t' the buffet tables!"
Rave pulled me out of my seat and dragged me to the buffet tables. As soon as we reached them, we were graced with the sweet aroma of Chinese foods. Rave's face was lit up, and I was glad that she was happy so far...
"Grab a plate, Dar! This food looks delicious!"
I grabbed a plate after she nabbed one. I watched for a moment as she started piling chicken and broccoli and egg rolls on her plate. I kept watching her piling on food until someone told me to move from in front of the plates. When we went back to our table, I noticed that Rave had gotten one of nearly everything on the buffet, and what had I gotten? Only an egg roll! I didn't really notice, but I wasn't that hungry. Rave noticed my plate before she started to eat.
"Da'win, where's yer food? Ar' ya not 'ungry?"
"Huh?" I noticed finally that I'd only put an egg roll on there as I looked down at my plate. "Uh, yeah. I must not have much of an appetite right now."
"Well, why not?"
"I dunno... Is it a bad thing, though? I'll eat if ya want me to..."
"Nah...neva' mind."
Rave started eating. I looked at my solitary egg roll and stuck a fork into it. When I began to eat, I started to think that I was hungrier than I thought. Rave ate all that food in no time - which surprised me; how could ANYONE eat so much so fast? I assumed she must have either been extremely hungry or hadn't eaten anything today. What also surprised me was that afterwards she wasn't even full.
"Da'win, I'm gonna go get anotha' plate a' food, OK? I'll be right ba--"
"You're still hungry? Wow."
"Yeah... Well, I'm gonna--"
"Wait, Rave, I have an idea."
"What?"
"Kind of a romantic idea, being that we're on a date..." I grinned, and Rave looked anxious. "We can get one big plate of a LONG Chinese noodle and share it..."
Rave grinned. "I know what yer gettin' at, Dar. Great idea! I'll go get the noodles..."
Rave ran back to the buffet. She returned with a huge plate of noodle. It looked savoury for just a long noodle. I almost regretted that it had to be shared (and yet I didn't regret it because of the surprise I knew I would get in the end). We began to consume the noodle bit by bit, and we seemed to giggle at each other as we did. It seemed so unusually thrilling and fun. (I never thought I would enjoy noodles so much, but I was happy mainly in anticipation of what was to come.) Finally, our anticipation was met. We came to the middle of the noodle, and our lips met. The kiss only lasted a moment, but it was wonderful. Rave smiled at me and blushed. I didn't notice, but I was blushing, too. At that moment, I thought something rather off-topic - I hope no one's staring at us right now... Now it was time to leave. We had our fill of Chinsese food and soda. With our arms intertwined, we began to leave the restaurant when the lady at the cash register counter stopped us.
She spoke in a fake Chinese accent again: "Stop! Where you think you going? You no leave 'til you pay! Pay NOW, NOW!"
"Lady," Rave said, "ya Chinese impersonation’s horrible."
The woman seemed sad for a moment, then turned angry again. "You pay now! Ninety dolla! Plus tax and tip!"
I went to the woman's side and whispered, "Can ya just bill me or something? I can't do this now. I'm on an expensive date and I don't have that much money..."
The lady whispered back, "Then why're you on a date in the first place?"
"Please... cut me some slack this time. I promise I'll pay whenever I can..."
"...Alright. But if my boss finds out about this, I'm blaming it on a tall, gold dingo!"
I nodded, took Rave's arm again, and exited with her. The woman said:
"Arigatou! Have a nice day!"
"I thought 'arigatou' was Japanese," I said.
"Darn..."
*
I then took Rave to the 'Golden Gala' movie theatre, the most expensive theatre in the area. The theatre owner was feeling generous this day and was having a 'one flick free' day, which is the only reason why I took Rave there. We easily got two tickets, then entered the theatre.
"Ah..." Rave began as we traversed its halls, "this is a romantic theata' even!"
I smiled. Then I looked at a clock on the wall. We had fifteen minutes spare time until "Deep Mysteries" started, so we could look around a bit.
"'Ey, Da'win, since we have so much spare time left, can we go get some snacks?"
"Uh, sure, Rave..."
We went to the snack counter. There were so many snacks, and Rave couldn't decide on one. I decided on one already, thought: Malted Milk Balls and a large Sunny Day soda.
"Da'win, can ya help me find what snack ta buy?"
"Well, you should just get the gummi bears..."
"What 'bout a drink?"
"I have another romantic idea... how about..." I whispered something in her ear. She smiled.
"Ah, anotha' great idea!" Rave piped up. She then said to the man working the snack counter, "Instead of this large drink, we'll take an extra large Sunny Day soda with two straws..."
With all the time Rave had spent trying to find out what snack to buy, we barely had time to look around the place like we wanted to. We made it into the "Deep Mysteries" theatre room just as the previews were starting. We chose seats near the back - where the view was at its highest - and settled in. The lights then dimmed, one of the best things in a movie theatre. The previews were all for movies of love. There was a preview that had to do with two lovers killing themselves for each other, a la "Romeo and Juliet"; there was one about an unlikely love, which reminded me of Rave; and there were more having to do with lifetime friendships. After the first few moments of the main attraction's starting, I barely concentrated on the movie. More or less, I was concentrating on Rave. She gobbled down gummi bears at an alarming rate and didn't take her eyes off the screen. I wondered why I was staring at her and not paying enough attention to the movie; I just couldn't bring my face to the movie screen. Finally, I brought myself out of staring at offered Rave one of my candies.
"Here, Rave, want a milk ball?" I whispered.
"Ah, sure," Rave said, holding out her hand to get some. I pours a few into her hand. She said "Thank you" and continued watching the movie.
I shifted around on my seat to get more comfortable, then started watching the movie. I noticed that it was a good old film; a black and white French film with an English caption. I had no idea what was going on; it looked like two men were fighting over a woman, for what reason I wasn't sure of. I didn't feel like watching the movie, actually; I only brought Rave here because I heard that the movie theatre was a romantic place to go. I thought watching the movie was boring, especially an old black and white one. At one point, I finally tried my luck. I slowly sneaked my arm around Rave's shoulders. She noticed, and I wondered if that was the right move. She looked at me and smiled. Whew, I thought. After a while, Rave ran out of gummies. She looked disappointed. I felt sorry and offered her my candy, which I had hardly touched.
"Rave, you can have some of my malted milk balls if ya want..."
"Thank you, Da'win. That's vera nice a' ya." Rave took the milk balls and started eating them just as quickly as she did the gummies.
After a few more minutes, I tried my luck again. Still with my arm around Rave's shoulders, I pulled her closer to me. Rave quietly chuckled. A few little kids in some seats behind us did as well, minding our business instead of theirs. I growled, silencing them. I then proceeded to kiss Rave, which surprised her at first, but then she kissed as well. When we stopped, she looked pleased and smiled, and I felt tingly. After that, I couldn't concentrate on the movie at all, and she barely could, either.
*
We departed from the theatre soon after. As we left, Rave leaned against me with a constant smile. I couldn't stop smiling, either. Rave had looked forward to a tiny dance party somewhere in our date, but we had forgot about that idea after the movie. However, I knew one more place that we could go before the night's through...
"Rave."
“'Uh? What is it?"
"I know a nice area I want to show ya."
"OK, take me there."
I lead her through the Australian forest, all the way past my den, being careful to not trip and making sure that she doesn't, for it was dark and there was little light. We soon reached the spot: a lake I had discovered while wandering one day. It was beautiful tonight. The full moon's shine upon it made it look like it sparkled in one area. Rave was amazed.
"Ah, Da'win, it's real beautiful..."
"I'm glad you think so." I pointed to something up ahead. "There's a little wall over there that we can sit on, if ya wanna..."
"Sure."
Rave took my hand, and we walked to the wall and sat on it. From there, we had a wonderful view of the lake in all its glory. We were sort of quiet as we watched the mesmerizing glow in the lake.
"...It IS really... majestic, eh?" I said.
"Yeah... wonda'ful..."
Rave shivered. She seemed quite cold.
"You cold?" I said, taking off my jacket. "Here, this should help."
I put the warm jacket around Rave's shoulders. (I had to take into consideration that she only had scale and no warming fur.)
Rave smiled. "Thank ya, Da'win, but ya didn't 'afta."
"I wanted to." I winked and smiled, then we both went back to watching the water.
As more silence came, Rave silently thought, T'was a night like this... just like this... my last night with Derrek... She looked at me. And Darwin's so much like him... almost. Darwin... I know he's the new ONE… As Rave looked into the Lake again, tossing a pebble into it, I thought, She seems so sweet and innocent like this... Much different than when I first met her. Gee... And she seems so lonely, too. Longing... We both need a space filled in our lives… I picked up a smooth pebble and threw it at the lake. It skipped on the surface a few times before finally sinking. Rave had seen it, yet said nothing. All was silent, except for an occasional cold gust of wind blowing through the trees.
I sighed and said, "Rave."
Rave abruptly looked at me. "Wha...?"
"Let's make this night perfect."
I kissed her again, and this time, it was a very deep kiss. I wanted it to be passionate and strong, I wanted it to make her feel as happy as possible. She was surprised at first, but she started kissing back eventually. The kiss really seemed to last forever, and although it was still silent, we felt as if a party was going on in our hearts. We held each other as close as we could and continued to kiss. It was amazing how this passion came out through two people that had only known each other for a week. As soon as we stopped, we were nearly speechless.
"Oh, Da'win..." was the only thing tha Rave could say. I said nothing and only smiled as she leaned against me.
*
We soon returned to Crash's house. We had spent a little bit over three hours on a magnificent date, and now we had to return to our resting places.
As we neared Crash's front door, I said to Rave, "Well, it's not like I'm only walkin' ya home or anything, but I can't stay here tonight."
"Huh? Why not?"
"I just hafta... go to my own home tonight. I feel like I've gotta spend some time alone tonight to think about things."
"...I see. Well, I'd betta' do that, too, in that case..." Rave quickly gave me a pack on the lips and smiled. "G'night, Da'win." She ran into the house and closed the door behind her quickly.
"...Good night, Rave..."
I slowly turned around, then suddenly sprinted back into the jungle towards my den. Tonight, on this night, I was the happiest dingo alive. If it weren’t nighttime, I would have leaped up and shouted "HOORAY! HOORAY FOR ME!!" but I decided to save that for tomorrow.
*
I had spent the night wondering about what could possibly come. I thought of the future and yet thought I was getting ahead of myself. How could the future come so soon? I decided that I would share my thoughts with Rave as soon as I returned to Crash's. When I arrived there the next morning, Rave was the first to greet me.
She welcomed me with a loud "HELLO!" and dragged me into the house.
After breakfast, Rave told me about all the things that happened after the date.
"Da'win," she said, sitting me down on the couch, "ya won't b'lieve how much the guys 'ere bugged me afta' our date. They were askin' me stuff like 'did you an' Da'win go out?' and 'didja kiss' an' stuff. No matta' 'ow much I told 'em t' stop buggin' me, they kept askin' me questions ova' and ova'. They finally stopped when I went t' bed. But crikey, they were on me like ugly on Cortex, man..."
"Heh..." I replied. "So, didja tell 'em?"
"No... I still feel I shouldn't... although I fear that it'll be too apparent... that we'll be datin' and stuff..."
"Don't worry. Even if they do find out, I'm sure everything will still be fine."
Rave smiled and held my hand. "Well then, I bet you had a pretty quiet night, eh?"
"Yeah, pretty much. But I spent the rest of my waking hours thinking..."
"'Bout what?"
"You... me... the future..." I sighed. "But I think I'm getting too far ahead of things."
"Oh, no... keep on thinkin', Da'win..."
Rave leaned against me. I put my arm around her shoulders. Just then, Crash and Coco entered the living room, coming out from the kitchen.
"Oh, hi, Dar," Crash said. "Didn't hear ya come in."
Rave and I pulled away from each other. Then I answered Crash:
"Oh, uh, hi."
"I've got some questions for you... and so does Danni... and Sarnie..." Coco said.
"...What kinda questions?" I wearily said.
Coco called Danni and Sarnie into the room. In no time at all, our questioning, nosy friends surrounded Rave and me.
"Guys, Darwin's here again. Maybe we can ask him," Coco said to them.
Sarnie looked at me as if I had done something wrong. "OK, dingo-boy," she said, sitting on the couch beside me, as did everyone else, "where were you on the night of May 20th?"
"Huh?" I looked confused.
"Where were you - and Rave - last night, dummy?"
"Oh... Nowhere!"
Sarnie rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb. Where were you two??"
Rave butted in. "Aw, quit buggin' Da'win an' me! Quit meddlin'!"
"So, you two have some sort of secret? C'mon, spill it!"
"Go 'way!" Rave was getting touchy.
"I AM curious about where they were," Danni started, "but I don't think we should botha' 'em like this."
"...Fine," Sarnie said. But then she shot a look at me. "But I WILL find out."
Everyone went back to what they were doing. Although Crash wanted to watch TV, and the only one was the one in the living room, he decided to leave Rave and me alone.
Rave leaned on me again. "Gaw, see? That's what I was faced with fa' two hours last night."
"Y'mean you were up past midnight?"
"Yeah, but I was basically doin' nothin' but thinkin' about ya... while I could think. It was like I was bein' attacked like a swarm of wasps with those guys last night."
"It was that bad?"
"Yeah. Didn't think they were so nosy."
A few minutes of silence passed, with both of us only sitting still, content and warm with each other’s presence. Afterward, Rave spoke up about something.
"Well, Da'win...last night, I thought about somethin' else. I have toldja a lot about me past and all... or at least a major part of it... but... I don't really know much about yours."
"Right... Well... what's there to tell? My past is pretty boring."
"Tell me anyway... please."
How could I resist? It was only fair; in order for a relationship to work, the pair must know about each other.
"Well... It is pretty sad... y'see..." I wasn't sure how to start. "How do I start... where..."
"How 'bout the beginning?"
"Oh... OK... Well... I had a happy life... until poachers... did away with my parents... Oh, and I had an older brother and sister, but I dunno where they are now... And anyway, after that, I grew up mostly by myself... until I found my sister again - 'cause she is usually out on her own... I kinda sorta hung out with her a while until I was captured... by Cortex... and he made me what I am today... And then, a few years after that life-changing day..."
I stopped for a moment. I didn't know how to explain the next thing correctly. I didn't know how to explain the times when I was crazy about Danni.
"Go on," Rave urged.
"Uh... I hope you don't think this next part sounds...ODD..."
"I won't."
"OK...anyway...then came the time when I met Crash, Coco, and Danni... those were good times, yet bad times as well... At that time... my heart and mind were out of balance. I liked Danni, but Danni liked Crash. For that, I didn't like Crash very much... Not until the end of this 'epic' adventure, involving Cortex interfering in that 'love triangle' did my small tiff with Crash and my obsession with Danni end... I tell ya, Rave, those times were confusing..."
Rave was listening attentively. She didn't seem to think it was odd at all.
"I see... well... Now I know you've been lonely, too." She put her hand on my cheek. "Poor ol' you."
I smiled. I somewhat felt now that I could get closer to her now that she knew more about me. Yet I decided to leave details about the brief time with a certain kangaroo woman out of the story...
"C'mon, Dar, let's go outside," Rave then said. She took my arm and pulled me out into the splendour of the morning.
We didn't know it, but Crash and Coco had been eavesdropping from the kitchen.
"I knew it!" Crash said to Coco. "They have to had gone out. Hee hee! Finally, Dar finds someone who actually likes him."
"Yeah. I hope they're happy together..." Coco said.
*
Rave and I spent the rest of the day mostly trying to avoid anyone else and be alone together. We knew that at one point Crash and the others were going to ask why we had been avoiding them, and we hoped that wouldn't be soon... However, by the next day, I found that Rave and I would have to spend a lot of time apart although our relationship had only just started. That day, soon after everyone had risen from slumber and eaten breakfast, Rave got a phone call. I wondered who would know she was HERE - then I realized it. It was her son, Nicholas, again. It was lucky that Rave answered the phone first, for someone else could have discovered that it was him. To avoid letting Crash or anyone else know about that, she took the phone, base and all, into the guest room. I wanted to listen in, but I decided to mind my own business. A few moments after Rave went into the room, Coco tapped me on the shoulder and asked:
"Who do you think called Rave?"
"Um, I--I dunno," I wearily answered. "Probably some old friend from... where ever else she lives."
After a while of waiting for Rave to be through, my curiosity got the best of me. I sneaked up to the door of the room Rave was in and started listening. She was speaking so softly that I couldn't hear her very well, but I could hear enough to understand what she was saying.
"Ah, I know I should come home by now, but...'Oney, I'm sorry, but I gotta stay a while longer... Aw, don't go cryin' again... Please... I'll be there SOON, I promise... Whadaya mean 'that's what I said before'? Ah, don't cry, I'm sorry, I know I said that... I miss ya too... OK, OK, I'll come 'ome. But only for a short time, 'cause I gotta go back and... do stuff... OK, OK, I'll be there t'night. See ya then, love ya, too..."
Rave hung up. I rushed back over to the living room and threw myself on the couch before anyone could notice that I had been up.
"Dar--" Crash started.
"Shh!" I said.
Just then, Rave came out of the room with a slightly sad look on her face.
"Guys, I got some slightly bad news to tell ya..."
Everyone else but me went up to Rave.
"What is it, Rave?" Danni asked.
Rave sighed before she started: "Well, I kinda hafta leave fa' 'ome t'night...There are some important things I 'afta do ova' there where I live. I won't be gone too long, maybe five days 'r so..."
"You are? Aw, Rave, I wish you still could stay..." Coco said.
"I'll only be gone five days. Don't worry, that's all the time I need to do... what I hafta do there..."
As everyone talked around Rave, mentioning how the next few days would be boring without her - unless some big 'adventure' comes up, which it probably won't - and so on. I only sat facing the back of the couch, wondering about some things...
-Later that day...-
By the time it was 2:30 PM, Rave was packed and ready to go. She had to catch the train that took her to the other side of this Australian island, where she lives. The next train left at 3:00, so we had thirty more minutes of talking time while we waited at the station. After Rave had a little chat with Danni, Crash, Coco, and Sarnie - a chat which I was not part of - she came over to the bench I was sitting on and sat beside me.
"Da'win, whatcha doin' ova' 'ere all by yerself?" she asked me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Ah, I dunno... I'm hardly ever in any group discussions." I sighed and looked out a window at the sky. The sky was still a crisp blue with an occasional cirrus cloud; it was another warm, perfect day, and I wanted to spend it with Rave. I didn't want her to leave now. "Rave... Can't you stay? PLEASE?"
"I'm sorry... but I gotta go back 'ome fer a bit. Nicky's gettin' real lonely there, an' I don't wan' 'im t' be sad."
"...Well, I don't blame him - a five-year-old - alone in a house for over a week? If I were him I'd be scared and lonely, too. Oh well."
"'Ey, 'e's vera mature fer a five-year-old. He can take care of 'imself an' th' 'ouse fer a week."
"Wow. But weren't you ever worried about him while you were here?"
"Every night. Howeva', I do know 'e's OK right now at least, and I'll get t' see 'im again t'night...I've missed 'im, and 'e's missed me..." Rave then looked out a glass window to a train.
"Aww..." I gazed at Rave as she paused in thought. "...I'm gonna miss you, too, y'know, Rave."
Rave faced me again. "Aw, I'll miss you too, Dar..."
Rave kissed me sweetly. And Crash and the others were watching, too.
Crash said as he pointed, "...Is that what I think I see?"
"If you're seeing Rave and Darwin kissing, then yeah..." Sarnie said.
"I still can't believe it, guys," Coco said.
"Look at 'em go, a real couple, I guess," Danni said.
"Yeah..." Crash said.
The rest of the last thirty minutes flew by quickly. In no time, the train was ready. The minutes had gone by quickly, and I still wasn't ready to see Rave leave, but she had to.
"G'bye, guys... Da'win..." Rave waved as she boarded the train. We all said goodbye and waved as well, and we watched as the train slowly gained speed and went out of view. We all waved until Rave and the train were out of sight. By that time, I said under my breath, "I'll miss you, Rave..."
*
Five days without Rave. Now what would I do? What in my boring life could I do? Nothing will be as fun without her this week. I would miss her every day, want to see her but couldn't...
*
*NOTE: From this point in the story it will be told from Rave's point of view.*
The bus ride home seemed longer than the one I took to get to Crash's house. By the time I got there, it was nighttime. The minute I got to the train station, I hopped off the train and high-tailed it home. I was desperate to see Nicky, and home wasn't too far from the station. Finally, my home was reached. I was nearly out of breath as I knocked. I could barely hold my bags or anything; I only wanted to sit down and rest... with Nicholas, my oh-so-missed son. A few seconds after I knocked, I heard the piter-patter of little feet running towards the door. Nicholas.
"Who is it?" I heard him say.
"Open up. It's ya motha', Rave."
"How can I be sure? You could be a robot that sounds like my mom!"
"Don't worry, I'm real this time. Lemme in."
"Password."
"Aw, c'mon, Nicky...!"
"Password, now!"
Argh, I thought. Nicholas did this often. He always made up a password that I had to remember whenever I left the house and left him home. In order to let someone in, that someone had to know the password. I had forgotten the last one, being that it'd been a week since I last thought of it.
"Well?" Nicky continued.
"C'mon, Nick, can'tcha just lemme in?" I sighed. "I'm tired an' 'ungry and..."
"But mommy, you hafta know the password..."
I sighed again. I dug through my memory to try to remember. "Is it 'blueberry muffin'?"
Nicholas slowly opened the door a bit. "Can you say that again?"
"'Blueberry muffin.'"
Nicholas suddenly pulled the door open and leaped out and grabbed me. "MOMMY!" he screamed, overjoyed.
I dropped my bags. "Heh heh... Nicholas. Great to see you again, dear!"
I entered the house, trying to carry my bags and Nicholas at the same time.
*
I only plopped the bags into my room and then rested in the den by the TV. I was finally home. Now I could spend more time with my son, because he had been very lonely. He sat beside me, beaming and not letting go of my arm.
"So, Nicky, what'd you do while I was away? Didja go t' sleep at eight like I toldja to? And brush your teeth every day and night? And floss?"
"Yes, Mommy, and--"
"Didja clean up afta' ya'self? Or clean everything you may have spilled...?"
"Yeah, but--"
"You didn't let anyone in 'ere, didja?"
"No, Mommy, but this one guy came by once while you were gone. He called himself a 'salesman.' He wanted to show me a pamf-let thingy."
"What did you do?"
"I told him to go away. He stuck a pamf-let through the mail slot in the door. I put it back out and blocked it from coming. He stuck it under the door then. But I stuck it back under and then blocked that with the door-draft-clocker thingy. Then he stuck it through the mail slot again. I stuck it back outside. He soon got mad and groaned and went away."
"Ha ha ha, good boy, Nicky. Anything else?"
"Nuh-uh. It was so boring here all week. I wanted you to come back 'cause I was lonely." He leaned on my arm.
"Aw...Well, I'm 'ere now, and we'll make the most of the next five days."
"Why only five?"
"Well, I gotta leave again in five days, 'cause there's somethin' important going on back where I went."
"Aw..." Nicky let go of my arm, folded his, and pouted. "You hafta leave again. Why can't you just stay? I don't want you to go."
"Sorry, Nick, but... I hafta concentrate on gettin' ya a new daddy these days... You want a daddy, don'tcha?"
Nick was silent. He looked the other way for a moment.
"Nicholas... Oh never mind that. Let's just have some fun this week, OK? Nothin' but fun." I hugged Nick. He smiled, then chuckled.
"OK, Mommy. We'll have FUN!"
"...But the fun'll 'afta start t'morrow, 'cause it's already thirty minutes afta' yer bedtime."
"Aw, Mom..."
"Nope, no buts...Ya 'afta get yer sleep. Now, c'mon, to bed with ya..."
I carried Nicky to his bedroom, helped him get into his red pyjamas, and tucked him into bed. It turned out that he was even more tired than he seemed, for seconds after I tucked him in, he fell sound asleep. I decided that there was no reason for me to stay up any longer as well, even though it was only about 8:30. I changed into my sleeping clothes and went to bed as well. I couldn't wait to see what the next day had in store for Nicky and me. Sometime around midnight, I felt something tugging at my arm. I groggily woke and tried to find what was bugging me as my blurry vision focused. It was Nicholas. Why was he awake?
"...Nicholas?"
"Mommy... Can I sleep with you tonight?"
I realized that it was now thundering and storming outside, and the thunder must have scared Nicky, I figured.
"Sure, Nicky."
Nicholas hopped into the bed and curled up beside me. I patted him.
"Don't worry, Nicholas, the thunda' can't 'urt ya."
"But it's loud and scary."
"Well, don't worry... Everything will be OK... as long as I'm 'ere fer ya..." I hugged him, then laid back down. He smiled and went back to sleep also.
*
"MOMMY! THE SUN'S UP!!!"
I had a loud awakening the next morning. The sun had barely come over the horizon, and Nicholas was shouting in my ear to wake up. I usually didn't wake up so early while at home, and this awakening was a shock.
"MOMMYYYYYY! THE SUN! IT'S UP...!"
"Gosh, I 'eard ya, I 'eard ya. You're my alarm clock substitute practically."
Nicky bounced out of bed, and I rolled out of bed slowly. I didn't want to get up, but I had to.
"Nicky, mommy's still tired, but if you want me to get up, then OK."
"YAY!!!"
I noticed that he was already in his daytime clothes. He had his shirt on backwards, and his tiny shoes were untied, but it was a good attempt to get dressed. I smiled.
"How 'bout I fix yer clothes first?"
After I fixed Nicky's clothes, I got dressed and started getting breakfast.
"What cereal are ya gonna eat today, Nick? Or didja eat it all already?"
"Nope, there's some left in there...There're some Frosty-O's, my favourite..."
"So ya want some a' that?"
"Yeah!"
"OK then..."
I reached into the cupboard and pulled out the Frosty-O's cereal. Nicholas hopped around happily as I then got out a bowl. It was a very sugary cereal, but I didn't mind him eating it. It was his favourite cereal, after all, and almost the only one he would eat. Nicky ate quickly and sloppily, holding the spoon his own funny way, which I thought was funny, and cute.
"One of these day, Nicholas, th' dentist is gonna get onta ya."
"Nuh-uh," Nicky said with his mouth half full, "I still brush, too."
"But, who knows, a cavity might jus sneak up on ya..."
Nicky stopped for a moment and said, "But I don't wanna cavity, Mommy."
"Well then, you'd betta' cut down on sweets sometime. One of these days, you're gonna eat oatmeal."
"Oh no! I don't like oatmeal!"
"And ya can't keep 'avin' candy for desert afta' dinna', as well as for snacks..."
"No, Mommy! Why are you saying all this now, anyway? I like sweet things..."
"I was just thinkin' about it. An' did you eat a lot a sweets while I was gone?"
"Well..."
"Hmm...?"
"Yes, but... Mommy, please don't take candy away!"
"I didn't say you could neva' 'ave candy again, I only said you 'ad ta cut down."
"OK. But do I hafta eat oatmeal?"
"Yes, sometimes."
"Aww poo. Oatmeal is yucky."
"You'll eventually learn ta like it."
*
After our breakfast discussion, Nicky challenged me to a round of play on his newest video game. I didn't like the games much, being that I didn't understand them, but how could I say no? After about thirty minutes of play, I grew tired of the game.
"Did I just get blasted again?"
"Yeah, Mom. No offense, but you're bad at this game!"
"Can't 'elp it if I dunno what I'm s'pose ta do."
Nicky turned off the game and got out another older one. "Maybe this one will be easier, Mommy."
I read the game cartridge. "Pac Man - Two Player." Maybe this will be easier.
*
After a while of Pac Man action, I suggested that we go outside, realizing that Nick hadn't been able to explore the outside for a week. The rain from last night had stopped, yet it was still cloudy and wet, but otherwise warm. And besides, Nicky and I loved to walk through wet grass barefoot. Hand-in-hand, we strolled through the country-like area where our house was set through the slightly sparkly, wet grass and made it over to a cliff that we went to often. There, we perched upon a large, slightly dry rock.
"Although it's all cloudy, it's a nice day, idn't it, Nicky?" I said.
"Yeah."
After a few moments of quiet as we enjoyed a light breeze, Nicky asked me:
"So, Mommy, what did you do over where you went?"
"Oh, um..." I tried to think of the quickest way to explain everything, leaving out details. "Well, I just 'ad ta see some ol' friends a' mine. And, of course, get--"
"...Get me a new daddy? Yeah, you've said that. Mommy, why do I hafta have a daddy, anyway? Why can't things stay the way they are?"
"You need one. Don't worry about any complicated things if you are worried, Nicky. That's for ME to do."
"Yeah, but... What if he turns mean like some daddies I've seen on TV?"
"He wouldn't. I wouldn't find anyone mean, don't worry."
Nicky sighed. I rubbed his back.
"Don'tcha worry there, Nicholas, don'tcha worry at all. Anyway... What did you do while I was gone? Only watch TV, I bet."
"Yeah. And I did everything by myself. I washed the dishes and clothes and stuff. But one of my red shirts got stuck in the dryer thing. My favourite red shirt."
"Don't worry, I'll... get that out fer ya lata'. Anything exciting happen besides that salesman incident?"
"Not really. Well, some of my friends wanted to play with me, but I told 'em all I couldn't leave the house. And I wanted to play a lot. I was bored after a while."
"Ah. Well, maybe you can see 'em again today?"
Nicky hopped up. "Yeah, that's what we'll do! C'mon, Mommy, let's go to Jem's house...!"
Nicky grabbed my hand and started pulling me.
"OK, OK, hold yer horses. Hehe, you sure are eager."
"Yeah, I miss him. Now c'mon, let's go!!"
*
In no time at all, we winded up at one of Nicky's friend's houses. He ran up to the door before me and pressed the doorbell several times. In an instant, it was answered by Nicky's scruffy, little, 7-year-old, gold-furred dingo friend, Jeremy.
"NICKY!"
"JEM!"
The two boys squealed with delight. To me, it was so cute.
"Nicholas!" Jem started. "You could finally come out of the house! That means yer mom's back, right?"
"Yeah." Nicky pointed to me as I approached.
"Oh, hi, Miss Dingodino," Jem said, smiling. "Come in. You, too, Nick!"
Nicholas and Jem hopped inside, and I followed them. As I came in, I heard a voice call somewhere from another room:
"Jeremy? Who is that there?"
Jem answered, "It's Nick and Miss Dingodino, Mom!"
"Oh!" Then, a tall, thin, golden dingo woman walked into the living room area where we were. "You're back!"
"Yep," I said. "Hi, Olivia."
"Hi, Rave! I've got so much to tell you..."
"I've got a whole lot to say myself."
"Come and sit down and make yourself comfortable, and I'll be with you in a sec." Olivia turned to the boys. "And you two go and play."
Nicky and Jem ran to the back where Jem's room was. The two boys started to chat and play immediately.
"Well, Nick, how's it now that ya 'ave some freedom again?"
"I'm glad to be outta the house. I've missed playing with you and the others."
"I've missed playin' with ya, too. So boring. Anyway, what should we play right now?"
"Hmm... I know!"
Nicholas pointed to the pile of Jem's foil paper airplanes.
"Those?" Jem said. "But those're old."
"Well, we can make new ones, too. Or even add on to the old ones."
"But Mom gets mad at me for using up her foil paper."
"Don't worry, I'm sure we can... Go on, go get more."
Jem, although reluctant, decided to sneak to the kitchen to get some more aluminium foil. He sneaked past the two chatting parents in the living room, made it to the kitchen, quietly grabbed the foil box out of a low cabinet, and made it back to his room.
"Got it," Jem said upon arriving back.
"See? I toldja you could do it."
"Well, now, let's play."
After about 30 minutes, I finally remembered Nicky again.
"Olivia, I wonda' what those kids're doin' back there."
"I dunno. We should go check," Olivia replied. She got up from the living room couch to go to Jem's room, and I followed. "Jeremy, Nicholas, what're you doing?" Olivia said as she peeked into the room.
At once, Jem and Nicky stopped playing wiht their foil fighter jets and stared at Olivia and me.
"Foil planes? I played with those when I was yer age," I said to Jem.
"Jeremy, how many times have I told you not to use up my foil...?" Olivia said.
"It was Nick's idea, Mommy! I told him, but he said to get it anyway..." Jem protested.
"Hey!" Nicky complained.
"Neva' mind that," I said. "You kids should go outside and 'ave some real fun. When I was yer age, I had just as much fun outside without any fancy toys... or foil."
"You sound like an old person, Miss Dingodino," Jem said. "C'mon, Nick, let's go outside."
"You kids stay safe out there. Don't go too far. Don't jump on rocks!" Olivia said.
"...Do I really sound old, Olivia?" I asked.
*
As we parents went back to our adultish talks, Nicky and Jem ran through the grassy fields over to who-knows-where.
"Where're we going?" Nicky asked. Jem was practically dragging him.
"We're gon' ta see Jenny."
"Jenny? We're gonna see her? Now??"
"Yeah." Jem stopped for a moment. "Anything wrong with now? Or Jenny?"
"OH... No..."
"Alright then." Jem started pulling Nicky along again.
Soon, they encountered a small house near the brink of nearby woods. This was the house of Nicky and Jem's friend, Jenny, a young, sweet lynx/canine hybrid who was only 5, like Nicky. Jem banged on the door and awaited an answer. And in a few moments, a tall lynx woman answered it.
"Jeremy, Nicholas, a surprise! Come in," she said.
"Thanks, Miss Sally," Jem said. Before Nicholas could say anything, he was pulled inside. They instantly ran to the back room where Jenny was. As they did, Jem said, "Gee, Nick, you sure don't talk much."
"Well, I can never think of anything t' say..."
"Well, y'need ta."
They entered the room where Jenny was. Only now did they realize that she was asleep. Jenny had fallen asleep on her bed while wearing her good, rose-decorated dress. She had no idea that the two boys had come to visit.
"Should we wake her up...?" Nicholas asked.
"I'm not sure... think she'll be mad?"
"I hope not..."
"You try."
"No, YOU!"
"You!"
"You!!"
Jenny began to stir. They were waking her up by arguing. Then, all at once, Jenny sat up and was almost startled by them.
"Eeeeee!" she shrieked.
"Jenny!" Jem said.
"It's only us, Jen," Nicky said.
"Oh... Why are you here? Don't bug me like dat!" Jenny got flustered.
"Don't get yer dress in a knot, we only came ta visit. Wanna play in th' fields?" Jem offered.
"Sure, I guess."
The three children ran out of the back room to the front door. Jenny's Mom stopped them just as they were going to exit.
"And where're you all going?"
"Uh... outside in the field to play," Jem said.
"OK. Just don't you get into the beehive. And Jenny, don't get your dress messed up."
"I won't," Jenny said.
Then the three children scampered off. As soon as they got deep into the spacious field, they started rolling and playing in the deep grass. It may have been a bit moist, but that didn't stop them. By now, the sun occasionally peeked through the clouds. A small rainbow formed, and it was beautiful, along with the buttercups sparkling with dew and such. The kids enjoyed just romping around in the grass happily.
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