Marian walked into her room and sat on her bed. She started scribbling furiously with a pencil on one wall. She didn't write very much if anything, mostly just random lines. It was something she liked to do when she was angry. She felt bad for yelling already, but she was still incredibly pissed off. After a few minutes she started stabbing the wall with her pencil, creating little scratch marks in the paint. She gave up and threw the pencil across the room, then wondered if AJ or Glyn had called Brian. 'Maybe, maybe not. In any case, I feel like telling him, so I don't care.' She found the portable phone and dialed his number.
"Hello?" Brian sounded considerably more relaxed than he felt. It was like AJ to disappear for a few hours, but two days?
"Hello," Marian echoed. She noticed that she sounded kind of drugged. "Glyn called me. She and AJ are both fine."
"What?! When did she call?"
"Oh, about ten minutes ago. They've been running around joyously since they got off the subway this morning."
".....So they just completely forgot to call?"
"Something along those lines. In any case, neither of them are dead."
"How nice of them to let us know," Brian muttered under his breath.
"Um." Marian considered saying she felt the same way, but she didn't want to rant about Glyn, even though she was rather enraged with her at the moment. If Brian had been there in person she didn't want to think about everything she might have said. 'Good thing he isn't, then,' she told herself half-heartedly. Brian suddenly felt very lonely, listening to Marian breathing. "I should go," she mumbled unhappily.
"I guess." Audrey was out shopping with Kevin. He wished he were talking to Marian in person. He imagined her sitting alone in her apartment, staring unhappily at the floor as she tended to do when she was upset. "Are you okay?"
"Okay?" 'That's funny. Why in the hell would I not be?' "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. 'I'm going crazy! I've never been better.' "How've you been?"
"Okay," Brian replied unenthusiastically.
"Well, um..." 'Go on and talk to Audrey, now.' "Bye." She hung up, walked to a window in the living room, and frowned at the floor for a while.
"Aww, damnit," Brian said disappointedly. Time to resume another fun-filled afternoon sitting around his house, talking to Tyk(e) and waiting for Audrey to return from wherever she was out running around merrily with Kevin.
---
"Jeez. I hope she's not too pissed..." AJ mused as he and Glyn walked down the hallway of Glyn's apartment building.
"You hope in vain." Glyn shook her head sadly. "No Spike! This way... no, I said this way." She tugged gently on the leash and Spike followed her. "I hope she talks to me. Marian's the coolest person, Spike. You'll love her." She came to their door and unlocked it, then let Spike off his leash. AJ sat the bag of dog food and the food and water dishes on the floor in the kitchen. Glyn followed Spike as he joyously ran into the living room. AJ heard her shriek very loudly a few seconds later. He ran after her to see why she had screamed and saw Glyn sitting on her knees in front of a coffee table, upon which rested a pair of dark brown leather combat boots and a long black corduroy coat. Glyn smiled ecstatically at AJ and pulled off her shoes to try on her new boots. She pulled a light blue post-it note off the tabletop and read it. 'Hello Glynnie and happy birthday! Sorry I was a bitch to you on the phone. Remember these? You've been obsessed with them since you saw them in November. You'd better still want them! I'm tired and I'm taking a shower then going to sleep. Love, Marian.' Glyn put the boots on and laced them up, then put on the coat and looked happily at AJ.
"I'm almost as tall as you now!"
"Almost, but still not. You look great in those."
"Thanks! Spike, do you think so? Are you hungry, Spike? Hmm?" Glyn went to the kitchen to get some food for Spike. He followed her for a few steps then lost interest and started licking AJ's hand. Glyn walked back in. "I hope I didn't wake up Marian..." Suddenly, Spike ran to the door and started barking madly. "Oh no. Some poor innocent soul walking by in the hallway... Spike, be nice!" Glyn pulled him away from the door. "SORRY!" she yelled at whoever was walking by. She heard a familiar noise. "Oh no... AJ!" He walked into the kitchen.
"What?"
"What is that noise?" AJ listened carefully.
"Umm... A dog. Barking," he answered. "A little dog." Glyn heard something tapping on the door and opened it.
"Brian!" she practically shouted, surprised. Brian was standing at the door looking confused and holding Tyk(e). "Umm. Hi. Come in..." Why was he here?
"Hi Glyn... Hi AJ. Tyk(e)! Be nice!" He held Tyk(e) up in the air, afraid he would try to kill the larger dog that was standing beside him, barking loudly. Brian wondered what he was doing here again.
"Hey man. Why are you here?" AJ got straight to the point.
"I don't know," Brian said honestly. "I thought I might yell at you guys for disappearing. Why are you here?"
"Because I'm Glyn's boyfriend!" AJ replied proudly. Suddenly Spike was distracted by something and ran in the direction of the living room.
"Nutcase." Glyn stared after Spike adoringly. "I love that dog! YOU, on the other hand..." She looked at Tyk(e). "Well, nevermind. You're more rat than dog."
"Hey, be nice. Tyk(e) is too a dog," Brian insisted.
"Uh huh, sure. And so are Miffie and Muffie."
"Hey!" AJ cried defensively.
"Yeah, whatever Alexander. I'm hungry...." Glyn looked in the freezer. "Mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, vanilla, and strawberry... Hm, we need more ice cream." She settled for mint chocolate chip.
"You need more ice cream?" AJ asked skeptically. "Jeez, you only have four cartons."
"Well this one's halfway empty," Glyn pointed out as she hunted for a bowl.
"Yeah, whatever Glyndalyn." AJ laughed and Glyn threw some ice cream at him. It hit the side of his head and he retaliated by taking the strawberry ice cream out of the freezer and flinging spoonfuls of ice cream at Glyn. Soon they were having an all-out ice cream war. Brian wandered into the living room after he'd been hit twice, still holding Tyk(e). He looked around warily for the huge grey dog Tyk(e) wanted to kill and didn't see it anywhere. What had Glyn called it? Spike? It couldn't have been very far away because Tyk(e) had started yapping madly again.
"Quiet, Tyk(e)." Brian tried to hush the rat-dog but it jumped out of his arms and started running in circles gleefully. After a few seconds Tyk(e)'s ears perked up and he ran to a door and started hurling himself against it, growling as loudly as he could.
"I hear a rat dog," someone on the other side of the door muttered. Marian frowned. AJ had brought one of his hybrids with him. She'd been talking to the unbelievably cute Great Dane that had wandered into her room a few minutes earlier when the dog started spazzing. She'd woken up when she heard Glyn scream, but didn't feel like getting out of bed.
"Tyk(e)! NO!" Brian picked him up again and walked away from the door. Marian was very confused. Why was Brian here? And why did he bring that little dog? She got out of bed and opened her door, Spike running through it happily. "Hi Marian." Brian saw her and smiled.
"Hi.." Marian wandered into the kitchen where Glyn and AJ were still trying to kill each other with ice cream, vaguely wondering why the hell they were throwing ice cream and why Brian was in the living room.
"Hi Mari!" Glyn waved a spoon at her, grinning.
"Hi Glynnie. What's going on?" Marian looked around the kitchen sleepily.
"Um, nothing. SPIKE!" Spike had come bounding into the kitchen and was now eating ice cream off the floor. Glyn sat beside him on the floor and hugged him. "Mari, this is Spike! Isn't he the cutest?"
"Yes." Marian smiled. She turned and started to walk out of the kitchen, but something cold hit the back of her head. "Oh Glyn you are SO dead!"
"Hmm?" Glyn smiled at her innocently. "It wasn't me! AJ did it!"
"Did not!" AJ flung some more ice cream at Glyn. Marian got a box and a spoon and started pelting Glyn with it too.
"Aaagghh!! Not fair!! Brian save me!" Glyn put her arms over her head.
"What?" Brian watched them amusedly from the doorway, still holding a struggling Tyk(e). Spike ran up behind him and started barking at Tyk(e). "Spike, go back in the living room! Please? Be nice Spike!"
"No Spike! Stay!" Glyn scooped up some melting ice cream from the floor and put it in Brian's hair.
"Glyn!" Marian scolded her. "Why did you do that? No, don't answer that!" Glyn smiled and Marian chucked more ice cream at her.
"Eww! I'm all sticky." Glyn sighed.
"For once in your life." Marian rolled her eyes.
"Shut up." Glyn realized that she'd been wearing the same clothes for about forty-eight hours.
"There is ice cream in my hair." Brian said slowly.
"Aren't we observant today!" Glyn said cheerily. "Genius!"
"There's no more strawberry." AJ stated.
"No more mint chocolate chip either." Marian nodded.
"We should go get some! Can't live without ice cream." Glyn frowned.
"Good idea!" Marian agreed. "Me and Brian could go cause you two are all.. umm.. nasty."
"So are YOU! You have ice cream in your hair and so does Brian." Glyn laughed. Brian stole AJ's hat and pulled it down over his eyes. Marian put her hair up in a ponytail and they were all set.
"And we're off!" Marian smiled and walked out the door.
"I'll take care of Tyk(e) for you Brian." Glyn picked up the rat dog and smiled somewhat viciously.
"Maybe-" Brian looked at her warily.
"They'll be okay." Marian pulled him through the door and shut it loudly.
"Hello Tyk(e)! How are YOU today? Ya know, you'd fit in an ice cream box I bet.." Glyn held him up to her face. "Ew! Stop that!" He started licking her nose and she put him hastily back on the floor. "Spike! Dinner time! I hope you like rats!"
"Tyk(e)e is not a rat!" AJ declared, walking out of the kitchen.
"Oh, but he is." Glyn replied somberly. AJ went into the bathroom to wash his hands and Glyn grabbed Tyk(e), hauling him into the kitchen where a mostly empty ice cream carton awaited them on the counter. "Taco ice cream.. yum yum." Glyn carefully put him in the box and closed the lid, deciding to poke a few holes in the top for air.
"What are you doing?" AJ asked suspiciously, coming out of the bathroom.
"I was just going to start cleaning up. Have you seen Tyk(e)?"
"No.." AJ picked up a stray ice cream box and started toward the trash can.
"Oh no." Glyn muttered.
"What the…?" The ice cream box had barked. "GLYN!!!"
"It wasn't me!" Glyn ran into the living room and hid behind the couch. Spike ran over to her excitedly and barked happily. "Shhh Spike!" Tyk(e), covered in ice cream, decided to bask in his new freedom and threw himself at Spike.
"Brian is not going to be happy when he comes back and his dog is all sticky." AJ sat down next to her and restrained Tyk(e).
"We could give him a bath!" Glyn jumped up and ran to the bathroom.
"Maybe that's not such a good idea, Glyndalyn.." AJ frowned.
"Oh but it is!" Glyn turned on the faucets in the bathtub. "Here, give me the rat!." AJ reluctantly handed Tyk(e) to Glyn, who placed him in the bathtub carefully. "Marian won't mind if we use her shampoo. It smells good." She opened the bottle and heard the phone ring, then dropped the shampoo bottle in the bathtub and went to get the phone, AJ following.
"Hello?" Glyn wondered what time it was. It seemed rather late.
"Glyn, darling! How are you sweetie? Happy Birthday!" It was her mother, Glyn cringed.
"Hi Mom. I'm fine. Thanks…." Glyn chatted with her mother for a while, then hung up, looking somewhat disgusted. "Spike! I forgot to feed you! Follow me." Spike followed Glyn to the kitchen and she gave him some dog food and water then watched fascinatedly as he ate. She heard voices in the hallway, then someone knocked on the door. "I thought I left it unlocked … hmm…" Glyn opened the door.
"Hi Glyn." Marian held out a bag containing a few cartons of ice cream to her. "I couldn't open the door. Sorry." Glyn saw that she was holding another bag in the other hand.
"Oh, and Brian couldn't open the door for you? How gentlemanly."
"No he couldn't. Umm… We got a lot of ice cream, Glyn." Brian was carrying two bags as well. Marian smiled and started shoving boxes in the freezer. "Coffee ice cream, some more vanilla, mocha almond fudge, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, cookies and cream, pralines and cream, and dulce de leche. … Hey Glyn? Is the bathtub running?" Glyn froze.
"OH shit…" She ran out of the room. AJ was sitting on a couch. "Can you keep them distracted for a minute or two?"
"Umm…" AJ stuttered. Marian and Brian had followed Glyn.
"Oh no. Where's Tyk(e)?!" Brian demanded. Tyk(e) started yipping madly and Glyn ran into the bathroom and shut the door.
"Glyn!!! Open the door! What's going on?!" Marian knocked on the door.
"SHUT up Tyk(e)!" Glyn hissed. "You're not drowning or anything." Tyk(e) was up to his neck in water. She found a towel for Tyk(e) then looked cautiously behind her when she heard the door open.
"I knew we shouldn't have left him here!" Brian stuck his head in the door behind Marian.
"Poor Tyk(e)." Marian took Tyk(e) out of the water and wrapped him in the towel Glyn had supplied. "Glyn, what the hell were you doing?" She tried not to laugh.
"He was having a bath," Glyn mumbled sheepishly.
"Tyk(e) doesn't need a bath!" Brian said indignantly. "He had a bath yesterday! And the day before that… And the day before that, too…." Brian remembered.
"Jeez! Well he really needed a bath this time," Glyn assured him.
"Glyn! What did you do?" Marian demanded. She handed Tyk(e) to Brian and they walked into the living room. Brian scratched the top of Tyk(e)'s head, which was still dry.
"Ew." He looked at his fingers. "Ice cream?"
"Oh no…." Glyn said uneasily.
"AJ, what happened to Tyk(e)?" Marian asked.
"It was HER! I didn't do anything!" AJ pointed at Glyn, who shrugged innocently.
"It was AJ. Why would I have anything but love and affection for that rat?"
"No, it was Glyn!" AJ repeated. "Umm…. She put him in an ice cream carton!"
"An ice cream carton?!" Brian exclaimed. "Glyn! How could you?!"
"He wanted to go in it, I swear!" Glyn protested. "And he had fun! He ate lots of ice cream! …" No one looked amused but AJ. "I punched holes in it so he could freaking breathe, at least."
"Well wasn't that nice of you. Tyk(e) must love you so much now." Brian looked at Tyk(e) worriedly. "He's gonna be sick later. He always gets sick if he eats ice cream."
"It was AJ who tried to throw him away," Glyn muttered.
"AJ!" Brian glared at him.
"I didn't know he was in the stupid ice cream carton!"
"Right. SURE you didn't. AJ, normal people can tell when an ice cream carton they're holding is empty."
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