Page 65 of Swiped
Rami and Allison pulled up a long driveway in their cab. Their muggy journey had finally come to an end at Rami’s next birthday surprise — the California Academy of Sciences.
He hopped out of the car and opened the door for Allison, barely pausing his narration. “Anyway, I can’t wait to show you these penguins. The live feed just doesn’t capture it.”
She gave him her hand as he led her up the steps.
“One of the penguins, Harold, I swear he can look into your soul.” Rami sauntered up to the ticket booth. But it was a void of darkness. He checked his watch — it was only three o’clock.
Allison tapped on a handwritten sign taped to the glass.
“Closed early for cleaning?” he cried. “But penguins regularly preen themselves in order to stay warm and waterproof!” He sighed and fixed Allison with a sad stare. “I’m sorry. Again.”
Allison bounded down the steps, trailing red curls. “Hey now, don’t give up so easily.” She shot him another of her sly looks. “What would Fun Sun say?”
Rami caught up with her as she poked around a construction fence on the side of the museum. “You’re right,” he said. “Fun Sun lives in the moment.”
Allison nodded as she rattled the chain and sized up the chain link fence. “We used to do this kind of thing all the time back home.”
He watched her ignore his nervous chuckle and keep exploring.
“Really gotta make your own fun in a farm town.” She put a sneaker into a gap in the fence and hoisted herself up. “All right!” she cried. She grinned at him over her shoulder. “Ready for an adventure?”
Rami felt his eyes widen. “Seriously?” He waited for her to say it was a joke. She didn’t. “I mean, I’d do anything for Harold, but . . .”
“No one is here. You can do this!” She climbed up the fence like it was something she did every day. “Just pretend you’re Jason Bourne.”
“Yeah, that’s not the character who I play in that movie.”
She dropped to the ground on the other side and dusted off her hands. “We’ll just walk around the open areas for a bit, and if we see a guard, we can hide in the bathroom!” Her teeth flashed in a feline grin. “And who knows, maybe we’ll find a golden statue and solve a mystery.”
“Are you making aFrom theMixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweilerreference?”
She nodded with the same toothy smile.
Rami sighed and hoisted himself onto the fence. “I think you’ve discovered my data point.”
Allison jumped up and down when he landed on the other side. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the building.
He followed for a few steps and then tugged her gently back toward him. She turned to him, her green eyes gleaming. He pulled her close and kissed her.
“Ooh, I see someone likes a little danger,” she cooed.
“Mmm-hmm.” Rami nodded. “I do.”
“Come on.” She pulled his hand again. “Let’s go inside!”
“Yeah, I know the guy who designed the AI surveillance system for this place, so we’re definitely not breaking in,” he said. “But that’s also how I know there’s a blind spot in the system right about . . .” He led her toward a copse of trees.
She followed.
“Right about here.”
She leaned back against a tree and reached for him.
He put his arms around her. Droplets of rain fell as the wind rustled the leaves. And they made out in a way that he imagined would be described as “furiously.”
* * *
Nat tapped her fingers along the stem of her martini glass. She was at her stool in the bar, waiting to see if Rami would take his customary place at the one beside her.
