Page 20 of Sky Song
The little animal face disappeared from the window, and the curtains billowed and swung before it appeared again, blinking owlishly at the bright light of the sun Kle.
Paloma sidled closer to the window and opened her mouth wide. The creature whose body was shaped like a cat’s but whose head resembled a cross between a rabbit and a monkey, cocked his head at her, looked attentively, and also opened his mouth.
Cricket groaned. “Please, don’t start.”
“No, watch it, it’s so fucking stupid, it’s hilarious.”
She puckered her lips and made smacking noises, rolling her eyes back and forth. Hipper mimicked from behind the window, and his expression came pretty close.
Unable to help it, Cricket followed Paloma’s lead and puffed her cheeks. Hipper puffed his.
And so they went.
Laughing until tears streamed out of their eyes, Cricket and Paloma competed in making outrageous faces at Mr. Sulys’ secret pet. He mirrored them every time. His rabbit head with droopy ears was ugly, and bizarre, and so unlike a human’s, but his expressions were comically precise.
“Watch this,” nudging her with the elbow, Paloma said through watery giggles. “This is how I utilize the acting skillsmamanpaid a fortune for.” She made several silly faces that Hipper emulated perfectly. “Good thing, too. Acting comes so handy at the daycare.”
“You act at the daycare? In what role?” Cricked gasped between fits of laughter.
“What do you mean? In the role of a person who likes children! I smile and cheer at the little monsters as I wipe snot from under their noses. All day long! It’s exhausting.”
“I would much prefer working at a daycare than the lab,” Cricket confessed. Especially considering her co-workers.
“We should switch. Bring on all your shit samples, and you can have the snotty brats.”
“You’re killing me, Paloma!”
“One more for the vermin. Look at me, you revolting creature.”
“Good morning, ladies.”
They jumped simultaneously. Paloma had a much better control over her facial expression - years of expensive schooling paid off. Cricket knew she looked guilty as hell.
“Good morning, Mr. Sulys! What a lovely day to be outside.” Paloma dabbed at her wet eyes like a dainty debutante and smoothly turned her back to his window, pretending there was nothing to see there. “Say, is your power out the same as ours?”
“I say, what is the world coming to? Power supply - gone. This is preposterous. Like we live in some prehistoric times.”
The heat in her cheeks no longer rising, Cricket turned to face her neighbor on the right. Mr. Sulys was shaking his head, his ruddy face reflecting disapproval. He was dressed in his usual lightweight shirt and convertible cargo pants suitable for going fishing, except Mr. Sulys wasn’t known to enjoy the outdoors. He was holding a paper bag that smelled delicious of fresh bread.
“I’m sure it’ll come back up in no time. Is this your breakfast, Mr. Sulys?” Cricket nodded at the bag.
“The last of the available options.” He readjusted his firm grip on the bag. “The bakery can’t bake if there’s no electricity.Everyone's waiting for the government to take care of this problem.”
“What are people saying about the cause?”
“Nobody knows anything. They only ask questions.”
“What an odd morning.” Paloma shook her head, playacting for Mr. Sulys’ sake. She wasn’t naturally this simpering.
“Well, I don’t want to hold you ladies up any longer.”
“Have a nice day, Mr. Sulys,” Cricket said to his back.
“You too!” He waved at them over his shoulder and disappeared inside. The curtains in the window moved once and everything went still.
“Asshole,” Paloma grumbled. “What about,Do you ladies need any help? Can I share my delicious breakfast with you, seeing as you probably can’t cook now?An egotistical little douche.”
Cricket chuckled. “You know him. A big baby.”
