Page 89 of Sharkbait
Ralph gives Mabel and James a little salute, then heads out the door.
I watch him go and feel unexpectedly happy.
And lucky.
I’m still getting used to having my big brother back in my life. I wouldn’t say we were everestrangedexactly—I always knew we’d be there for each other if we truly needed one another—but we were living three thousand miles apart, and that solid year when we barely spoke to each other was rough on both of us.
“Well. Looks like I got myself a car for a while.”
“Looks that way,” James says.
“Come on, let’s dump those bags in your room!” Mabel guides us to the second bedroom. “I did mention you’ll be sharing the room, right?”
“Uhhhhh, no. You didn’t. With whom?”
“Bonnie and Clyde.”
“Who are Bonnie and Clyde?” James and I ask at the same time.
“My mantises,” Mabel says proudly. “Bonnie’s on the left. Clyde is on the right.”
I cross the bedroom to the window where two clear cages rest on a low bookshelf. I approach them slowly and find a praying mantis inside each. Their beady little eyes are alert-as-hell and ready for anything. Their bodies are eerily still, so still I would think they were fake if it weren’t for the occasional twitch of an antenna.
“I need to make one thing clear.”
“Yikes!” I jump.
Mabel is suddenly super serious and whispering in my ear. She’s so close I can smell the strawberry scent of her toothpaste.
“This is their room, and you’re just living in it. Got it?”
“Uh…” I stifle my laugh and whisper, “Sure. Yeah, I mean, they were here first, right?”
“They sure were.” She nods her head, totally missing the joke. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
“They are, yeah.” I nod emphatically, then look at James in the doorway to find he’s doing the same.
Bonnie jerks her triangular head to the side and looks into my soul.
At least, that’s how it feels.
Mabel says, “I was originally in a smaller unit, thinking we could share a bedroom, but... it became clear pretty quickly that wasn’t going to be possible. Anyway, I was psyched when a two-bedroom became available, so they could have their own space!”
“Are you telling me you’ve been paying rent on a whole extra bedroom… for your bugs?”
“That’s what I’m telling you.” She purses her lips and sasses me right back. “Oh, don’t give me that look! Like you wouldn’t do the same if a manatee moved in with you.”
So many strange things about this conversation.
I glance at my suitcases. “Mabes, if this isn’t an ideal situation for you, I can definitely find another place to—”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” She bounces up and down on the air mattress she blew up in anticipation of my arrival. “I’m beyond thrilled you’re here. And Bonnie and Clyde will be too. As long as—” She hesitates. “Well, you, um… I mean, you don’t plan on…”
“Spit it out, lady.”
“You don’t plan on having any… guests in here, do you?” She looks back and forth between James and me.
“Guests?”
