Page 32 of Beautiful Rose

Is Pippi a lady friend or… something else. And how do I feel about the former? Thankfully, Zander clarifies before my brain goes into overdrive.

Zander: Pippi is my neighbor’s obnoxious new parrot, who is still on a different time zone. That stupid bird starts squawking before sunrise and goes on and on…

Reading his words, my lips twist in a smile.

Me: LOL I can’t believe it’s so bad.

Zander: Don’t make fun of me. I’m operating on very little sleep.

Me: How much coffee have you had already?

Zander: Don’t you even start on the coffee.

Me: You are grumpy!

Zander: Pippi is to blame.

A few days later, while I’m sitting in the passenger seat as Kristy drives us to work, my phone vibrates along with a tweet sound, which I’ve assigned to Zander.

Zander: Pippi is gone.

I giggle, and Kristy arches an eyebrow at me.

Me: I hope you had nothing to do with it.

Zander: Not at all. I think Pippi’s owner was equally pissed by him.

Me: I’m glad to hear your nights will no longer be painful.

Zander: Amen to that!

Zander: Did you have a pet while growing up?

My smile drops as I read his text. I chew on my lips, debating how to respond. He doesn’t know the kind of childhood I had.

Me: I grew up in an orphanage. We weren’t really allowed to have pets.

I type but then hesitate. Should I hit send, or reply with a simple no? That would be much easier and possibly less awkward. But then Kristy makes a sharp turn, and my wavering thumb presses on the send button.

Taking me by surprise, his reply is immediate.

Zander: I don’t know if you’re aware, but I was in foster care for some time before moving in with Ashcroft. Was your home good?

I read his message a few more times, not sure if he’s deliberately trying to make light of my unconventional childhood or if it really doesn’t matter to him.

Me: It was good for the most part.

Zander: Hmm. That’s good.

I try to pull the topic of our discussion away from sappy childhood memories.

Me: But if I had a pet, I’d have killed it in a week. Or maybe myself in the stress of keeping it alive.

Zander: LOL You need a low maintenance pet, couch girl.

Two days later, I receive a delivery from the local pet store. In a state of daze, I bring in the glass bowl where a goldfish is swimming, perfectly unaware that it has just been assigned to the most paranoid person.

Me: You sent me a fish!

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