Page 79 of Flirtasaurus
“I’m not usually one to pass blame, but… yes, definitely your fault.”
“Damn.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not, though.”
We sit down side by side for a moment in silence.
I look up, and Trix’s tiny little T-Rex arm makes a gesture that definitely means, “Go on, gurl.”
“Hm. Let me see if I might be able to…”
I slip my hand gently down the front of his pants.
“And we’re back!” he shouts.
Game on.
Chapter Seventeen
“Morning, friends!” Mabel says cheerily.
“WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” I blurt at a volume way too loud for eight a.m. on a Sunday morning in a science museum cafeteria.
Ralph chuckles under his breath at my side, and calmly replies, “Good morning, Mabel.” Mabel waves wildly even though we’re standing right in front of her. “Otto.”
Otto salutes and grins, then says in a low tone, “How you doing, kid?”
“Fine. Why? Why would you ask me that?”
“Because you were high as hell on shrooms last night.”
“Shhhhhh! Can you just…! This is my place of… Can we actually not talk about this right now, please?”
Otto continues, “Kid, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Psychedelics are a beautiful thing. I truly believe if more of us engaged in fungal delights, our culture as a whole would be far more loving and accepting.”
“Gotcha, Otto, but I think it would be best if we just forgot about all the events that took place last night.”
“All the events that took place last night?” Ralph asks me with a pointed look.
“Ralph.” I lower my voice. “I can’t afford to lose my job.”
“No one is losing their job,” he says with confidence.
“Oh my gosh, who is losing their job?” Mabel croons.
“I repeat,” Ralph says firmly. “No one is losing their job. I am going to grab some breakfast. Calliope, can I get you something? Anyone?”
I peruse the offerings from a distance. Looks like single-serve Cheerios or floppy, thin French toast is the name of the game this morning.
“Nah, I’ll pass. Thank you.”
Otto pipes up. “You should probably eat a little something, kid. Sometimes after a trip, your body can be a little—”
“I said I’ll pass!” I say a bit too harshly. “I mean, thank you, Otto. Thank you, Ralph. But I’m fine.”
After one more look of concern, Ralph walks up to the cafeteria line. He immediately turns on a smile for the parents and kids he joins there.
