Java Chip Frappe
Act Three
"You mean we hafta play tour guide?"
Mordecai felt his eyes roll. As if he had to explain himself to Rigby. The instructions Benson had given them earlier were clear; today they were to give Rye a tour of the entire park. Yes, of course he knew it was a lame job but they didn't have much of a choice! And if he was going to be honest with himself, giving a tour was much better than mowing the lawn.
"You heard Benson, Rigby." Mordecai said as he moved through the kitchen, his raccoon friend hot on his trail.
"But this is gonna blow!" He replied, dropping to all fours and running out in front of the taller blue bird. "We've seen every inch of this place like a zillion times and now we gotta show some broad around?"
"Would you rather mow the lawn, dude?" Mordecai asked, a single brow lifted.
The features on Rigby's face settled. "Good point."
"She seems pretty cool, so it shouldn't be so bad." Mordecai added.
"Well what about her friend, Heather!" Rigby stood up straight and placed his hands to his hips. "She's nuts and-"
Knock, knockAh, that had to be Rye. Mordecai jerked his head to the right and began to exit the kitchen. The sound of Rigby's nails hitting the hardwood floor let him know he was being followed. He reached the front door in no time and placed his feathers around the golden doorknob. With a single twist, the door unlatched and he pulled. The image of Rye came into full view within seconds. Dressed in a white working shirt and a pair of jeans while wearing her long wavy hair up in a tight bun. Slung over her left shoulder was a dark blue polka dotted bag.
"Hey," She said with her right hand lifted.
"Hey Rye," Mordecai slipped to one side and allowed the older female to enter the house.
Rigby jumped up and down with glee, his eyes glued to the large bag attached to her shoulder. "What's in the bag?"
Rye stepped passed both boys and made her way to the kitchen. Hm, so she already knew her way around the house did she? Impressive. Mordecai followed behind, Rigby holding a close second. The trio entered the brightly lit kitchen while Rye made her way toward an empty counter. She slid the shoulder strap from her arm and placed the container down.
"Lunch." She said with a satisfied smile.
"You brought FOOD?" The mammal squealed.
"I thought by the size of the park, it might take a few hours to get the complete tour," Rye placed both hands to her hips as she continued, "I thought we might get hungry."
"Cool," Mordecai said with a single bob of his head. "What is it?"
"Tuna noodle casserole."
"Tuna?" The look of excitement vanished from Rigby's face. "Ick!"
"Dude!" The taller male snapped at his smaller partner.
"I don't like tuna." He threw his arms over his chest and turned his nose upward.
"Whatever." Rye shrugged her shoulders. "You can eat in then."
"Don't worry about him," Mordecai nudged the raccoon with his elbow. "He'll try anything once."
Rigby opened his mouth as if to speak with the sound of footsteps caught them off guard. They watched as Benson entered the large kitchen, pencil and clipboard in hand. He approached the trio while his eyes remained glued to the paperwork in front of him.
"Hey," He began in a smooth voice. "I just wanted to make sure Rye got here alright."
Rye lifted her thumb upward, almost in a sarcastic sense. "I'm here." Mordecai found himself snorting back his laughter at Rye's actions.
"Okay, we'll I'm going back home early today," He continued on, "I have some things to take care of before tomorrow."
"What?" Rigby's jaw dropped. "You mean you get the day off while we're working our butts off? What the HECK, man?"
Benson's brow twitched with anger. "You can have the day off if you want to go without pay." Seeing the expression on Rigby's face as a reply, he continued. "Now, Mordecai I want you to make sure Rye gets home in once piece."
Take Rye home? What the heck was up with that? Since when did Benson care about his employees? Then again, could Rye be considered a real employee? He was paying her for her services, wasn't he? It had to be because Rye was a chick.
Benson had a gentleman hidden within all that grumpy exterior? It was enough to make him laugh out loud.
"Fine," Mordecai choked back the giggles that crept up his throat.
"Good," Benson whirled around and began his walk to the exit. "Call me if you have any problems."
Mordecai waited a few moments until Benson had left the room entirely. Ugh, why couldn't he be a gentleman with the men in the house? While it was laughable for a moment or two, it did make his stomach crawl; the thought of Benson's love life was sickening.
"Well lets get started." Rye pressed by the two younger males. "The sooner the better."
XoXoX
Two hours passed by quicker than expected. Much quicker, especially since Mordecai went into this job thinking it would take forever. After all, he knew the park from top to bottom enough as it was. They took Rye, by cart; to each place marked on the map Benson had given them earlier. Their boss had marked each spot that Mr. Maellard wanted plants, most of them near the gazebo and the entrance of the park. It only took the professional landscaper moments to jolt down a few extra details in her notebook before they moved on to the next space marked on the map. She was quick in her work but was she being detailed?
He couldn't be sure yet.
Benson had found Rye off the internet, right? How skilled could she be if she was found off of, what he assumed, was Craigslist? He had never heard of Rye's services before and he hadn't yet seen any other workers from her 'business'. Was she a pro or was she just someone listed on the advertising website with a catchy ad, ready to make a quick buck?
Either way he couldn't keep his mind on the subject for long, he had a job to do whether Rye was a pro or not. As long as she didn't run the park out of money with some kind of scheme, it didn't matter to him.
"Ready for lunch?"
He was caught off guard by the sound of her voice. He turned in her direction to see her body leaving the cart. He had driven the small, white cart back to the house without thinking and he was sure Rigby was ready for lunch. The job had started at around 10 am and two hours had passed so it had to at least 12.
He pulled one leg out of the cart then the other. He pushed his body upward and stood up. He looked beyond the cart to see Rye and Rigby approaching the back door, where the kitchen was located. He followed and within moments was in the familiar kitchen area.
Around the counter stood Pops, Skips, Muscle Man and High-five Ghost, all speaking amongst each other. So they had gathered for lunch as well? Then again the promise of the new landscaper did draw attention.
"Oh!" Pops awed as the trio entered deeper into the kitchen. "Mordecai, Rigby! It's about time you came in for lunch!"
"Yeah, I'm stravin'." Rigby placed his fuzzy hands over his belly. "Let's get some GRUB."
"We also wanted a chance to meet Ms. Rye!" Pops stepped forward with his classic smile and giggle.
Rye lifted her hand to pause the older male in his sentence, "Just call me Rye."
"Its about TIME we got a chick around here," Muscle Man beamed with a toothy grin. "It's a sausage fest around here!"
Mordecai felt the rush of embarrassment rush over his body. Ugh God, why did Muscle Man have to make a jerk of himself in front of the only woman they had in the house in months?
"So you're the landscaper?" Skips said, his voice changing the awkward atmosphere in the room.
Rye shrugged her shoulders a single time. "If you wanna call me that."
The tall blue jay flinched. What was that supposed to mean? Was she just confirming all of his worst fears? If it was enough for Skips to bring up in conversation then it was obviously bothering him as well. Perhaps the yeti wanted to keep a watchful eye on the young 'landscaper'?
Mordecai had to get the thought out of his head. He cleared his throat before moving forward, opening his arm to the four men new to Rye. "Rye, meet Pops, Skips, Muscle Man and High-five Ghost."
Instead of saying anything, Rye lifted her hand into the air and waved it a single time.
"Uh," Mordecai released a nervous laugh as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. "Let's get to lunch…"
"Right." Rye nodded.
The group of men parted, allowing the lone female to step between them. She then placed her hand on the large tote bag she had brought in two hours earlier. She pulled the zipper from the right side of the back all the way around the square bag until it came to the far left side. Popping open the carrier, she revealed a large glass dish that held the casserole.
"What a delightful bag!" Pops slapped his cheeks and gushed. "Where did you get it?"
"This old thing?" Rye peeked over her shoulder to make eye contact with the older male behind her. "Its from QVC, it's a special brand or something like that…" She trailed off and turned her chin forward once more. "You four can have some too, if you'd like."
"Oh?" Pops tilted his head to one side. "How kind! It would be rude of us to decline your offer, Rye."
"Now…" She muttered to herself as she pulled away from the counter and made her way to the oven.
She stood in front of the electric oven and placed her left hand to her hip. With her free right hand she began to stroke her chin in question. Was she confused? The cocked brow on her forehead and the humming sound that vibrated through her lips said 'yes'.
"What's the matter never used a electric oven before?" Muscle Man said in a taunting voice.
"Uhhh," Rye spun around to face the men. She had released her arms from her pervious position and shrugged her shoulders in a loose manner. Her eyes screwed shut while her eyebrows flipped upside down. A string of nervous giggles left her as sweat built on her temple.
Knock, knockMordecai's body stiffened. Since when did someone ever knock on their door without invitation? There was no way it could be Benson, he had a key after all. Mordecai lead the way and turned his attention toward the direction of the front door.
"Ohh! More guests!" Pops clapped his hands.
"I'll get it!" Rye found the perfect opportunity to break from her awkward stance at the oven and made a dash for the front door.
She fled from sight before Mordecai could stop her. The sound of the door creaking open alerted all the males to dart toward the doorway of the kitchen. One by one they stood at the right side of the doorway, their heads just peeking around the corner.
"Did you invite anyone over?" Mordecai looked downward to Muscle Man.
"Psh," The green man scoffed. "No."
Then who could it be? It wasn't as if visitors came regularly to their door. In fact, by Benson's own testimony, people made an effort to stay away from the house. If it wasn't one crazy situation it was another…
"Oh what's up Heather?"
Mordecai felt his heart drop into his stomach. Ugh, really? Not her! Rye's image slid to the side and revealed the taller female with the shorter haircut. In her hands was a large bag of potato chips and on her face she wore her, what he assumed, was her usual scowl.
"Heather?" Rigby groaned.
"Who's Heather?" Skips whispered to his fellow comrades.
"Ugh," Mordecai released a groan that challenged Rigby's. "The baker from the Coffee Shop."
"What is she doing here?" High-five Ghost asked in a high-pitched hush.
"Well," Pops removed himself from the wall. "Let's say hello!"
"Uh, I don't think that's such a good idea, Pops." Mordecai extended his arm to the older male, in his best effort to stop him before approaching the beast.
"Why?" Muscle Man was second to pull away from his place on the wall.
Before Mordecai could explain himself without the girls hearing him, Rye walked back into the kitchen, Heather at her side. The taller female held the bag of chips in one hand and managed to cross her arms over her bust. A light dusting of pink flashed over her cheeks as she refused to make eye contact with anyone but Rye.
"What are you doing here?" Rigby was first to ask as he and the remaining males came off the wall and created a small circle around the newest female.
Heather's brow lifted but her frown and blush stayed the same. "I had to bring the chips." She said in a low tone.
"Oh!" Rye hit the side of her own head and chuckled. "I forgot them! How could I forget the chips for the casserole?"
"Chips?" Mordecai cocked a brow. "On a casserole?"
"Sounds splendid!" Pops cheered.
Heather's eyes landed on the floor before she pushed between the men standing in her way. She approached the oven and quickly tapped her fingers over the buttons. Temperature set on the oven she then stepped to the sink and turned on the cold water. Pressing her hands into the waterfall in the faucet, she then grabbed the soap from the dish. She took a few moments to wash her hands with care and after the suds were gone from her fingers, she shut off the water.
"I couldn't have you eat my casserole without the chips on the top." She said before walking back toward the counter.
"Your casserole?" Rigby asked.
"Yes, I made it."
"Wait!" Muscle Man threw his arms into the air. "Just WHO are you?"
Skips looked down to the shorter male and responded, "They're sisters, can't you tell?"
"SISTERS?" Mordecai and Rigby shouted in unison.
"No way," Mordecai turned his attention to Rye.
"You mean you hafta LIVE with that?" Rigby said in awe.
The sound of Heather clearing her throat caused the spotlight to turn to her once again. They watched as she reached out to the large bag of Lays and ripped the top open. She then shoved her hands into the bag of chips and pulled out two handfuls. She proceeded to crumble the greasy, salty chips over the casserole.
"She's usually not like this," Rye hummed aloud, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's the matter?" She asked her sister with a brow arched.
"Nothing." Heather replied as she shut her eyes.
"So you made this right?" Rigby asked, his finger pointed to the glass dish on the counter. "Is it gonna taste anything like your ca-" Mordecai lifted his foot and slammed it down on Rigby's foot. The young raccoon let out a squeal before turning back up to face his attacker. "What the HECK, man?"
"Shut it, dude."
That's all he needed, to spoil Pops' surprise before it could even begin. That would be an accident that neither of them could afford to recover from. Benson would have a huge cow not to mention Mr. Maellard. They would all lose jobs!
The sound of the bag of chips crinkling caused Mordecai to turn back to Heather. The young female had apparently finished her finishing touches on the casserole and walked back to the sink. She ran her fingers through the faucet once more, removing any excess salt and grease from her fingers. "When the oven is finished preheating, throw the dish in and wait thirty minutes."
With a single tap on to faucet the water came to a stop and she reached out for a towel to dry her hands. Once dried to her satisfaction, she pressed through the group and made her way toward the front door.
"Wait."
Mordecai's ears vibrated to the sound of Pops' voice. He looked in the male's direction to see he had a look of concern on his face. His usual cheery smile and wide eyes had gone and he looked as if he had been disappointed in some way.
The call of his voice alerted Heather and made her stop mid-step. She looked backward over her shoulder and locked gazes with Pops. Seeing as the older man had called to her, her brows lifted and she remained silent.
"Aren't you going to stay for lunch?" He asked in a sweet tone.
An explosion of red gathered at her cheeks. Her jaw dropped several inches and her brows remained at the top of her forehead. Was she shocked by Pops sudden invite to lunch? Why should she be, after all, her sister was invited and she had made the food.
"I…" She stuttered in effort to make clear words. "I-I can't…"
Rye rushed her sister and slung her arm around Heather's shoulders. Drawing the blushing female into her chest, Rye cracked a warm smile. "Come on, what's the harm? You don't have to work today, do you?"
"No, but-"
"Stay," Mordecai felt himself feeling sorry for the baker. "We have enough room."
"And we have plenty of cola!" Muscle Man was next in line to encourage the young girl to stay for the afternoon.
"I…"
"Besides," Rigby spoke after shutting his eyes and shrugging his shoulders. "You have to see if I like your food."
She parted her lips as if she was about to speak but no words formed on her tongue. Instead she stood, her blush spreading all the way to her earlobes. She then sunk her chin into her shoulders and began to hum. Was she really that nervous?
The sound of the oven dinging caught the entire group off guard. They all flinched and looked toward the oven.
"What next?" Skips asked in a persuasive tone along with a smile.
"Put it in the oven and set the timer." She squeaked, her eyes darting off into a different direction.
Muscle Man took charge and approached the counter where the casserole sat. He lifted the dish into the air and stepped closer to the oven. With one swift jerk, he opened the oven and shoved the glass dish inside. "Whoo!" He declared after his task was completed.
"Now we play the waiting game." Rigby shot a grin in his best bud's direction.
"So," Pops spoke to Heather once again, using his softest tone. "Will you stay?"
Heather sighed to herself before giving a shallow nod of her head. After her small response, her landscaping sister tightened her grip on the baker and beamed. "Good! You know you wanted to anyway."
The female standing in front of Mordecai and company was not the girl he met yesterday. In fact, this person had to be the polar opposite of the girl he met at the bakery. At this rate she actually seemed tolerable. Hopefully, it would last.
Act End