Short Eleven: Mur Mur's Jazzy Juice Joint Jaunt
"Hey, Daddy-o. You're quite the owl tonight, huh?" Mur Mur slurred seductively from her barstool as her partner in crime slumped into the speakeasy. Aru slid onto the stool next to hers, dressed in a white suit and red dress shirt. He popped his white fedora off his head and set it on the counter, reaching for a glass filled with amber liquid.
"Dry up, I'm always on the prowl for a new scoop." The boy detective shot back.
"You're such a Dick." She replied, running her finger around and around on the rim of her empty glass. Mur Mur crossed her short legs on the barstool, her slinky black, fringe dress riding up a little.
"I hope you mean like a private investigator, Mur Mur and not the other connotation." Aru said unhappily.
"Of course I mean private investigator," The girl rolled her eyes. "I know better than to rub you wrong. What kind of girl do you take me for? A Dumb Dora?"
"Never." Aru replied, sipping his drink. The speakeasy was quiet that night, the jazz trio on the stage and the bartender the only other people on the floor. The lights were dim, casting shadows in all the corners. "You're all dolled up tonight," The boy commented, noting Mur Mur's sparkly jewelry and new pumps, "Did you have a date tonight?"
"Yeah, but he was a flat tire." Mur Mur pouted, pouring herself another drink. "I don't know why I told you that. You'll just use it against me." She sighed. "Poor Mur Mur, she'd can't even catch a decent guy. Instead, I just keep striking out with pikers. I'm such a sap. Go ahead and laugh."
"I wouldn't do that, doll. But, now that I'm on the up and up, we can finally have a good time."
"What are you talking about?" Mur Mur asked, staring at the boy suspiciously.
"Let's get a wiggle on." Aru stood and offered his hand to the girl, smiling charmingly. "The band's all tuned up after all." Aru winked.
"Sure, whatever you say." Mur Mur shrugged nonchalantly, but she was smiling. Aru took Mur Mur's hand and picked her up, holding the midget close to his chest as they made their way to the dance floor. With Mur Mur's hand on his shoulder and the other clasped in his own, the boy detective held up the short girl by the small of her back and waltzed with her slowly to the trio's sultry jazz., her legs swaying back and forth above the floor as they moved. A few sets were spent in giggles as Aru tried to figure out to dance without a partner's feet getting in his way and Mur Mur kept ordering him around with how to do the steps and then laughing at him when he messed up. When they decided to take a break, the pair walked back to their barstools to sip at their drinks. Aru looked thoughtfully at his glass.
He broke character.
"Love what you did with the Cathedral, but did you seriously have to use apple juice instead of alcohol?" Aru commented. He'd secretly wanted to try some booze (thinking that Mur Mur would go all out for their little role playing) but had been disappointed.
"What can I say? I don't drink." Mur Mur shrugged her shoulders as she winked. "I'm not that kind of girl."
Deus tipped his black fedora hat up, observing the pair from the stage and wondering how they hadn't noticed him playing the bass the whole time. He shrugged and went back to plucking the strings.