A/N: As you are no doubt already aware, I do not own the rights to Bambi, or any other Walt Disney creation.
Chapter Twelve
Valentine's Day was approaching, and Spencer and Sam were finishing up his commission piece for an exhibit at a local city visitor's center, to be titled something along the lines of 'Seattle: Feel the Love.' The newspaper and gunky paste had been transformed into the body of a medium sized porcupine. They worked in tandem, one on each side, painstakingly affixing wire quills densely across the critter's paper mache body. The smiling animal held a tangle of colored strings in his mouth, which led up to a bunch of colorful, heart shaped balloons.
Carly swept into the apartment with at least half a dozen shopping bags dangling from her arm to find the artists completely engrossed in their task. Disappointed that she could not immediately show off her new purchases, she set the bags down and wandered over to check their progress. She studied the piece, and while it certainly qualified as cute, in her opinion it had a couple of noticeable flaws.
"Spencer, isn't this sculpture for the "Feel the Love" exhibit at the visitor's center?"
"Yep," he replied, not taking his eyes from the quill he was placing delicately next to the porcupine's nose.
"Umm… do you think that a porcupine is really the best choice for something called FEEL the love? I mean, everyone knows you can't feel a porcupine."
"It's like an oxymoron," Sam piped up.
Spencer raised an eyebrow. "I'm actually thinking about making this the first in a series of underappreciated animals. You know, Walt Disney really improved the skunk's reputation when he named one Flower. Maybe next I'll do a BEAVECOON, or an Amazonian Bamboo Snake!"
Carly looked at him doubtfully. She was pretty sure that neither one of those animals actually existed outside Spencer's imagination. "AND, "she added "Even assuming that someone felt fondly about a porcupine, they couldn't possibly put it in the same general vicinity as balloons. For obvious reasons."
Spencer opened his mouth to reply but Sam beat him to it. "That's what makes it ART!" He sat back, very interested to hear Sam's defense of the creation.
"It's the juxtaposition – the unlikely situation of these two things together. That's what makes it art Carly, not just a wanna be piñata for a kid's birthday party." Carly was not particularly impressed with this pronouncement. Spencer, on the other hand, was. He was …intrigued by her grasp of the artistic intent and wondered how she had come by it.
Carly still looked skeptical. "Ok, whatever you say. Are you almost done, because I really want to show you these shoes that I bought to try on with my prom gown," she gushed enthusiastically.
Sam glanced over at Spencer.
"You're free to go, "he said, waving them off.
Sam placed her hands together and gave a mock bow. "Thank you oh master of the Imperial Lodge of Porcupine. I'm sure your sister appreciates your generosity!" They all laughed and the girls headed for Carly's room.
Sam eyed the number of bags, peevishly asking "OMG Carly, how many pairs of shoes do you need for one dance?"
"Oh, these aren't all shoes. I mean, four of them are shoes, but the others are just things I picked up 'cause they were on sale, and you know how I love a sale!"
"Yes, Carly, I am aware of how much you love a sale. Let's see those shoes. " But what she really meant was, let's get this over with!
Carly modeled each pair of shoes with her dress, and while Sam made encouraging remarks about each one, Carly was clearly unsatisfied. She sighed, "I'm definitely going to have to go buy some more shoes. None of these are quite right."
Sam rolled her eyes while Carly wasn't looking. "Well, you're at least going to return all those first, right?"
"Oh no!" Carly was horrified. "I LIKE the shoes. I just don't like them with the dress. Gotta keep looking."
"A shopper's work is never done," Sam muttered under her breath.
"What was that? " Carly called from her closet as she carefully hung her gown.
"Oh, I was just saying how I'm not finished shopping either. I haven't done any of my accessorizing." Carly failed to note, or chose to overlook, the slightly sarcastic tone of voice this statement was delivered in.
"We still have some time Sam. I just like to start early. Don't worry; I'll help you with that. I mean, if you want me to, that is."
Sam smiled at the eager look on Carly's face. That girl certainly couldn't resist a shopping excursion, especially one that involved prom.
"Thanks Carly, maybe after my birthday. I'll probably have a little money to spend then."
"Ok!" Carly was almost humming. This line of conversation suited her much better than the heavy topics she'd been forced to address with Sam lately. She could almost forget that Sam was refusing to consider a date and she, Carly, was forbidden to bring up the subject again. Feeling very generous towards Sam in that moment, she suggested, "Hey, I haven't watched Girly Cow in forever. You want to go see if the new episode is on?"
"Wouldn't miss it Carls, let's go" she agreed amiably. In fact, there was not a better activity that Carly could have suggested… The evening passed and Carly started hinting that it was time for her beauty sleep.
"No need to wait up for me Carls; I'll get there eventually," Sam said, encouraging her friend to leave. Carly did not protest; she really did think that adequate sleep improved her complexion. She murmured good night and drifted off to her room.
As she had done on several past occasions, Sam stared fixedly at the TV, while not really seeing it at all. She eventually fell into a sort of half-sleep; her eyes were closed and she was not inclined to move, but she was still aware of any sound or motion around her. Thus she was aware when Spencer made his final rounds before heading off to bed, shutting off the television and dimming the light, but she did not wake herself enough to say good night. Some time passed before the distant wail of an emergency vehicle passing on the street roused her. Rising immediately, she tiptoed quietly up the stairs to the only place that she was certain she could sleep soundly. Spencer's room.
