Note: Takes place on the end of the first week after "Back to the Barn"
Kiki sure liked to know how she got herself into this situation.
Not that she meant this out of incredulity or frustration (even though she's feeling plenty of the second at the moment).
Just the simple curiosity that comes with living in a town like Beach City.
Because playing a card game with her grandma for lunch break: nah, that's family routine.
The absence of her father (out in the front arguing with Mr. Fryman—again—over something) and twin sister (out in the back checking her phone and/or chatting up with Buck and Sour Cream): also family routine.
Playing a card game with the new neighbors' dog: not family routine. For the time being anyway.
Especially when said dog was creaming her like a pro! Seriously, Kiki could not describe with words the speed at which this pooch had been emptying her own hand (or paw in this case). Nanefua seemed to be holding up better by comparison, if just barely judging by the elder's concentrated frown and scrunched brow.
How the Flores pulled off training their pet to be this good, Kiki hadn't the slightest idea. And forget asking her grandma; the family loved her but that lady operated on a whole other level.
Not that the pizza heiress had any mind to complain. Sparky made for surprisingly sociable, let alone sanity-preserving, company in the past few days. And not in the traditional cute-little-doggy-distracting-you-from-life's-annoyances-with-kisses either.
Case in point: a customer from out of town really wore down Kiki's patience yesterday and Kiki, not wanting to burden her folks with her woes, elected to dump her feelings on Sparky instead since the dog had been nearby.
Oddly instinctive? Yes, but something about the look in those big round black eyes, against all logic, assured the twin that the canine would drop everything just to listen to her—which she did.
Besides, Kiki couldn't have brought herself to shoo the cute little yellow bugger away from the restaurant when the young woman caught her laying on the backdoor step, even with Kofi's daily warnings about health regulations at the back of her mind.
Damn those literal puppy-dog eyes and her weakness for those of the canine persuasion!
That bouquet of roses Sparky carried by mouth had not helped either.
Still touching, though. Kind of excessive but touching.
At least Mr. Flores sounded cool with the situation when Kiki called him over the phone minutes ago, which was a lot more than the young lady could say for her father once he found out about their uncalled-for 'visitor'. Apparently Sparky had a history of hanging out with the neighbors from time to time.
In other words, nice timing on the argument, Mr. Fryman (no sarcasm intended).
Just as well. Kofi aside, the Pizzas were more than happy to let the Flores family dog hang out with them outside business hours.
Speaking of the Flores, Kiki sidled her sight to the rightmost card just in time for her peripherals to notice Kurtis step into the restaurant. The pizza heiress gave a polite wave, as did Nanefua; the Native American-Latino returned an acknowledging nod.
Without a glance, Sparky raised a paw up at her boy despite the teen's silence before, with a smug wag of the tail, slapping her final card onto the table. Nanefua perked both eyebrows in amazement while Kiki double-checked her cards in disbelief then back at the one her canine opponent just laid down.
With a defeated sigh, the young woman released her hands, cards raining upon the table in shared resignation. That's the last time she ever challenges this dog to Crazy Eights. She stood up and stretched her legs, ready to get back to work.
Only to suddenly freeze at the feel of something patting her leg. Kiki shifted her eyes downward; oh, it was Sparky...and she's raising a forepaw up towards her with a 'I'm honored to have fought you' grin, waiting for a handshake.
Kiki accepted the gesture without hesitation, even threw in a smile cause why the heck not?
As if she never saw weirder.
"Good game."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
She seems to be doing well.
What did ya expect? She's a tough little firebug.
Heh, that she is. Still, it feels wrong that we haven't dropped by even once.
You're not suggestin' we confront her now, right?
Of course not. Otherwise we'll risk a repeat of Rose's mistake.
Well, you're not totally wrong. We definitely can't avoid each other forever. This is a small town, ya know.
True. Fortunately, that's going to be an easy path to reach. After the Cluster is dealt with, of course.
A tall busty figure atop the lighthouse hill arose to her feet, silhouetted by the receding sunlight, yellow bubble in hand.
Shall we then?
We shall.
The figure cast one last glance at the cozy cluster of buildings.
"Take care, friend."
Then leapt back home.