Man, Gramma was actin' weird!
Dollface, having had clean clothes dropped on her with a pile of ratty towels, chatted with Michael, confused.
She lifted Courage, a generally gross mutt no bigger than a housecat, into the battered basket of her beaten bike. Making sure his leash, a tattered formality, was loosely tied in case if he ever managed to jump out into the street, Dollface peddled out of the gravel driveway.
Must've walked here from somewhere in town, Michael mused, I don't like him. If he can make Muriel act like that, then who knows what he can do to Eustace.
Dollface, having learned her lesson on making friends from strangers last month, agreed.
Can I stay at your place if he stays too long?
Of course! I wouldn't want him anywhere near you!
Dollface parked her bike in front of Tanaka's flower shop, Wolfie's skateboard propped by the doorway.
She swung the door open and stood next to Wolfie in front of the marble front counter.
This place was beautiful.
Dollface abhorred gardening and flowers, but Tanaka could put on a display. The flower shop was one of the oldest, made of gray stone and fine marble. He'd even had the place renovated special, even restoring the abandoned greenhouse and filling it with exotic flowers, imported from Asia and cultured in-house.
"I see yer underpants." Dollface said, popping her chin up and grinning, popping her shirt's collar out.
Wolfie did a similar thing, but instead of popping her shirt's collar, she tugged on her acid washed jean vest, showing too many teeth. Wolfie clapped her hands, held up an okay symbol, and gave a salute.
Dollface, much smaller than her, cat bumped Wolfie and said as seriously as she could repeat it, "I see your underpants."
Practically pissing themselves with laughter, they turned to eachother and slapped their hands together, Dollface under, then switched, Wolfie under.
They crossed their arms over eachother, bumped fists a few times, and slammed their forearms together, ending by swinging an arm and saying in unison, "Naaaaaiiiiiiiiiicccccceeee!"
Barely holding in their laughter under the skylight draped with vines and roses, Wolfie and Dollface wheezed.
They turned and jumped, realizing the Tanaka had snuck up behind them at the marble counter and watched.
He slid a set of tickets and some money as payment, bouquets piled high.
"Thank you very much sir!" Dollface smiled, adjusting her leather backpack on her shoulders. Wolfie managed to grab all the flowers and delicately hold them as Dollface pocketed her share and read over the tickets.
"Thorne, Izzy, Kevin, Marty and-" Dollface frowned, "I can't do this! She hates me!"
"Who?" Wolfie looked over Dollface's shoulder, both girls walking out the front door. Wolfie craned her neck and cringed, "Well, I ain't goin'! She'd your cousin!"
"Ugh!" Dollface groaned, "I'll give ya m'money fer this job if ya do!"
"Oh hell no, an extra twenty ain't shit compared t'that!"
Dollface clenched her jaw, "Fine. Rock, papers, scissors!"
Wolfie smirked, "Best outta three?"
"Sure." Dollface turned on the balls of her feet.
Wolfie set the flowers down and crackered her neck, then her knuckles.
"Rock, papers, scissors, shoot!"
"Aw, damn, Paper." Wolfie groaned, "God better not be choosin' favorites t'day."
Dollface's grin didn't last too long, her second and third round left her stuck with Missy.
"Ya snooze, ya loose!" Wolfie guffawed, chains clinking, "Well, happy birthday. See ya at Daisy's fer ice cream after this?"
"Nah," Dollface said, "Some weird guests are over. Probably Uncle Sebbie's relatives r'somethin'. Gramma'll prob'ly need me home ASAP."
"Man, that sucks." Wolfie said, walking with Dollface, skateboard in one hand, her bouquets tucked under her arm, "I was plannin' on hangin' with Dolli Mae at Joey Drews'."
"Shit, that sounds awesome, dude." Dollface moaned, "If I woulda known, I'd snuck a camera and ditched. I coulda said I had more deliveries than usual."
"Don't worry, gotcha covered." Wolfie said, raising a shoulder to jounce her bag, "Stole th'Preacher Man's camera. Dad won't even notice!"
Dollface giggled evilly, "Bitchin'. Better get me a few good ones too."
"Hey, are we gonna have another bonfire soon? Y'know, t'send off th'season?"
"I hope so. I was thinkin' 'bout sometime this Friday. It'll be weird without Vinnie."
"Yeah, it will." Wolfie said. At this point, they were walking down the street, putting off work, "He was only here fer a few months but, damn, he was one o'us. Th'thought o'Dolli Mae gettin' corrective surgeries alone sucks."
"Yeah, they were real cute. Almost disgusting to sit next to." Dollface agreed, "Same for Izzy and Ben. YUCK."
"Great." Wolfie said, ending the conversation. Being the daughter of a preacher meant she could end an entire conversation with just the tone of her voice, "Just don't bring yer lameass sister over, she's a bitch!"
"I'll make sure!" Dollface said, making sure the bouquets were secured and Courage was still in the basket.
He was snoring and farting in his sleep.
Well, at least the old mongrel was outside.
His days were definitely numbered.
Dollface slowed down in front of her first stop and stared, seeing someone walk up the sidewalk towards her.
"Uncle Sebbie?"
