Chapter 4

Marshmallow wasn't hard to please whatsoever, Alvin was quick to find out. As long as she had a clean diaper and nice warm bottle of milk, the skunk was perfectly content, not saying a word while she drank from her bottle, a huge grin spreading across her face at the rustling of her diaper as she moved about. Unfortunately, their bonding moment was interrupted, much to Marshmallow's dismay, when they both heard a knock at the door. Alvin gently set her down in the floor while he went to answer the door, only to be surprised when he spotted a familiar-looking otter on the doorstep, the same otter who had sold him and Erik the hot tub.

"Hi," the otter said in greeting. "You're the guy who I sold a hot tub the other day, right?"

"One of the guys," Alvin said.

The otter laughed. "Where's the other guy, the fat one?" He looked past Alvin to see if the skunk was in the house.

"The skunk? He's out of the house, out shopping. What can I do you for?"

"We're here to install your hot tub, sir."

"Really? Is that a fact? Could you excuse me for one moment?" He lifted a finger and swiftly turned, digging out his phone, hastily dialing a number and putting the phone to his ear.

Worry was the first feeling that struck Erik when he dug his phone out of his jacket pocket and saw that Alvin was calling him. He hoped to God that Marshmallow wasn't hurt or Alvin hadn't burned the house down while trying to cook, him recalling how Alvin had nearly done so while trying to cook his father breakfast as a special gift for Father's Day. Nervously, he answered the call and put the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Erik, we have a situation here," Alvin stated.

He swallowed. "What's wrong? Is Marshmallow all right? Is the house still intact?" He lowered his voice, panic making the volume rise and causing several people to stop and look at him.

"Relax. She's fine, the house is fine, but what's not fine is the fact that the hot tub is arriving."

"What? Now?"

"I'm looking at the salesman right now."

"Shit!"

"What should I do?"

"Go ahead and install the hot tub and I'll find some way to cover the back patio."

"Right. So, do you want us to take out part of the back patio and install the hot tub in the middle?"

He grinned. "That'd be perfect!"

"Great! Thanks for the help, Erik."

"I'm just grateful that you haven't heard Marshmallow in any way or burned the house down. If you had, I'd have to kick your ass. You know how protective Colin and I are of her."

"Erik, you know as well as I do that I would never do anything to hurt a hair on her cute little head."

He grinned. "I know. I'll talk to you later. Bye-"

"Wait. What are you getting me for Christmas? Hello? Erik? Erik, you there?"

Alvin looked down at the screen of his phone to see that Erik had hung up on him. He shook his head and stuffed his phone in the pocket of his sweater before gesturing the men inside, leading them out the kitchen door to the back patio.

A day of sweat, dirt, and arcane wiring magic by a gruff elderly human with a truly fascinating mustache (the cat had nearly tried to attack it at one point only to be plucked out of mid-pounce by Alvin), and it was done. The wood enclosure even matched the stained boards of the deck, Alvin reflected as he stood back and admired the new addition to the backyard.

"Looks good, doesn't it?" Alvin smiled as Marshmallow wormed in under the chipmunk's left arm, leaning in warmly.

"Yeah, it does. Good idea, Alvin. Shall we fill it up?"

"I'll get the hose."

"Alvin? Is hot tub water supposed to be purple?"

"I don't think so. Is it purple?"

"Yes. Maybe I put in too much of the chemicals?"

"Or not enough... how do you drain this thing?"

"Well, look at it this way, Alvin. At least the water's not purple anymore."

"Perfect!"

"Now it's green."

"More chlorine, then."