Marvellous things

Chapter 3: How to carve a carrot into a rose

The phone rang. It was Crane. Abbie stared at his name on the display for a second. She felt a little thrill go through her. She laughed at that, earning herself a bemused look from the guy manning the front desk.

'Hey, you're calling me at an acceptable hour. Improvement,' she complimented, making her way outside.

'The metube!' Crane exclaimed. Abbie stopped walking. It was sort of difficult to concentrate when he did that. He was usually so calm, so it was a little unnerving when he got excited.

'The what?' she asked. She tried to remember what she was supposed to be doing. Walking? Where? She took a few steps and then just gave up.

'The metube. On the internet,' he semi-explained. Abbie frowned and racked her brain. What the hell was he talking about?

'The me...? Oh, youtube,' she corrected, catching up.

'Yes, the youtube. Abigail, why are you sighing?'

'No reason. Please do continue telling me about the youtube,' she said. Crane immediately started to babble about some video he had discovered and how he wanted her to see it too. Abbie smiled.

'I'm still at the station, so if you tell me what's at the top of the video I'll look it up when I get home,' she offered.

'I want to watch it together. I want to see your face when you see it,' he protested. 'I will meet you at your apartment.'

'I've told you about webcams, right? We can do it now. I'll watch it at my desk. Really, Crane, there's no need to come over,' Abbie argued. It was strange, but she didn't want to see him. She didn't understand why not. He, on the other hand, seemed intent on seeing her. It was all very strange.

'I want for us to be in the same room while we see it,' Crane said. He sounded adamant. Since she couldn't formulate a reason why they shouldn't meet up, she was forced to agree.

'Alright,' she snapped and ended the call. Well, that was rude. Shaking her head, she contemplated the key in her palm. Oh yes, I'm looking for my car, she remembered, but she didn't move.

(***)

Silently, they watched as the knife in some woman's hands whittled away at a home grown carrot. They were on the couch and the laptop was on Abbie's lap. She was trying to sit still, which wasn't easy. Crane was alternating between looking at the screen and at her and for some reason that made her feel uncomfortable. Finally, after about three minutes of steady slicing, the footage showed the result. A bright orange rose.

'It is quite exceptional, isn't it?'

'Beautiful,' Abbie replied. Despite meaning it, it came out a little false. Luckily, Jenny entered the apartment at that moment.

'What are you guys doing?' she asked. Abbie exchanged a glance with Crane. Honestly, by the look on his face you would have thought they'd been caught watching porn or something.

'Just... watching an instruction video on how to carve a carrot into a rose,' Abbie answered. Jenny waited for the punch line, but when none was forthcoming, she raised her eyebrows.

'Oh. Do you do that a lot?'