'I have opened the windows. Smells like a pig pen' Inés warned Miranda as she went through to the office. Miranda made a face.
'They are cute. Stinky but cute.'
'Not you too' groaned Miranda.
Roberto had now joined the group with a bundle of fluff and stroking it like an evil villain. He could never pass up an opportunity. Miranda replayed the last interaction in her head. THEY? She turned around and Luísa was cradling the tufty ginger one like a baby and bouncing it up and down.
Fuck my life she thought. There were two damn guinea pigs. Max beamed at her as he filled up the water bottle.
'Apparently they need to be in a pair. They get lonely. So my neighbour got another one. This is Percy.'
Percy looked like a grey ferret. Miranda squinted at it and thought that she'd never seen such an unattractive pest. He squeaked at her indignantly. Miranda scowled. She was not going to be insulted by a rodent.
'Do not come near me with those things' she warned 'or I will bake them in a pie.'
Luísa and Roberto put their hands over the tiny lettuce leaf ears protectively.
'Ssshhh. They can hear you' said Roberto. Miranda rolled her eyes. She was never going to understand the mania for small furry things.