part 19 [rach]

FINALLY I wrote the next section. so...here goes.

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“I’m not sure if the Zanglers have warabi chicken-peas, or whatever you just said…is this Percival?”
“Of course, who else would it be?” the voice exclaimed, irritated. “And what do you mean you don’t have my chick peas? I specifically told Dane to pack some up for me!”
“Who’s Dane?”
“My butler,” Percival replied, “although it really is no concern of yours. Did you understand my instructions, or shall I have to repeat them?”
Eliana scrunched up her nose and made a face at Addison, who laughed behind a hand. “Do you like…peanut butter and jelly?” Eliana asked, trying to keep from laughing.
A few loud sputtering noises came over the phone, then a quick intake of air. “If I must,” Percival said with the air of a martyr, “I will consume your quaint little American sandwich. But Gregory must not be without his rum, it makes him grouchy.”
“I’m not sure we have any—”
“It’s in my bag, the second to last one on the bottom with a red tag on the zipper. Third pouch on the right side, there’s a small bottle of it.”
Eliana was about to inquire further, when she heard a click on the line, and then a long, loud beeping noise. “He hung up,”, she said, setting the phone down on the counter.
“What does he want?” Addison asked.
“A peanut butter and jelly sandwich for His Highness, and a shot of rum for Gregory.”
“Um, mom doesn’t usually keep rum in the house…” Addison said.
“Percival has some. Second bag to the bottom is what he said…one with a red tag. Bottom of what, though?”
“His pile,” Addison said, lips pursed together.
“Pile…of what?”
Addison rolled his eyes and led Eliana into the dining room. Up against the far wall was a tower of suitcases at least a foot taller that Eliana. The one on the bottom looked big enough to fit a Saint Bernard.
“Of course, it would be the second to the bottom,” Addison grumbled. “Here, help me take these off.”
Eliana and Addison spent the next five minutes removing Percival’s luggage and attempting to locate the bottle of rum. They finally found it just where the boy had said, in the third pouch on the right side of the second to bottom suitcase with a red tag.
“Now the question is, how do we give it to him?” Addison asked.
“Maybe just in a cup.” Eliana suggested. “He seems like a pretty smart guy.”
Addison poured some of the liquid into a juice glass from their cupboard and cautiously slid it into the lemur’s cage. The animal snatched it up immediately and began guzzling his morning snack.
“Well, that’s taken care of,” Eliana said, “let’s get His Highness a sandwich.”
While Addison delivered the “quaint” little sandwich to their guest, Eliana cleaned up the kitchen dishes. It was then that Hayden came fumbling downstairs. “What was all the noise earlier?” he asked, scratching his head of very messy hair.
“Which time?” Eliana laughed, “when we were chasing Gregory, or when we were tearing down the tower of suitcases?”
“Nevermind, I shouldn’t have asked,” Hayden mumbled. “Um, Ellie? What’s wrong with the monkey?”
“It’s not a monkey you goof, it’s a lemur,” Eliana replied. “Don’t worry, he’s allowed to have rum.”
“Rum?!?” Hayden exclaimed. “Is that what’s wrong with him?”
Eliana walked over to where Hayden was peering into Gregory’s cage. The lemur was swaying back and forth, wearing the cup on his head and…hiccupping.
“Maybe we gave him a little too much?” Eliana asked, smiling sheepishly.
“I’d say,” Hayden laughed. “Have fun explaining this to Percy.”

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quote of the day: "When an opera star sings her head off, she usually improves her appearance." -Victor Borge

there goes my aspiration to be an opera singer. oh well, there's always botany.

have a good life. goodbye.