Page 32 of Charmed, I'm Sure
Croak.
“I’m going to take that as a yes. We need to come up with some kind of morse code or something for you buddy.”
Croak.
Turning the shower on, I set the lavender soap on the floor beside him. He just stares at me. “Look I know it's not the pond, or your lily pad, but it’s warm water, lavender soap, and something clean. Croak once for like yes I guess, twice for no, and three times for don’t insult me like that again. Fair enough?”
Croak.
“Alright, I’m going to just take that as a yes and assume you agreed to it.”
I slide the glass door shut, and leave him to do whatever it is a toad does in a shower. I have to say, living in Pumpkinridge sure has its quirks compared to Jasper. Can’t say in the twenty-four years I lived in Jasper that I even had a quarter of these things happen to me.
I’m busy brushing my teeth when I hear the glass door slide open again. I check the mirror only to find Sir Hops-A-Lot glossy, deep green, and staring at me.
“Do you need a towel? Do I dry you off? How does this work?”
He jumps down and continues to hop his way out of the bathroom. Okay then. Guess he just air-dries. Who knew?
I turn off my sink, put my toothbrush back, and head back into my room.
“Alright, Sir Hops-A-Lot, are you staying…”
Milo groans.“Please tell me you didn’t just name a magical toad that?”
“I think it’s charming. Might just pick him up a tiny toad necktie.”
“I think I might have been assigned the wrong human. I swear I did something wrong in a past life.”
“Cheer up Milo, life is meant to be enjoyed.”
I grab my cell phone and my keys, pocketing them into my hoodie. I turn to walk out the door, only for Sir Hops-A-Lot to jump onto my shoulder. Alright, then. Magical toad familiar perched on my shoulder, pink hairglimmering in the sunlight, and a wolf who loves me the most.
“Who told you that?”
“It’s in all the warm feelings that you give me each time you grumble. I think secretly you love being my wolf.”
“Help.”
Ten minutes later, I’m strolling down Main Street with a tray balanced in one hand and a bag of ghost cupcakes in another. They keep moaning through the box and it’s causing people to stare at me like I’m the weird one here. Do people not buy them?
Clarissa didn’t even blink when I asked for Bellamy’s usual, a hot apple crisp oat milk macchiato, extra cinnamon. Or when I asked her for the Trouble Latte. She only smiled and winked before she started making them.
I’m not saying that I’m trying to win her over or anything. But, if I was…I definitely think cupcakes and coffee are the right place to start, right?
Am I doing all the right things? I’m only following the example that I was given. Maybe I should ask the man who taught it all to me.
Wiggling my phone out of my pocket I dial the best person to ask. It only rings for a few seconds before his deep baritone voice fills my ear. I didn’t realize how much I missed my dad until now, when his voice brings me back to my childhood.
“Hello son, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you today. You usually call your mom, and I am pulled into the conversation.”
A smile spreads across my face picturing my mom plopping down on his lap and holding the phone in front of his face, ensuring he can’t see his outdoors channel instead of her phone.
“Yeah, as much as I love Mom, I felt you were the best person to ask advice from.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“I’ve been working on winning over my mate. I’ve even googled how to win her over, but you always make momma smile. She always looks at you like you hung the moon inthe sky.”