“Can you remind me again why we’re here?”  Nancy heard Phebie ask for the 7th time.

“Because why in a Pet store?” Phebie asked again, a grin forming on her face for the first time all day. “What Birthday celebrator would want an animal on their birthday?”

“Because those birthday boys are Will and Philip, and I know they would love nothing more than to have an excuse to have another animal in the house….one they preferred!

“Then get them a bulldog” Phebie suggested, then waved at the sales guy/shop owner that had once been their classmate “Hey Freddie, we’ll just look around and let you know it we find something we like”

“Okay girls, have fun animal shopping” Fred said “Ow, and welcome back Nancy, good to see ye” He winked at her.

“You too Fred” Nancy said and smiled to the guy with the over grown crew-cut hair style and freckles flacked across his face.

Once deep inside the pet shop Nancy said “Nah, a Bulldog will be too predictable, I wanna buy them something they like and would never suspect…..beside, I wouldn’t even buy a bulldog if you paid me to, not only is that a punishment to mama, but also a punishment I wouldn’t want Ginger to endure.

“How about a turtle, I bet Philip will love this little guy” Phebie said, holding up a turtle.

“Emmm…….no, Will will probably kill it in its sleep” Nancy giggled.  “How ‘bout this fella?”  Nancy asked, staring and tapping the glass cage of a cobra.  “Will’ll just love him”

“Yeah, but Philip won’t” Phebie said, than asked “It must be hard shopping for those two”

“Tell me about it, whatever Phil likes Will hates and vice versa” Nancy paused then said “this’ll take forever!” And throw her hands up in the air.

“Excuse me ladies” Fred said “I couldn’t help over hearing your conversation and I think I have the answer to your problems” Fred motioned them to follow him down the aisle, we passed stacks of boxes till we reached the back “this little guy has been waiting a long time to be bought, and I thinks he’ll be the prefect pet for your brothers”

Freddie held up a dusty glass cage, Nancy could just make out the reptile inside.  A bright green iguana looked up at them, as if he hadn’t seen humans in days.

“This tropical American lizard will be perfect for your rowdy Will and also calm-headed Philip” Fred said, with a knowing grin.

“Thank you!!!” Nancy practically flew into him.  Phebie hurriedly supported the side of the cage that almost fell to the ground.  “You just saved me, like, 12 hours of animal shopping”

While Freddie went to change the lizards cage Phebie….

“Awwn!” she cooed at a small box.

“What?” Nancy asked.

“Wouldn’t the boyz just love this cutie pie right here?” Phebie chimed at a furry light brown hamster with a pink bow around its neck.

Nancy looked at Phebie, Phebie fully well knew that the Boyz hated anything soft and cute…..even Philip…..Phebie really wanted the hamster for Abby, Phebie’s youngest – and hopefully last!–sibling, the only other girl in the family. Nancy remembered all too well the call she received earlier that year from Phebie about her devastation at not having been able to buy a present for Abby’s birthday.

“Phebs” Nancy said “You know fully well that is not a present to be given to the Boyz”

Phebie sighed “Yeah, I know” it was obvious that Phebie still felt bad for not buying a present for Abby and knew she’d love to own a hamster.

“Tell you what” Nancy began, and then looked into her pocket “I’ve about just enough change left over to buy you that hamster for Abby”

Phebie wasn’t surprised that Nancy knew who she intended to give the present, because sometimes it was like the two of them were telepathic.  “Thanks” Phebs said and gave Nancy a side hug.

“Here you are, ladies” Freddie said, the brown freckles on his face turning slightly pink….he was probably still dazed  by the embrace Nancy had given him.

“Em– Fred? I was hoping the lizard….Iguana, would be delivered at our home two weeks from now during my brothers’ birthday.”

“Sure, no probs.  Do you want a note to go with it?” Fred asked.  He gently set the cage on a desk to his right and brought out a pen and notepad from his breast pocket.

“Okay”

“So what’d you want it to say?”

“         ‘To two truly unique brothers, whom I hope one won’t turn into a serial killer.

P.S DON’T KILL THE POOR HARMLESS CREATURE!!

-Love your...’ ”

“-‘Crime fighting’-” Phebie put in laughingly.

“-‘Sister’ . ” Nancy finished with a smile.

“Love….your crime fighting……sister” Fred wrote down “So when do you want it delivered?” He asked.

“Exactly twelve days from today, Monday 12th December around, like, 8:30pm” Nancy informed him.

Freddie wrote it down “Got it” he said, and tucked his pen and pad in their original places.

“Ow, and one last thing” Nancy said.

“We’d also like this little guy-” she indicated to the pink-coloured ribbon-tied hamster “-to go” Phebie smiled at her, flashing brilliantly excellent white teeth.

“Well, it’s defiantly must be you two’s lucky day, coz he’s on sale-50% off”

“Great” the two chimed.

“So Nancy…” Fred began as he noticed the girls getting ready to leave. “Are you back for good this time or are you gonna disappear again for another half decade?”

“I did not disappear!” Nancy shot back playfully. Phebie all of a sudden just blended into the background. “I was just afew hundred miles away”

“A few hundred?” Fred laughed. He’d been the only she knew from her home town who’d actually visited her while she was away. It was a sweet gesture, he’d said he was in town and just popped up on her doorstep one morning. They’d spent the whole day chatting, eating and catching up on old times in her apartment on the living room couch.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, I'm back for good this time and I intent to stay right where I am” Nancy said with a healthy smile on her face.

“That wonderful!” Fred’s face actually lit up as if this was the best news he’d ever heard of. “So that means…we can hang out more often right?”

“Yeah! Of course we’ll hang out” Nancy replied enthusiastically.

“Hang out? Where!” Phebie suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Can I come?”

Both Nancy and Fred burst into laughter and Phebie later joined in. “Of course, invited as many people as you like” Fred said.

“Awesome!” Phebie answered and turned to walk towards the door thinking the conversation was over. Nancy turned to follow but right as her back was turned Fred walked up right behind her.

“But after that let’s hang out again…just the two of us?” Fred whispered it into her right ear Nancy shivered.

“Uhm-hmm” she mumbled out.

“Great, see you then” then he took a step back.

Cold air hit her back from where he blocked and she hurriedly followed Phebie out the door, with a big smile on her face she turned and said “Bye Freddie”

And walking out she could’ve sworn she heard him say “Bye to you too Beautiful” as the door swung closed.

“Why do you have a goofy smile on her face?” Phebie asked suspiciously.

“Coz I think I just got asked out on a date”

**********************************************************************************************************************

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