My Wife Bounced
for an hour or two afterwards- nods of assent were exchanged
- all of those are possibilities
- “Then why don’t I have any grandchildren?”
- I’m hoping to make it to my next birthday
Tune in next time part 338 Click Here for Earlier Installments
My wife bounced our baby daughter on her hip, still staring lasciviously at my brother’s seminude form across the gondola. The psychotropic coffee stains were definitely kicking in. My educated guess, based on what I could remember of the Academy pharmacology seminar, was that she’d peak in a few minutes and then have mild euphoria and perceptual dissociations for an hour or two afterwards.
In any case, she wasn’t answering my question.
“Fleur,” I prompted. “Are you still in there? Maybe I should take the baby back, yes?” Nods of assent were exchanged and I passed the little girl immediately to join her brother in Isolde’s arms. The twins’ aunt pouted at being doubly burdened and thus, presumably, that much more concealed from Jim.
“Now, where is this zeppelin going?” I demanded more firmly. Fleur quirked a tiny smile, her eyes still riveted to Jim. “Back to Contraria? Svenborgia? Or do you plan to risk venturing into US airspace?”
“All of those are possibilities,” she droned. “Take the helm. The gulls will guide you.” With that, her eyes slowly closed, and she began a twirling, waltz-like dance. “Children grow up so fast,” she lamented.
I glanced at the newborns Isolde cradled to her bosom. I shrugged. “They sure do.”
“Then why don’t I have any grandchildren?”
“Ask the kids,” I quipped.
All this time, Jim’s smirk had been making the rounds, and shifting its aspect like a color-changing lizard. When he aimed it at Fleur it was lewd, for Isolde it turned haughty, and for me he reserved mocking pity. I glared at him and barked, “Get over here and help me fly this thing.”
Jim sashayed across the gondola. Glancing at the controls, he said, “Looks pretty basic. Like, even you could fly it alone.”
“True, but you’re making trouble, and I’m hoping to make it to my next birthday, so I need to keep you busy so this doesn’t escalate into a brawl that culminates with seagulls picking our innards out of the wreckage.”
bonus points for using them in order