It would, hopefully, be the last call out of the day. A woman who lived not far from where Carmen did had an owlet stuck in her living room, and had called the rescue centre in the hopes of getting it free. Pulling into the neat driveway, Carmen wondered if she might be able to get straight home without having to call back at the centre after this.
The woman who opened the door was perhaps in her fifties, with greying red hair and a slightly crabby expression that Carmen was soon to learn was just about glued to her face. "Hi, I'm Carmen, with the St Aggie's animal rescue, I hear you have a house guest?"
"Yeah, I've no idea how it got in," replied the shorter woman, holding the door open and then closing it after her. Carmen followed her down the hallway to the door of the living room. "I shut it to stop it flying out and getting stuck somewhere else- it's absolutely tiny."
Carmen nodded and opened the door to reveal a fairly sparse living room. A few newspapers and books were scattered around, with only a minute sofa facing the television. Peering around, she spotted the owlet on the top of a bookshelf and her jaw dropped open in surprise.
"Is it a baby, or is it meant to be that small?"
She looked back at the redhead, who was peering around the door next to her. "Uhhh. Could you- give me a minute?" she said, in a strangled voice. The woman gave her a slightly odd look, but shrugged and left, shutting the door behind her. Carmen's friendly smile dropped as she rounded on the owl, expression apoplectic.
"What on EARTH are you DOING?" she hissed, putting down the swan hook she carried and putting her hands on her hips. The slightly guilty looking owl hopped off the bookshelf and shifted into a guilty looking eight year old, standing on the carpet with her hands behind her back.
"This lady looks nice!" Andy protested, "And she's lonely! And you're lonely. So I thought- well, actually, it was Bilbo's idea, but-"
Carmen put her hand to her forehead and groaned, pacing in a small circle. "Look, just shift back, hop in my hands and we'll go home," she said imploringly, eyes pleading with her obstinate daughter. Andrea didn't budge.
"Mom, you'd like her. Look at all her books!"
"Andy, sweetie, I don't need a girlfriend, I have you and I have the animals, I really don't need-"
"Are you talking to someone?"
They both froze as the door opened, the house's inhabitant peering around the door with a frown: "I mean I know you rescue types talk to the animals and whatever but I thought I heard someone reply-" her voice tailed off as she spotted Andy, who gave her a sheepish wave. "Hi ma'am," she said, wandering over and prodding Carmen towards her.
"Wh- what- where the owl? Who is-" the woman's questions were cut short when Andy shifted into an owl and back, finishing with a cute little curtsey. "ANDY!" Carmen wailed exasperatedly, slapping a hand to her forhead as the older woman's face drained of colour. The pair of owls watched her with mingled concern and interest as she shuffled to the sofa and collapsed into it.
"So what was your name again?" chirped Andrea cheerfully.
ghhhg there's a thing tonight where i might have to read some of my writing in front of people, including my mom.
that will be less than pleasant... bluh. i have no idea how formal this event is, but i'm hlaf tempted to just wear a full on suit and tie and pretend i'm droog
