Worth

Chapter 13

"I said, whaddaya mean I only get a wing. I want to redo the whole thing!" There was another loud burst of laughter. "That's right, I want the dark meat too. They're only coming to see the dinosaur. I'll work around it." He paused. "Papier-mâché? That's a pretty big word for you." Bob covered the phone and said to someone out of view, "Yeah, I know it's two words."

When he ended his conversation, Violet hesitated in drawing his attention. She decided to let him notice her first and in a few moments that's exactly what happened.

"Hey, I know you!" he yelled with a gigantic grin. His voice bounced off the walls and reached Violet like a gleeful slap on the back. She gave a little wave and rose from her bench.

"Hello Bob," she said. With little force, her voice still echoed.

Bob turned towards his yet unseen companion. "Wait, you know, um...oh man, it'll come to me..." He snapped his fingers before finding her name. "Violet! That's it! You know Violet, don't you?"

John Finch strode into view. Violet nearly dropped her box again.

Embarrassed and excited, she was so stricken by his handsome genial face looking so reserved that she couldn't hope to form a proper sentence. He seemed to smile at her only out of politeness but she refused to put up her dukes. She returned the smile warmly, almost tenderly, a plea for forgiveness for misjudging him so criminally.

"Hello," he said, encouraged. "What's it been, like, seventy years?"

"A few decades at least. I live here now."

"You're holding up remarkably well."

"Thank you," she laughed.

The two men walked towards her, and though Bob was in the lead, Violet was relieved to see John so willing.

"What are you doing here?" Bob asked. "You got a hot date or something?"

Violet began to worry that her reasons would soon be all too apparent. "I have an appointment," she said vaguely.

Bob said, "We were just having a lunch meeting, but John insisted on seeing the aviary."

"I never believe the albatross is that big," John shrugged.

"Sure," Violet said.

"Do you doubt his motives?" Bob teased.

"She doubts my morals," John said meaningfully.

Bob bristled. "Really? The first time we met she was doing a stellar job of defending them."

"I wish that were true, Bob, but that was mostly you."

"Your face did more to put James on defence than my words did to get him on offence."

Violet made sure John understood. "Your uncle talked to me about his favourite nephew, Jimmy, all the time. I assumed incorrectly that he meant James."

Some small light flickered behind John's dark eyes.

"Don't you know what assumptions can do to a girl?"

"I have some idea."

"You two are talking in code and I don't like anything that reminds me of the feds," Bob protested. "I'm somebody's nephew too, you know, but it's never caused this much stink."

John said to Violet, "Do you know, biologically speaking, I'm nobody's nephew. I'm not even a cousin."

"Well now that we're all in on your secret identity, does it do anything for me?" asked Bob.

"It makes you look taller and slimmer," John said.

"Perfect. Speaking of shape-shifting, let's go see that Albatross Giganticus."