Nightingale | An Avengers Tale

Flashback

"I know what my new favorite animal is!" Lily squealed as she ran to keep to up with Grant. He had been in such a hurry since they had gotten to the zoo. Didn't he know that the zoo was a place to relax and have fun?

"Don't you want to know?" She continued to pester him with questions.

"Oh I'm dying to find out." He grouchily replied.

Lily rolled her eyes at him as she continued to run to keep up with. If he wanted to be a sourpuss then fine, but she wasn't going to let him ruin her day. "Otters!" She again squealed. "They're so cute!"

"Otters, huh?" He stopped for a minute. A look of surprise passed over his face and instantly vanished. "Are you sure you didn't like the tigers or elephants better?"

She shook her head back and forth, bouncing her hair all around. "Nope. I like the otters the best." She smiled up at him. He was a funny person. Some days he acted so grouchy and pretended that he didn't like her, and then there were other times where he almost seemed to be amused with her. She couldn't figure him out, and she had tried really hard. "What's your favorite animal?"

"Dogs." He said with a smile.

"Do you have a dog?"

"Not anymore." He sadly said. He held out his hand to her, indicating that it was time to go.

Lily grasped his hand and began to skip as they walked around. "Where are we going now?"

"I seem to remember someone wanted ice cream."

"Yes!" The little girl cheered. "Can I get sprinkles?"

"Sure." He quickly agreed. "But I need your help with someone first." He knelt down to her height and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"Ok." Lily cheerfully agreed.

"There's a stand next to the ice cream shop that sells stuffed animals."

"Can I get one?"

"Yes." He seriously said. "There's a lady that works there who wears a red hat. I need you to tell her you like purple flamingos."

"But flamingos aren't purple." She interrupted. "They're pink."

"I know. But it's really important that you tell her that you like purple flamingos." He paused. "It's like a game."

"What kind of game has purple flamingos?" Her eyes began to squint as she tried to think of all the games she had played. Hungry Hippos had weird colored hippos but no flamingos.

His brow furrowed as he tried to think of something. "It's a secret spy game. We have to get the purple flamingo before someone else does."

"Who else is trying to get it?"

"The bad guys." He quickly replied.

"Oh. So we're helping the good guys?"

"Yes." His face contorted as he continued. "We have to get the purple flamingo so we can help a bunch of other people."

Lily nodded slowly. This purple flamingo must be really important for them to need her help. "Ok." She cheerfully said.

"I'm going to order the ice cream. While I'm there, I need you to go talk to the lady with the red hat."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"No. We're not friends at all actually."

"Why not?"

"I don't know her."

"So she's a stranger? Why are you playing games with a stranger. That's dangerous."