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Cruise Control, Part6




The clerk spoke quietly into the phone for a while. Tammy tried not to hear. The clerk spoke quietly into the phone for a while. Tammy tried not to hear. She focused on Cruiser. He held Emerson's hand tightly. She stared at the clerk, at the phone.

At her fate.

When the clerk started rolling his eyes, though, she started paying attention again.

The discussion made no sense. There were numbers going back and forth. But they were all wrong.

She wasn't really interested in buying or selling sylphs, but it was kind of like when you had a new car. You didn't seek out the car ads but you did start noticing them. She'd heard of sylphs going for $20 to $30 grand.

What were they talking...?

"Okay, sir, I'll try to contact the person who brought her in," the clerk said, looking right at Tammy. "I'll let you know."

He hung up and lowered his face to his hands for a moment. Cruiser and Emerson were looking at Tammy now. Staring at Tammy.

"Okay," the man said. "The half-brother of the former owner vaguely remembers a young sylph in the house.

"His first concern was whether or not he'd have to pay for shipping if he claimed Little Miss Dorothy, here.

"Then he wanted to know the cheapest shipping method she'd be likely to survive."

"Ick," Tammy said.

"Ick, indeed," he agreed. ""He did allow that he might be willing to let the finder keep 'the little beast,' and asked if $5000 was too much to ask." He looked up at Tammy.

"I, uh, no, not..." She looked from him to the sylphs. "She's worth it... And, lord, that sounds like a horrible place to send a sylph. But I don't have five grand." Tammy said. "Um. Can I have some time to think about it.

"A word of advice?" he suggested. "If you can, get it and get it now. If he thinks to ask for a picture, he's going to raise the price."

"Tammy?" Cruiser asked.

"I don't have it," she said. "Well, maybe I can get a loan. Come on, guys, let's go to the bank." She reached down.

"I hate to do this," the clerk said, and he did look reluctant. But he also picked up Emerson. "But I can't let you leave the registry with a sylph you don't own."

"It's okay, Tammy," Emerson said. She winced as the man placed her in a cage behind the counter. "Maybe he'll be...a nice owner."

"Oh, screw that!" Tammy said. She whipped out her cell phone. "Mom? Wanna buy my car?"

"Not particularly, dear. Is this a desperate attempt to borrow some cash?"

"They're going to send Emerson to some asshole who doesn't even want to pay first class shipping to get her back!" She related the opening negotiation offers.

"Well, we can't have that, dear. Go ahead and close the deal, if that's what you want. Let me call my money guy. Find out where I need to wire the money, okay?"

"Mom....You have a money guy?" She paid little attention to her cheering sylphs. The clerk hadn't heard the conversation, but he was familiar with the capabilities of little ears.

He was putting Emerson back on the counter as Tammy made sure that Mildred wanted to do this for her.

"No, no, no. This is for me," Mildred said. "I've always wanted to own a sylph and now I can."

"Mom?"

"Teasing. God, child, you're so easy when you're upset."

----

Mildred chose a seafood buffet for the celebratory dinner. As she was the heroine of the hour, everyone let her make the choice.

They sat at the corner table and toasted what looked to be a very happy ending.

"Of course," Mildred pointed out, "we really should do something about that dreadfully vulgar name."

"I suppose," Tammy said with a shake of her head. "But he really likes Cruiser, and all the others sound stupid."

Cruiser giggled on his little chair. Emerson wrapped an arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "Emerson is what Cruiser calls me," she said. "It's okay."

"Well, it may be good for you, but it reminds me of unseemly characters and unenlightened treatment of others." Mildred sipped her wine and thought. "I mean, it's like calling the two of you Boobsie and Clyde."

"Mom! It's not THAT blatant!"

"It is if you know the provenance!" Mildred insisted.

"I've been to Providence," Emerson said. When the humans looked down they saw the sylphs watching them fearfully.

Mildred smiled as Tammy laughed. "Oh, dear. We're not fighting over you. Don't be scared."

"You know," Tammy said, "if it's Cruiser's high opinion of you that attaches you to that name.... Well, Cruiser, what would you suggest as a new name for Emerson?"

"I..." He looked from his owner to his girlfriend. She nodded encouragingly. "Well, she came out of nowhere and let me help you," he said. "So....Angel?"

"Awww," Mildred and Tammy said together. Angel rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.





Cruise Control, Part 1
Cruise Control, Part 5

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