Annie XIV Rainy Day

(Chronological index: Shortly after Ray/Denise wedding)

Annie spun her clear umbrella with red polka dots, shedding water in a wide pattern. Besides the umbrella, she was only wearing red plastic rain boots.

She smiled at Pet. Pet's umbrella had yellow dots which matched her boots. "You ready, Pet?"

"I think so," the other sylph smiled. The started to skip through the puddles dotting the tiles.

"I'm singing in the rain," Annie sang.

"What are you doing?" Pet asked.

"Just singing in the rain!"

"How do you feel?"

"What a glorious feeeeeeeling!" Annie sang, splashing through the water.

"Are you still sad?" Pet asked as she flanked her friend.

"I'm happy again!" She ran through a heavier spray. "Ooooh! Pet, LOOK!" The two ran over to the biggest puddle they'd seen yet, held hands and leapt together. They landed flat-footed. The splash hit Ray on his hip as he lay curled around the leaking toilet.

The cold water probably would have aggravated him, if he weren't already as soaked and as aggravated as he was likely to get.

"Denise! Have you found the cutoff valve yet?" he shouted.

"Is the water still running?" a distant voice shouted angrily. There was no answer from the toilet alcove so Pet turned and ran for the door.

"Oh, no," Annie said and tried to catch her roommate.

"Yes!" Pet shouted at the doorway. "It's still running!" Annie grabbed her and pulled her back into the bathroom.

She shook her head. "That wasn't helpful!" she hissed. Pet looked confused.

Ray's monkey wrench clattered to the floor. "I can almost reach…"

The water spray dropped off a little bit, then a little more, finally stopping completely. "Thank you!" he shouted.

"De nada," Denise said as she stepped into view. She started draping towels across the sink, then dropping them into puddles.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Annie shouted. "Waterworld funpark has concluded its fun fun business day. Please collect all your belongings and children and-"

"I swear to god, Annie," Ray muttered. She shut up.

Pet put her head next to Annie's and whispered, "That wasn't helpful either, was it?"

"No. But a different unhelpful," Annie whispered back. She folded her umbrella and walked towards her owner.

Denise dropped a large towel across the last big wet spot, just missing little Annie.

"Whoa! Watch the cotton picking cotton, lady!"

"Annie," Denise said, "if you're not going to help fix the toilet…"

"Why should I? I can't use the damned thing."

"Good point," Ray said. Something clanked beyond his shoulders. "If I can't fix this, we can use your toilet."

"I don't think you'll fit," Pet said.

"Well, we'll have to rip off the roof. But it's cardboard, that'll be easy enough."

"I don't want a toilet with no ceiling," Pet said. She turned to Annie. "I don't."

"He knows, Pet," Annie assured him. "He's probably teasing."

"Probably?"

His hand started groping around. The sylphs retreated. "Well," Denise said, handing the crescent wrench in, "I know I'm not crouching over a topless box for a toilet."

"Eugh!" Pet said.

"We'd better help, then!" Annie shouted. She grabbed one corner of a soggy towel and started tugging. "Let's do the laundry, Pet!"

"Okay!"

Denise watched the pair struggle with the towel Their plastic boots squeaked on the wet tile but they made zero headway.

"Assuming you manage to get it down the hall, what are you going to do with it?" she asked.

"Shut up! We're helping!" Pet said. Denise knelt down by the pair, looking closely at her sylph.

"Did you say 'shut up,' to me, young lady?" Pet froze. Her boot slipped out from under her and she landed on her butt with a squeak.

Annie let go of the towel and helped Pet to her feet. "Say, 'yes, ma'am,'" she said in a stage whisper.

"Yes, Denny," Pet said softly.

"Now," Annie said, "say there's more where that came from."

"Is there?" Denise asked.

"Um…yeah?" she said slowly. Her owner looked her carefully up and down.

"Good," Denise finally said. She gave Pet a pat on the head. Pet smiled and jumped a little bit. Denise winked at Annie. "And good example you set, Annie."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Annie shrugged.

"If we're done over there, could someone turn the water back on?" Ray grunted.

"Did you fix it?" Denise asked as she stepped into the hall.

"Eh, I tightened it," he called after her. After a few moments he grunted happily. "Well, that's a lot better than-"

Water jetted into his face and sprayed across the tile. Annie swept her umbrella and skipped towards the water. "Second verse, same as the first!" she shouted.

"What are you doing?" Pet asked as she skipped after.

"I'm singing in the rain!"



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