Carrot Cake
Marie Jacobs, known as Rhee to her friends, sat at a table At Tickled Drinks her local bar watching the festivities unfold around her to loud and obscure music. She is a lovely woman in her mid-thirties with large brown eyes and a long teal braid that ends in the center of her back. She wore a plain white t-shirt over a pair of dark jeans. The song switched decent metal to some annoying pop song heavily ridden with bass. She never quite understood why people wanted that much bass in any song. Men and women laughed and consorted, many out for drinks with friends while others prowled for late-night hookups. One man sat at the table next to her had been for the better part of an hour to get her to follow him to the bathroom for a little in-stall lovin'. Normally she would be here with April, a young goddess who liked wandering the city in the guise of an anthropomorphic rabbit, but Felix had said that he wanted to speak to her alone.
Rhee glanced at her watch and sighed, he was late. It wasn't like Felix to run behind when he called for a meeting. Her eyes skimmed the bar looking for any sign of the man.
"I guess you'd like to know why I called you here, " Felix's voice asked behind her as one song transitioned to the next.
He watched as Rhee turned and smiled at him, her face changing to a worried, thoughtful look as she tried to get a reading on her handler's face. She could tell something was on his mind when he had asked her to meet, but seeing him there, sad-eyed and disheveled. Normally the man before her wore well-fitting, James Bond type suits. It broke her heart to see him in such a manner.
"More curious about why you asked me to leave April at home. You know she hates it when she's not privy to a case." Rhee smiled softly watching as the man took the seat next to her. It took her about that amount of time to figure out what her handler was going to say, "You're leaving aren't you?"
"Yes, and it's not April, darlin', nor you for that matter, " Felix said quietly his brogue becoming thicker as he saw the look of worry on Rhee's face, it always got heavier the more worried or scared he was. "My family needs me. I know I made that deal with April but Emmy and Miranda need me. I know I have one more year of service left but I need out. Emmy needs me more now than ever. Please talk to April for me, see if she'd be willing to let me out of our contract."
"I might be able to convince her."
"Convince me of what?"A brown rabbit leaped onto the table. She was about the size of a small dog and covered in light brown fur, the only thing distinguishing her from other rabbits was her silver eyes. She repeated her question, stormed across the table and grabbed hold of Felix's collar. "What are you hiding Booty-call? Tell me, old man!"
"My girls need me, April." He grabbed her paws and flung sending her crashing to the floor. The party raged on about them, not a soul came to the defense of the little brown rabbit, most had seen the furry creature's bad side and knew better than to get involved. "Katie's back in town and wants Emmy, okay. I can't lose my daughter again."
"Wait, Katie, the bitch who tried to turn me into mutton chops is in town? Why didn't you say so? I owe that bitch a come to goddess moment." April's eyes began to glow and anyone nearby watching saw the small brown rabbit grow to the size of a small child. Dashing towards the door, "what are you waiting for, let's go get the bitch."
Moving quickly Rhee got up from her chair and scooped up the now child-sized rabbit. She motioned for the disheveled man to follow them. "We are not going after Katie tonight or any night. Felix is the only one who can help his family. I know what she did pissed you off but you need to get over it. If Felix needs us we'll be there but he needs to do this on his own. You are going to let him out of his contract. I don't care how you do it but you are going to do it. Understand? If I hear one but out of you I'll build you a hutch in the back yard and keep you there for a year."
"Fine I'll turn into a cute little girl and you will go to jail." April countered, figuring her companion would back down the way she usually did. "Felix is still mine for the next year. We help him takedown Katie and we celebrate the way we always do with copious amounts of booze and carrot cake. Everybody wins."
"He's done his job for the last four years. Which is longer than I expected him to. He's come through time and again with jobs. Never asked for time off, and no honeymoons don't count. There before you ask." Rhee said trying to keep hold of the now wriggling rabbit. "Would you please let Felix out of his contract?"
"Not for another year, " trying to get free from Rhee.
"Do it or no carrot cake for a year."
"Ugh, fine, I'll let him out of it but I'm doing it my way." April sighed as she was carried out of the bar and into the evening air.
Not a minute later Felix, Rhee's jacket in hand, stepped out the door. He draped the old bomber jacket around her shoulders, "shall we continue this conversation at your place, ladies?"
As they walked through the door April jumped out of Rhee's arms and dropped onto the sofa feet first. It was a tiny house, and even with the two bedrooms, it was still just big enough for two as long as one of the tenets was small and furry. There was no living room or kitchen, just a broad space divided into two by several bookcases. Rhee had bought the place bent on flipping and selling it to bring in extra money when her caseload thinned but that had been several years ago and by now he and April were pretty well settled in. In her free time, she had time remodel the bedrooms and most of the bathroom, all she really has left there was changing out the old tub for a new one.
"Why don't you two finish your discussion while I make some coffee, " Rhee said hanging up her jacket and brushing rabbit fuzz from her shirt. "When you're done we are going to have a chat about spying on private conversations, April. "
"I wasn't spying, I was looking through your pockets for your wallet. I was going to order dinner. You complain when I don't help with the housework."
"Later, young lady." Heading off to the kitchen.
"Now, I know you want out of your contract Felix and that's fine. Most would have come to me and begged for their freedom but you know my weakness and she knows how to motivate me." Sitting on the sofa and trying to look intimidating.
"Denied your carrot cake?" Felix grinned, "I'm guessing for longer than you could handle."
"Coffee's ready, anybody want anything before I leave the kitchen?" Rhee called from the other side of the bookcase where she had been listening and wondering what April was going to ask for in return.
"A couple of slices of carrot cake and whatever Felix wants. You're ruining my flow. This is one of the few times I can get my way."
"No carrot cake until he's free. "
If either had been paying attention they would have seen Felix smiling for the first time since he found out his ex was back in town. He loved listening to them argue and a part of him was going to miss it.
Returning her attention to the man in front of her, "now as I was trying to say I am willing to let you free of your commitment on one condition. You need to find a replacement. I'm sure you have gotten to know the local detectives in town. I'm certain that one of them could use a reasonably priced consultant with special abilities such as Rhee. All we need is a name."