A Peculiar Party ~ Part Two

I struggled to regain my equilibrium, but the ground kept shifting ‘neath my feet.

Like quicksand.

Finally finding my footing, I stared long and hard at Freddie.

Caught in my headlights, he looked as if he was about to croak.

That struck me as funny.  I giggled.  And then launched into cross-examination mode.

“What’s going on, Freddie?”

He blinked, as if to shake off the mental fog that enveloped us both.  “Objection.  That question assumes facts not in evidence.”

“Well, we’re not in a court of law.”

His grin hinted of grimace.  “And I’m not under oath.”

“Seriously, Freddie.  I’m getting worried.  You invited me down here for a party and there are no guests.”

“Of course there are.”

I glanced about the empty garden.  “Where?”

Freddy pointed at me. “You’re our guest.”

“Well, then, perhaps you could offer me a chair. That drink Teddy served me was a rather potent potable.”

“It’s not the drink.  Or Teddy.  It’s a bit more complicated than that . . . ”  His voice trailed off, silence settling on a lily pad as if readying for a sunset sail.

I watched for unspoken words as I waited.

Freddie cleared his throat.  “You’re right.  You need to sit.  And then I’ll fill you in on the goings on.”  Freddie motioned to Teddy who hopped into the fountain, clothes and all.

I peered into the water and saw nothing.

No Teddy.
No lily pad.
No thing.

What the . . . ?

Before I could voice my concern, Teddy surfaced with a sudden splash, sitting astride a dolphin.

The dolphin hopped out of the pool, grinned at me, and flipped up its tail.

“Seat, madam?”

Too astonished to say anything, I sat.
And grinned back.

Freddie squatted next to me.  “There’s something happening here.  What it is ain’t exactly clear.”

“That’s why you invited me down.”

“Yes.  We’re hoping you can help us sort it all out.”

“”I’ll do what I can.  Why don’t you start at the very beginning.”

“Yes.  The beginning.  A good place to start.  We went into Naples for dinner last week.  And the oddest thing happened . . .”

“Odder than a dolphin assuming the role of beach chair?”

Flipper flicked its tail.

Whether in delight or agitation, I couldn’t say.

Not being fluent in Dolphin.

To be continued . . .

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