Little Hooves in a Dark World

by David Silver

23 - C'mon, Sis

They drove through the suburban streets of Sandra's town towards a destination that only Sandra knew. "You can tell me. You didn't come here just to not tell me. Is it bad? Is it good?"

Susan shrugged lightly. "I don't know. I don't even know if I should say. It's kind of personal."

Sandra scoffed at that. "You're my sister, and you came to visit. You're putting out vibes that something's off. If you can't tell your sister, who can you? Whatever it is, I'm here for you."

"Well..." She leaned her head against the window. "I don't think it's going well with my job. I got a feeling I might lose it."

Sandra thought back, digging about to draw up where she remembered Susan working at last. "That was the, uh, cafe, right?"

Susan slapped Sandra's shoulder. "I quit that ages ago. Guess I really haven't been keeping you up to date."

Sandra thought of her recent escapades and laughed tensely. "Well, we all have things going on. I won't hold that against you if you bring me up to speed now. What have you been doing?"

"I work at a hotel." Susan sighed and pressed her head into her palm. "It was nice at first, but I think they're getting rid of people, and I don't know how to make myself look better than the others."

Sandra hissed gently. "Another reason I never wanted to have a 'boss' if I could help it." She turned into a large parking lot with many stores in a strip. "You're just another cog in their eyes, all replaceable the instant the books look funny."

Susan nodded along. "Yeah, that's what I've been thinking about too. They haven't been talking to me, and I know they're not saying anything to avoid a lawsuit. I have bills to pay, Sandy."

Sandra reached over, using the other hand to draw them into a spot as she rested it on Susan's side. "That's a big suck. If my delivery app suddenly vanished, I'd be so mad."

Susan burst into laughter, the tension popping. "You're still doing that?!"

Sandra parked her car and turned to face her with a smirk. "Hey. My delivery app has gotten me out of a jam or two. You know I can't handle a boss, so this lets me work at my own pace. Besides, I like the streaming thing. It's getting somewhere, slowly. Sure, I'd like that to be faster, but It's what I want to do, you know?"

Susan shrugged lightly. "You're making something of it. That's not a bad gig. I'm glad you found something you want to do." She sighed softly. "I thought hospitality was for me, but I have no idea what I would do now that this seems to be ending."

Sandra slipped her key away. "You learned skills, right? Get a job somewhere else. What's your job at that hotel?" She pushed the car door open and slipped out. "And let's get some food in us."

Susan stepped out after her, closing the door behind her. "I'm a desk person. You know, the one who helps people when they need it."

"Customer service?" Sandra pointed towards one of the buildings in the strip. "I think you'd like this one." It was a store with the name 'Wok It' plastered on the front.

Susan headed towards it, Sandra at her side. "Customer service, yeah. Greet people nice, get them what they want, defuse tense moments and make sure they leave happy. A lot of customer service and juggling what everyone else is doing." She considered the sign of Wok It. "I haven't tried one of these before. Any good?"

Sandra waved dismissively at the idea. "It's good enough. We'll both have eaten, and I know you're the kind who likes to try new things."

They entered the store and stood in line. "Sounds, to me, like you could translate that skill to a lot of other places."

"Sis, I'm trying, scout's honor." She raised a hand up in an imitation. "Got my resume flying around, hoping for a nibble. Hopefully, I get something, but not knowing is the part that kills you."

Sandra ordered herself some orange chicken and rice, while Susan got herself a bowl of fried rice. They both settled down at the table and began eating.

Sandra poked her fork towards Susan, spearing a piece. "I wish I had some cheat code to make it faster, but there really isn't. Oh! Send me your resume and I could help a little, just sending it to more places."

Susan took a bite of her rice and chewed. Sandra could see the gears turning behind her eyes. "Yeah," she said with her mouth still full. "I'll do that. That would actually be great." She snickered softly. "Just be sure to tell me where. I'd hate to show up at an interview and not know what job I landed one for."

Sandra gestured at the soda fountain. "Want a drink? Just rice'll dry you out."

Susan waved Sandra off. "I got it." She hopped up to go fetch herself something.

While Susan was busy, Sandra turned on her phone and pulled up her messages to Louis. 'Hey. Sis dropped by. Having refreshingly normal problems. I'm lending emotional support.'

With that sent, she slipped the phone away and had her smile back on by the time Susan settled back in. "Alright. Now that you got something in you, how about a little more of an answer?"

Susan paused with a raised spoon. "What do you mean?"

Sandra rolled her eyes lightly. "Sis, you're not telling me everything." She waved one hand over the other. "As much as that sucks, you're hiding something else going on."

Susan tensed. Her eyes darted towards Sandra and quickly away. "What are you, psychic? Fine, I guess I can't hide that." She took a breath to steady herself.

Sandra chewed her meal and waited patiently. Sometimes, she reminded herself, it was what one didn't say, and knowing when to shut up.

"Look. You know that boyfriend I had?" Sandra slowly nodded along to that. "Yeah. I broke up with him a little bit ago. We just weren't getting along anymore." She sighed softly, then stared down at her food. "It was stupid, but I thought he really liked me. Turns out, he just liked I had a steady paycheck. As soon as I told him I might be in trouble, that was it."

Sandra put a hand to her head. "Damn. That's not good." She leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table. "Not going to lump all guys in that, Kinda like the one I got, but—"

"Speaking of that!" Susan blurted out loud enough for a head to turn briefly. "When did you and Louis go past 'best buds?' I thought you were were pretty stuck in that comfy rut."

Sandra blushed softly at that. "We just realized the other wanted more than being friends. It's been, what? Three years now?"

Susan rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner. "Yeah, that was my thought. You two were so stuck, I was getting worried." She laughed, the tension bleeding away from her. "I'm happy for you, though." She tapped her fingers along the cup she had gotten. "But, sorry to dodge, yeah. He just threw me aside the moment I didn't look like a for sure ticket to ease. What I get for even looking at a man without a job."

Sandra shrugged gently at that. "Hey. You're not going to find love again if you stop trying, right?"

"Love?!" Susan squeaked softly at the word. "It wasn't that kind of relationship. Just a nice, fun time." She caught her head with a hand as if it had grown too heavy for her. "Looking back on it, it's easy to see. I'm pretty sure he didn't even like being with a plus-sized lady."

"You're not fat." Sandra said it in a brisk, firm manner. "He sounds like a jerk, and I'm glad you're free of him. You don't need to put up with that kind of negativity." She reached across to poke her sister. "You are just the size you're supposed to be, which is a fun size, I say."

Susan stuck out her tongue, then giggled lightly at the pun. "Oh, stop it." Her tone was light, playful, not actually meaning it.

Sandra smirked. "Besides, with a sleaze like that, pretty sure he didn't care what you looked like, which still sucks." She thought of bringing up the pony thing, but bringing up more odd stuff in the middle of normal life stuff? She shook her head to herself. "I'll do what I can. Oh! Right. I can bring you up to my streamers. Who knows, one of them might have a spot."

Susan tapped a finger on her chin. "That could work. Some of my best jobs I got from friends." She laughed and gave Sandra a playful glare. "Still, can't believe you're willing to put up with someone like me."

Sandra adopted a flat gaze. "You're my sister. I can't trade you in for a new model." Her smile returned. "Besides, I do love you, even when you get annoying."

Susan snickered again. "I'm annoying? What about you?" They both laughed together, drawing more glances from other customers. After a few moments of mirth, they settled back down to finish their meals. "Thanks." She tossed her trash away. "For being a real sister. I needed someone around me being legit for a change of pace."

Sandra beamed, then cleaned up her own trash. "Any time. Ready to go?"

Once they were both free of dishes and leftovers, Susan nodded and headed out. "Yeah. Thanks for listening, I guess."

Sandra bumped into her sister lightly before snaking an arm around her, drawing her close. "What are sister for, if not sharing some trauma with? Now, let's get home, my home. Louis should be home before too long."

***

The door creaked open as Louis entered. The light was off, but he could see a pair of figures sitting on the couch, one larger and one slightly smaller. He reached for the light, turning it on, and the two turned to face him. "Am I missing a movie night?" He tossed his jacket aside on a hook. "That's not fair."

Sandra laughed softly and shook her head. "Nope, you're good. We barely got started on this one. If you're feeling up for it, crash with us. We can rewind." Sandra gestured towards the screen. On it, a movie title was shown in big, bold letters. "It's about a guy who wakes up in a whole new world, full of danger and magic."

Louis sank down between the two in the space they made available for him. "I dunno, sounds a bit hard to believe." His tone was sarcastic, a laugh accompanying it. "Oh, nice to see you, Susan. I'm not ignoring you."

Susan punched his shoulder. "Nice to see you too. I heard you went and took a move, with my sister. Perv. Good on you."

Louis held up his hands, then lightly shoved hers aside in return. "Oh shush, like you wouldn't have said something if we didn't."

Susan laughed and gestured towards the screen. "Eyes on the picture. Glad to see you two getting along." She pressed the play button with a little flare.

Louis settled into place, getting comfortable. "So, what have you all been up to today?"

Susan shrugged gently. "Well, I got to meet the wolves."

Louis tensed. "Really?"

Sandra snickered with a shrug. "And we were torn to ribbons, as you can clearly see. A tragic fate, really."

Author's Note:

Good siblings can be such a nice thing, I vote.

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Comments

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

A day of normal problems?

How dare.