Communication

Amanda says...

I talk to myself a lot more these days. Probably because I am spending more time alone. It's not like I'm having an actual conversation (I don't think, anyways), more I am just thinking outloud. It's comforting to say my thoughts. It makes me feel like I commit myself to them. Makes it harder for me to change my mind.

The Narrator says...

And now, a group session.

Lacey and Sparky plop down on the leather couch, one on each side. Susie takes a seat in the chair across from them.

"Okay, what do you want today, Miss Sunshine?" asks Lacey with an already impatient tone.

"Wait a minute, where is Nina?" asks Sparky.

Lacey looks around the room, "Yeah? Where the hell is that hippie? I thought this was suppose to be a group thing-a-muh-jig."

Shrugging her shoulders and waving a hand in the air, Susie says, "Oh don't worry about her. Apparently some guy told her she has a beautiful aura when she smiles, or something like that, and so she has been prancing around for two days now, singing this or that."

Smiling, Sparky says, "So basically she is unreachable at the moment?"

"Completely distracted, yes. Honestly, she is of no concern to me right now."

"Ha. What a sucker," says Lacey with the hint of a smirk. They are all silent for a moment, making her incredibly uneasy. "Okay, seriously, Sue, what are we doing here?"

Susie takes a moment to center herself. She sincerely hates having to be in the same room as this psycho, but she knows she has to do her best to keep it together. Lacey thrives on her ability to unravel her. "As you both know, I am extremely busy with work these days. You two did a fabulous job of tainting my near-perfect record, and it is now up to me, as always, to repair it. It is especially important the next two weeks, during my new training, that I be 100% on my game, else they may no longer feel they need my services. And in these times, unemployment would not be pretty. Especially for a physically challenged woman and an unstable lunatic."

"Please... elaborate on instability. I'm sure you have some insight to offer, Sue."

Sparky speaks up before the pending argument can ensue, "Get to the point, Susie. I think we all have better things to do."

Flashing her world-class smile, which immediately gives away her rage, Susie continues, locking eyes with Lacey. "We need to set up some rules. If I am going to do what I do best, you two need to behave."

Lacey only laughs. Susie continues, "Keep laughing. Let's see if it pays the bills."

"Alright, alright, what the fuck are these rules?" interrupts Sparky, again being the mediator.

"Well, for starters, clean up the language, Sparky. It certainly doesn't appear professional if you are dropping F-bombs and referring to people as Thundercunts under your breath. No matter how incompetent they may be."

Lacey laughs even louder and gives Sparky a high-five,"Classy."

"And as for you... stop writing all over everything! What am I suppose to say to may supervisor when she looks down at my training booklet and sees your serial killer handwriting all over it, spouting off nonsense about other planets and telephone calls?"

"Well, what the hell do you expect?!!! You've got me holed up in a room full of yuppies for hours. I get bored!"

With her smile widening, Susie says through nearly-gritted teeth, "Then bring your own notebook with you. So long as it doesn't belong to me, by all means, scribble your gibberish. Just don't put me in a position to defend your idiocy."

"Oh oh idiocy! Again, I'm all ears, Sue!"

"Oh for Christ's sake. Will you two shut the hell up. Sometimes, I swear you two should just fuck and get it over with already!" snaps Sparky, mediating for the last time. "I admit, I see your point, Susie. I will do my best to make my act PG for the time being. And Lacey, babe, can-it with the hostility for bit. For me. It's exhausting. I will buy you a six-pack to help chill you out. Deal?"

Considering the offer carefully, Lacey reluctantly says, "...deal. But I want Guinness, not PBR, you hear me?!."

"I can do that."

Breathing a sudden sigh of relief, Susie says, "Wonderful. So glad we got that taken care of. You know, you two certainly don't make things easy for me. In fact, you--"

Susie stops mid-complaint as all three of them hear Nina's voice from outside the apartment. The front door opens, and Nina dances her way in, her big Skull-Crusher headphones over her ears. She closes the door behind her, looks at the three of them, puts her fist in the air, and sings at the top of lungs "She's a killer queeeeeeen! Gunpowder, gelatin! Dynamite with a laser beam!!! Guarenteed to blow your mind... Anytiiiiiiime!!!"

And with that, she leaves the three of them sitting in silence with nothing left to say. As she walks down the hall, they hear her song trail off, "Recommended at the price... Insatiable an appetite..."

As always, Queen saves the day.