Chapter 3 #2
While Tutu made the men pry open the crates to verify the contents, I checked on the tabletop.
Tutu had already removed it from the kiln and placed it on top of one of the side tables.
I knew it must have passed his assessment already, otherwise I would have heard about it, so I skipped doing my own inspection and headed for the smaller of our cooling kilns to remove the bowl and inspect it.
“Ooh, isn’t that pretty.” The bowl had cooled nicely, the swirl of colors giving it some flair. “What do you think, Tigger?”
My reptile leaned forward and snorted before chittering. “I agree it’s gorgeous.” Yes, I was pretending it gave me a compliment.
I lifted the bowl and carried it to the fancy shelf, which, for the curious, was a lovely wooden length of wood with a rough bark edge that sat atop a stool with a white backboard behind.
I set the bowl upon it and pulled out my phone to take pictures.
I clicked several from different angles.
I’d choose the best one later and load it onto our website.
Before I could put my phone away, Tigger ran down my arm and grabbed hold of my thumb to prevent itself from falling. It seemed fascinated by my cellular device.
“Such a curious fellow. Maybe I should have named you George.” Struck by an idea, I placed Tigger in the bowl and aimed my camera. “Say cheese.”
It cocked its head.
Click. I tapped the picture I’d just taken and flipped my phone around so Tigger could see the screen. “See how cute you are.”
It recoiled, but only for a second, before inching closer and reaching out to pat the screen.
“That’s you. Tigger.”
I whirled my phone and snapped a new image, this time of myself before showing it. “And this is me, Iolana.”
Its mouth rounded.
“It’s called a picture, and I take it with the camera on my phone.” Yeah, I knew I strayed into crazy-lizard-lady territory the way I explained it to Tigger, but in my defense, it seemed really interested.
“What is that thing doing in here?” barked Tutu, coming up behind me.
“That thing has a name. Tigger.”
“I don’t care. You’re supposed to be working.”
“I am. The ruined batch from yesterday is now a bowl you can charge an exorbitant amount for.”
“It’s not hideous,” Tutu grudgingly declared, “but get the lizard out of it before it shits on something and ruins it.”
Fair point. Given how much Tigger had eaten, it would likely end up being a massive one. I scooped up my lizard and placed it back on my shoulder.
“So, is all the obsidian there?” I teased.
“Seems like. Really need to get that scale fixed so I can make sure they’re not charging me more than I’m getting, though.” We paid for it by the pound.
“You’ve been doing business with Dwayne for decades. Why would he start screwing you now?”
“Because people are crooks.”
“Says the biggest one,” my dry reply.
“What I do isn’t theft but good business sense.”
“If you say so. I just wish this supposed good business sense actually paid enough to get our air conditioning fixed.” It broke three years ago, and we’d been getting by with fans since because Tutu refused to pay someone to repair it. In his defense, much of our earnings went to paying down debt.
“Bah. Air conditioning is a waste of electricity.”
“Says the man who can sleep in a gazllion degrees. Some of us would like to not wake in a puddle of sweat in the morning.”
“Your ancestors would cringe at your weakness.”
“My ancestors would have likely not been so stingy.”
The rebuke clamped his lips. “If you don’t like it—”
“I can leave. You know, one day I will, and then what will you do?” I arched a brow.
Tutu scowled. “Ungrateful brat.”
“You know, maybe I should take a vacation. I’m long overdue for one.”
“Jameson is expecting his wares by the end of next week.”
“I’m sure you could handle it. After all, you taught me everything I know.”
His face went through a few emotions, panic, annoyance, more irritation.
He’d never admit it, but I had more of a knack for working with the volcanic glass than he did.
A project worth this much? He knew better than to handle it himself.
Not if he wanted his new rich client to give us a referral and more business.
“You can take a break after the job is done.”
“A paid one.” I knew his cheap ass didn’t believe in paying me vacation time like a proper employee.
His face twisted as he spat out, “Fine, I’ll pay you, but if you go somewhere, you better take that lizard with you. I am not feeding or cleaning up after it.”
“Deal.”
I spun, lest Tutu see my wide smile. I’d actually won that round. My grandfather had backed down, and I was getting a paid week off. To do what? No clue. Maybe I’d visit O’ahu and see what my bestie was up to.
I spent the rest of that day dumping shards in the kiln and sorting the rest of the obsidian while they melted.
Tigger alternated between riding my shoulder, sleeping in my breast pocket, and eating.
I swear, every time I looked, it pointed at its mouth.
Worried it would explode, I took it outside for a walk on the grass, cooing, “Poo for me. Come on, you can do it.”
Of course, when I sang the potty song my grandmother used to train me was when a deep voice said, “Why do I suddenly feel a need to ask to use the washroom?”