Rabbit Hole Carnival: Apple

“What?” Renee asked, looking at her date. Dressed up in a long dark blue dress.

“Well, we’re having such a good night.” The boy replied. “I just don’t wanna ruin it.”

“You just did.” Renee replied. “It’s what I would say, if a bartender can’t notice a spiked drink.”

“What? I... I didn’t—” The boy said.

“Yes you did, and no you’re not getting any tips.” Renee replied, before walking away.

The words “Kate” or “Katie” were echoed throughout the group as they searched the shopping center area around the bar. Eventually deciding to split up.

“Hey um… Redhead?” one girl replied.

Renee turned to her. “Me?” Waiting for a nod. “Renee. What’s up?”

“Amber.” Amber replied. “Was kind of paying attention to you at that  bar cause that boy was giving me the creeps even 3 tables away.”

“Oh, I bet.” Renee giggles. “Didn’t even have a good pick up line after staring at me for what like 2 hours?”

“They seriously just need to learn to say ‘Hey, can I buy you a drink?’ or something.” Amber replied, also giggling. 

“Don’t be too hard on ‘em. They were trained to be that stupid. And ‘that dress should have stars on it, because you’re shining’ is far from the worst I've heard.”

“Yeah, that’s actually not that bad.” Amber said.

“It’s creative.” Renee admitted. “He was a pretty good guy too, or so I thought anyway.”

“Brings us back to my question actually.” Amber replied. “You could seriously tell that drink was spiked?”

“It’s really subtle.” Renee said. “But there’s a few very slight differences, and I do actually work at a bar. So I know drinks pretty well, despite no one really spiking anything at our bar.”

“And your dad is fine with all that?” Amber asked. “I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be.” Renee replied. “My parents are trash, but my uncle is—”

“Don’t say that!” A high pitched voice shouted out, and both girls turned their given out flashlights.

Amber and Renee looked at each other with a smirk as a shadow appeared and disappeared. “So anyway.” Renee continued. “My parents are trash. My dad abused both me and my mom, and my mom still just let it happen. I ended up limping over to my uncle's bar since it has housing upstairs, and I just needed somewhere to go.”

“Huh, not unlike this adopted girl we’re looking for then?” Amber asked. “What would make her run away from love then?”

“Oh, tons of things.” Renee said. “She might want her ‘real’ parent’s love. She might feel like she’s not actually worth it. They might have yelled at her, even once, and she just up and decided it was gonna be the same thing all over again.”

“It’s gonna be like that all over again anyways.” Katie replied, as she scooted out. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“It wasn’t like that for me. May I sit do— no!” Renee replied, as Amber started to walk off. “Don’t get anyone else just yet.”

Amber looked, and sure enough Katie was close to darting off. “Okay.” Amber said. “It’s just Renee, me, and you then.”

There was a small pause. “You can sit.” Katie said, and Renee did so. “It… It wasn’t like that for you.”

“Uncle Nick, a man who I so often refer to as ‘daddy’ these days, has been nothing but protective and loving. Can I show you something?” Renee got out her phone, and showed a few text messages.

“My… my old parents never picked me up.” Katie said.

“Do your new ones?” Renee asked, gesturing to Amber that it was okay to go, as Kaite just sniffed and nodded. “All the time, huh? That would make sense. They’re worried sick about you, right now.”

“I wanted the grass green elephant.” Katie replied. “The pink did look cute too, but I… I liked the color more.”

“Sweetheart, the only person in your head,” Renee poked Katie’s forehead. “is you. You might have to repeat somethings a few times for a while. But they seem like good parents, so eventually they’ll figure out how to listen. I got a bit lucky leaning into an uncle who I knew for years, but… The point is give them a shot before you go running off like this okay?”

Renee brought up Kaite. Who ran up to a foster dad holding a grass green elephant. Renee walked to Nick and side hugged before Katie walked back over. “I wanna name him after you.” Katie said.

Renee kneeled down. “After me, huh? Hmm… What about Shrub? Though I guess he might not like taking after the whole Shem lineage.”

“Ren prehaps?” Nick suggested.

“Naw.” both girls replied, before Renee snapped her fingers. “Apple. Named after a drink I’ve been making forever that means a lot to me.”

“Apple.” Katie replied.