Page 46 of Lift Me Up

“She’s going to be a bit sad today, I think, Abi.” Noah comments as I walk through the front door.

“Who’s going to be sad?” I say with a smile, walking over to his open armed embrace and letting him pull me in. Abi meets my eyes and gives me a smile.

“You might be. I have some news for you.” He tells me, and I still, looking up at him with a curious expression.

“Oh?”

“I went to PPP yesterday for a visit when you went to your moms, and—I found out someone is fostering Birdie.”

“Oh! Oh,” I say excitedly, then lower my excitement to a normal level as if to show him that I am in fact saddened by the fact that she’s literally back in my apartment building. “That’s great,”

“It is. But I know you bonded with her. I just hope this place sticks. If she comes back, they’ll label her unadoptable.” He rubs the back of his neck. His eyes flicker to me, up then down, then grins and says, “You look really cute today.”

“Thanks,” I say with a twirl.

I know how cute this outfit is, I picked it out for this reason. My navy white and white pinstripe wide leg capris flow when I walk, making me feel very comfortable and cute in the high waisted bottoms. The tight black crop top was mostly because of how sweltering it is and little because I know it makes my boobs look fantastic in a modest way.

The day passes by quickly for about the first hour, I help Noah pack an online order he’s been working on, and then I stock the puzzle shelf with our latest 3D stock. On my break, I barely get a chance to sit on our staff room’s couch before Franny calls me. Instantly I feel sick. She told me she would only call if⁠—

“George,” her face graces my screen, cheeks pink.

“Fran, is she okay?” I ask, glancing warily around the room for signs of Noah or Abi.

“She’s… not not okay? She’s just… I think she’s broken,” She whispers, making me want to laugh.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, she and Bennie… I had to separate them?” She tries to deflect but my heart lurches.

“Oh, God… Were they fighting?”

“No… Not exactly.”

“Franny,” I give her a warning tone.

She sighs, “Let's just say our kids are getting more action than we are.”

“Oh? Oh.”

“Yeah. I don’t know… I don’t know how far it—how far they went—oh god this is horrible. It’s worse than talking about my sex life which is non-existent. Are they fixed?”

“I… don’t know, they might not be. I didn’t think to ask.”

“Well, I guess we’ll find out.” Franny says.

“But you said Birdie was a little broken? What do you mean?”

‘Well, after he pulled it—nope. Can’t even think like that. After I separated them from their little romp, she realized you were not in fact here… She’s been like this ever since.” Franny flips to her back camera to show me the reason for my heart breaking.

“Oh, my poor baby,”

Birdie sits at Franny’s door, patiently waiting for me. Her ears perk up at every sound she hears in the hall, and then she’ll glance back to where Franny is sitting on her couch before turning back to the door.

“Georgie, go get that baby and bring her here.” I nearly scream, startled by the voice behind me. I turn, Abi stands there with a basket of undyed yarn in her hands, looking at my phone screen.

“What? I can’t bring her here it’s work⁠—”

“Last time I checked I owned the place. I say she’s coming to work. Seriously, go get her.”