Animal Accomplice by Fitz Molly

Author:Fitz, Molly [Fitz, Molly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Partridge & Pear Press
Published: 2022-06-28T22:00:00+00:00

“A

nd today we have a very special human interest story for our viewers,” my dad announced, shuffling his papers on the news desk before him.

My mom sat at his side, her hair neatly curled and her lipstick perfect as she stared into the teleprompter with a charismatic grin. “That’s right, Roman. We have a special guest in the studio, and it’s none other than our daughter, Angie Longfellow.”

I cleared my throat as the cameras panned toward me. Nan had wanted to dress me in some sparkly flapper-esque gown, but I’d insisted on wearing my favorite polka-dotted knee-length frock. Sure, it made me look a little like Minnie Mouse, but it also gave me the confidence to be myself, quirks and all.

“Hi, Mom. Dad,” I replied with a huge practiced smile. That had been my parents’ advice to me before we started the segment. No matter what, just keep smiling. So that’s what I did now. I smiled so wide that my cheeks hurt. I even attempted to maintain my toothy grin while talking, which made my words come out somewhat muffled. “It’s great to be here.”

“Angie, tell us why you’re here today,” my dad enunciated far more clearly than I had, glancing quickly toward the teleprompter before he continued. “You have something you wanted to share with our viewers. Is that right?”

I nodded, swallowing down the freshly formed lump in my throat. I wanted to come clean with the world, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t incredibly nervous about finally voicing my secret aloud.

Apparently, I didn’t respond fast enough because my mother spoke up next. “And you’ve brought somebody with you today, I understand.”

That was the prompt I’d needed to shake myself free of the mental bonds that had immobilized me. “Yes!” I practically shouted, forgetting about my smile for a moment as I reached under the news desk and grabbed a plastic pet carrier.

I set it on the desk and opened the metal door. Octo-Cat immediately strolled out.

“Well, hello there. You’re very handsome,” Mom cooed even though she’d seen Octo-Cat a million times before. “What’s your name, big guy?”

“Octavius Maxwell Ricardo Edmund Frederick Fulton Russo Longfellow,” my cat introduced himself with his usual pomp and flair.

I repeated the name for the viewers at home. “You can’t understand him, but I do. My name is Angie Longfellow, and I can talk to animals.”

A beat of silence passed before I added, “I suppose I should tell you how it all began. Almost three years ago, I was working at the law firm of Longfellow and Associates. Of course, back then it was called Fulton, Thompson, and Associates. And, well, there was this coffee maker...”

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