#bergen_county

The sales man sighs "But miss, these are not just Puppy Chimera...these are Jecklehyde pets... by day, puppies, by night, kittens! RARE they are..."

"NOOOOO" Tove says looking around worried her daughter will appear "I do not need some split personality chimerical pet"

"...Kittens?"

Tove winces

The sales man smkiles "Aye, lass.. by day, these puppies are as you see, tail wagging little bundles of canine delight. By night, they turn into prowling purring kittens"

"We have a cat. We have a dog." Tove says "Thank you, no"

A sigh.

"And a baby."

"Well, surely the baby would like..."

"The baby is too young to appreciate pets at this time" Tove says "Who's that behind you?"

The man turns "Who I. dont' see"

Tove closes the door. She wanted to make sure she didn't hit the box with the pup/kits

"ugh. If I find out who told that man about us, I am going to give them a piece of my mind"

Tove looks at Dagmar "Dagmar, I hope you're Not TOO upset at me?"

A sigh. "I understand it."

"And really, my hands are pretty full with the horses..."

"Though Jack wants a pet."

"Jack wants a pet?" She says "But t he lodge had plenty of animals"

"It does."

"I think what Jack wants is something that's his."

"huh" Tove looks at Dagmar "mmm I take it you understand that"

"I mean, he wants parents, too. And I get being everybody's but nobody's."

"And having nothing that's yours."

His mother nods, and then starts..excercising.. toe touchies and such. She seems determined to get that firgure back "I hear you. But a kitten puppy thing? NOT good. That's just twice the work sounds like"

"And what if it STAYS a puppy, forever?"

"Oh no nope. " She shakes her head "not doing that. " she stretches "Think he'd be okay with a gold fish?"

"I was wondering maybe a rat."

"You can't cuddle a goldfish. You could carry a rat on your shoulder."

"Ah, that might be a problem" She says

"You see, Ah, Kerri doesn't like rodents. In fact, she sees them as the enemy"

"Oh..."

"Well, think of what mice and the like do in a pantry?"

"Sure, but this'd be different."

"I'm not saying you're wrong. I am saying it's an obstacle that Jack might face. "

She tries a burpee.

Then she..sits "Okay. That was a mistake"

Eyebrow.

"yeah yeah I know..." Sheepsih

"You are allowed to, like, just recover a bit."

"You grew a whole human."

"Well, I've been heatherbalmed and springed and I don't know what else. I should be BETTER by now" Hurumph

"WHOLE HUMAN."

"And then pushed it OUT."

"Had help" she points out "Even if I think Sylvi will not let Colton touch her for a week after that"

"Oh I shouldn't have said that"

"I think there is a limit on how much actual help is there..."

"Well, " She tries to turn this into a stretching session, "I want my body back. It's vain, and selfish. I know."

"Well... I dunno about that."

"Wanting to feel like yourself is important. I just don't think it's a race."

"Plus, didn't Kerri say making milk will speed it up?"