#elsewhere

"You know I love you, Rikki... but Siv and Jonas are... less understanding of your finer traits."

'WHat's love got to do with it? I'm showing off my pad and crowing like the cock I am" A smirk

"Now, this is just an idea, but wouldn't it really stick it to 'em if they had to be really grateful to you? Like, really owed you one, and were reminded of it... Every Day?"

"You're appealing to my base nature... which is, an incredibly large target" She admits "Go oooon"

"Would you... just maaaaybe... consider... swapping apartment units with us?" A wheedling tone.

A blink

a LOOK

"Did you have a fight with your boyfriend and come over here JUST to steal my ice cream and my appartment?"

"By god that's diabolical if so"

"No! I mean, maybe? Yes?" Piper sputters. "I mean, you can say no! I won't be upset!"

"But think about asking Jonas every time you see him how it feels to be 'all up on your unit'?"

"But I LOVE this place and need the room" A cobweb sways behind her

"...you can keep a copy of the key?" Piper says, cannily.

THAT makes the pooka stop "Hey, here's an idea. " A whisper, conspiratorial "I could keep a copy of the key"

Piper covers her mouth. "You would never."

"Oh perish the thought" A smirk "But.. if I did.. in theory. You'd be clueless. You poor sap"

"All of us poor, helpless saps."

"mmmph" She paces then says "He'd owe me. Siv would owe me. You? I Guesss this is one of those 'Baby shower ' gifts. Though... honestly, I always thought the mother LICKED em clean"

Her nose wrinkles up a bit. Maybe Siv was right about the babysitting thing. Piper ponders.

Rikki laughs, then says "I'lll talk to dad.. we'll set it up. Ah.. think we could get the blue forklifts to do the heavy lifting?"

A big hug for Rikki. "Yeah, I think we can manage that."

"Ugh... friendship. You get warned about it, but you never think it will happen to you" She hugs back

"Just don't go giving apartments away to EVERY pretty goat that comes your way." She says to Rikki, emotional. "Or I'll have to scold you like I will Jonas."

"But with me, you wont' get a crick in your neck"

And it may occur to Piper that she not be the ONLY one that didn't want them to move to the lodge. Rikki probably likes the idea of 'blocking' the Chief and Frank

Maybe! Then again, Piper isn't always the clever one. That's what her best friend Rikki is for!

(End Scene)

A couple hours have passed before a click in the lock heralds Piper slipping back into the apartment. She looks around to see if Siv is still in the main room. After all, there are only two rooms - closet and bathroom not counted.

Siv has already left, probably thinking Piper is ahead of her!

But Jonas is on the bed reading

TXT: (From Siv) Piper? I'm at the party. You don't have to come but I thought you should know