Twice Over

Chapter 101 - Diminutive

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Author Note:  As promised, Twice Over part two, the continuation of Lily Twice's rebirth story. Please enjoy but note that updates will be irregular but somewhat weekly from here on out. Vote, share and comment please, on anything you enjoy about the story.

I love reading your comments, makes writing less lonely. Have a sweet read!
@)---'--,----   Love and peace ~ JV  ---'--,---(@

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diminutive
adjective
1. extremely or unusually small.

Bleep Bleep Bleep...

"Urghh..." My alarm woke me up bright and early Monday morning. Wiping drool off my face I carefully get out of bed and hop to the bathroom to get ready for the day. My knee is feeling much better over the last few weeks since my kidnapping, so I can get by without using both crutches and I'm basically walking on it carefully around the home.

The coffee machine is set on timer and is waiting with a large travel mug of liquid black gold as I quickly grab it on my way out the door. Bag, keys, phone and class notes, all sorted. Wrangling them all into my Marc Jacobs small travel tote bag, balancing on one leg, crutch dangling off my right elbow, left elbow pressing the elevator call button... It was a delicate balancing act that I managed really well... until the elevator doors opened and a furball the size of a slipper darted out of the lift and attacked my feet with a squeeky... Ruff ruff ruff!

"Ahh!" I screamed as I dropped everything. And I mean everything... With a crash, my ceramic travel coffee mug smashed on the tiled floor of my lift lobby as I landed on my arse spilling the contents of my tote bag. I quickly checked that I hadn't landed on the baby furball and finding it licking the coffee on the tiles, I quickly scooped the little guy up and away from the shards of broken mug.

"Hey, little Furbutt, where did you come from?" I asked as I held it gently in my hands. It was so tiny, with its tan and black markings on its face, triangle ears and little button nose. As it licked my thumbs, it stood up on its hind legs trying to lick my face, which, lets be honest, I couldn't resist. So by the time Grant and Patricia found me minutes later, I was still on the tiled floor of my lift lobby, playing with the Yorkshire terrier puppy with the bow tie around its collar.

"So cute!" Grant exclaimed as soon as they found me. He rushed to nab the little bundle of fluff from my hands, but paused when I growled at him, moving the Furbutt out of his reach and continued to play.

"Ms Twice. Your morning class begins in half an hour." Patricia stood at the lift doors trying to remind me of why I had rushed out the door so hurriedly fifteen minutes before.

"No, I needs more fluffy play time, so adorable, I can't take it." I squealed, and moved the puppy into cuddle under my chin where it continued to nip and lick. "Aaah! I can't take it!" I squealed again and proceeded to kiss the little Furbutt and rubbing noses. So much heart breaking cuteness overload.

I think at this point Patricia knew I was overwhelmed and had to call in for backup. Hours or moments later the lift opened again and Peter Montgomery from the building's security office arrived.

"Sorry, Ms Palmer, I'll get the dog back to Mrs Morisse. She's been looking for it since her maid accidentally let it out of her apartment half an hour ago."

"Did you call Ms Morisse to let her know her dog has been located? Don't let the elderly lady worry." I called out as I continued to pet and cuddle said elder lady's puppy. Ms Morisse was a long time elderly tenant who was very wealthy but lived on her own in the apartment after her husband passed away. She has adult children who have young adult children but they all live in the next major city over.

"Ma'am, I'll let her know now." He nodded his thanks for the reminder and called the building landline for Ms Morisse's apartment and informed her the dog had been found. I smiled, looking at the twinkling eyes of the living plushy in my hands, happy for the extra minutes of play time that I'd made for myself. Then Patricia cleared her throat, bursting my illusions that I could spend the whole day like this.

"One more minute, please?" I pleaded as I cuddled the Furbutt under my chin again.

"Ms Morisse is waiting for her pet companion, you need to change your attire as you have coffee all over it, and class is waiting, Ms Twice." Ohhhh, she used the 'Ms Twice' voice, you know, the title she gives me when she really means it. It sounds too much like my mother when she is telling me off and disciplining me.

My mother... The sadness and worry of three weeks of concern and fretting for my mother's disappearance comes crashing down on me again. I kiss the little puppy on the nose one last time, getting a lick and a 'Ruff!' in return and hand the cutie little Yorkie over to Peter the security guard who takes it away.

Coffee has indeed spilled over tiles that I happened to be sitting on and is now soaking into my jeans and the bottom of my long shirt. Serves me right for drinking such large mugs of coffee in the mornings. I pick myself up then paused a moment to remember the chaos a single phone call turned my house warming party into. My mother is missing. Has been for the last three weeks. Wallace mobilised his units and, slightly short of using government resources to search for his wife, there has been no leads, except for a friend of my mother's is also missing.

"Any word?" I asked as Grant helped me off the lobby floor.

"Not as of eight o'clock this morning. I will call Mr Overmeyer again after lunch." It had become a regular thing. Patricia would call Wallace's aide three times a day for updates. Sometimes Wallace would call me directly before she did, but every time there was still no news for my mum's whereabouts.

"OK, thanks." I reply softly. At this stage, it is almost a given that she has probably been... That she isn't... Huff!

"Come on, Lills. You need to get changed quickly or you'll miss the nine AM class." I look at my watch and find that I only have fifteen minutes left.

"I think I've missed it anyway. I'll call in absent and ask the lecturer for his online notes. Let's just take the morning off to reflect on our actions. Damn, I didn't take photos..." I smile a little smile remembering the little Furbutt's licks and kisses.

"Don't worry, I have you covered," Grant said as he waved his cellphone at me.

"Ohh, let me see," I demand as I hop over to him, trying to grab his phone. He pulls it out of reach, which isn't too hard from him, considering my short

frame.

"It's gonna cost ya! I want the new Outriders game with the multi-player license," he extorted.

"Grant, that isn't even out yet!" I complained.

"Don't care. Buy it for me and I'll give you evidence of cuteness overload. Deny me and I'll delete them all." He held his hand up high so I couldn't see his phone screen but I could see his thumb raised, ready to press a button.

"OK, OK!" I giggled reaching for him to stop what he was gonna do.

"OK, what?" He asked for clarification.

"I'll buy you the latest Outriders game." I relied.

"And the multi-player license?" He demanded again.

"Yes, yes and any skins you require."

"Great! Thanks Lily!" His voice changed from gruff demands to friendly in a moment, happy that he got what he wanted. He pulled his phone down then froze as he'd realised he done something dumb. He looked at me, suddenly all awkward and worried.

"What? What?" I squawked. "Did you delete them?" I rushed up to him, trying to grab his phone which he let me take. Then giggled at me when I found pictures of me with the little Furrbutt, smiles and cuteness, kisses and licks. There was even video of me speaking to the little dog in a baby voice as it squeaked little ruff ruff ruffs at me. It was all there and I was confused until I heard Grant chortling a laugh at me, having played me.

"Grant you suck! Go sort out the tenant Ms Morisse before I fire your arse!" I yelled at him and went into my apartment, shutting the door behind me.

"Hey, my phone!" he yelled through the closed door.