After talking with Oscar for a while, Alphonse wanted to show Mr. Charlie. When she walked outside, it was a sunny day, with the most perfect wind. There was no trace of the rain from yesterday, not that Alphonse remembered it.
Charlie's shop seemed much closer than normal. It looked more cleaned up. Had he repainted? Did he clean the windows?
She opened the doors and looked around. The counter shined. The floor twinkled. The tables showed her reflection. She looked and felt much cleaner than normal. There wasn't even any dirt on her from her fall.
"Alphys!" Charlie called. "How're ya? Are ya here for ya sandwich? Ive got some new ones for ya t'day!" He was more cheery than normal. Not that he was usually moody, or anything.
"A couple?", she asked in disbelief. She had only ever gotten one per day. Sometimes, not even that.
"Why of course! Wha' da' ya mean? The best for the best! I got ya some nice bottled water too. Icy cold. Right out a' the freeza'." Bottled water? Alphonse had only ever dreamed of bottled water. Icy cold too! She had only ever taken water from a river close to the library that she had found.
"Thanks Charlie!" She felt her face stretch with a smile. "Oh yeah!", she exclaimed. "Look at this!" Charlie sat the bag down on the counter and walked over to Alphonse.
She opened her hand up and revealed Oscar. "A cata'pilla'? What'cha doin' with that, kid?"
"Shhh! Look! He can talk!"
The two looked at Oscar squirm around. Alphonse smiled in amazement. Charlie leaned in and held his ear, as if trying to listen. Alphonse just laughed. "No, silly. Look. He makes the letters. H...E...L...O... Hello! He says hello, Charlie!"
He stood back in amazement. "Well I'll be darned, kid. That's one special catta'pilla' ya got there. Hiya," he said as he waved to the bug, "ya hungry?". Charlie grabbed a crumb from Alphonse's sandwich. "Hope ya don' mind."
He dropped the crumb in Alphonse's hand, next to Oscar. Oscar ate it all, bite by bite, right in her hands. Alphonse fell in love. Oscar was the second best person in the whole entire world.
Alphonse was about to leave after thanking Charlie, but Charlie told her to sit and talk, and that they could eat together. This made her very happy and excited. She loved talking to Charlie. They took a seat close to the windows. As she opened the bag, she discovered that there were three sandwiches, each completely stuffed. She picked one at random and took a bite. It was like heaven in her mouth.
"So, are ya joinin' in on the monthly Sky-House party this evening?" Charlie asked after grabbing himself a sandwich.
"Sky is having a house party?" Alphonse questioned. Sky Lawrence was the town's seamstress. Alphonse doubted that Sky knew her, but Alphonse admired her. Her charisma and sass were one thing, but she was also loyal to everyone. She kept her word and did what she said she would.
Charlie let out a chuckle. "Not Sky's House party, a Sky House party. Ya know, where ya let your house up inta' the sky and fly around durin' the night. Most people'll get some friends over and do it all in one big house, ya know?"
Alphonse was bewildered. It was amazing! Her brain filled with images of how it would go. The sky would be beautiful.
"How do I do it?" She asked him.
"There should be a leva' in ya basement. Even in ya lil' ol' library. Just pull it, and the house'll go where eva' ya think it ta' go. Hey look, the sky's setting' now!"
Alphonse turned around, and the sky which was just showing mid-day was now a beautiful mix of blue, orange, and yellow. She stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth, grabbed Oscar and her bag, and left the shop, waving good-bye to Charlie.
