ds_flashfiction | Kaleidoscope Eyes Challenge (Reply)

Kat's post reminded me to go look at the original challenge post, and...this challenge was my suggestion? Yipes! I suppose I'd better snap to it and write something.

:::15 minutes pass:::

Done!

In Vino Veritas
by Beth H.
November 2003

"I'm tellin' you, Jack . . . he was talking."

Huey looked up at his partner and let out a deep breath. "And I'm telling you that it's the tequila talking. Or the Jack Daniels. Or the Amaretto. Or . . . what else did you have to drink tonight, anyway?"

"It's not . . . ."

"What else did you drink tonight?"

"Just a beer!"

"And?"

"And nothing."

"Dewey."

"Okay, maybe a coupla beers." Dewey looked down at the toy gun in his hand. "And maybe a shot of vodka."

Huey stared at him.

"Fine. Two shots. What are you? My mother? I heard him talkin'."

"What was he talking about? Politics? Religion? Classical music?"

"The wolf?" Dewey wrinkled his brow. "I don't think wolves know about that kinda stuff. Nah, it was something about that poodle. Like, I think he wanted to hump her or something, but the other guy said he had to stick with Fraser tonight. No . . . Benton. He said he had to stick with Benton."

"What other guy? Another wolf was talking to Diefenbaker?"

Dewey shook his head. "There's only one wolf, Jack. Did you see another wolf in here tonight? No, it was that Mountie. The one with the funny hat."

"They all wear funny hats. Or . . . do you mean Turnbull? The wolf was talking to Turnbull?"

"He wasn't wearing . . . oh, yeah . . . he had that Santa hat on, didn't he?. No, not him. The old guy."

"What old . . . ."

"Oh come on," Dewey said, leaning forward. "Now I suppose you're gonna tell me you didn't see the old guy in the hat."

"You're right. That's exactly what I'm going to say. And do you know why I'm going to say it? Because there wasn't an old Mountie in a funny hat, just like there wasn't a talking wolf. Just Fraser and Ray pretending half the squad hadn't seen them necking by the supply closet, and . . . "

"Huh?" Dewey stared blearily at his partner. "Fraser and Vecchio were what?"

"Necking. Kissing. Under the mistletoe. Don't tell me you didn't see that. You were standing right next to me."

"Kissing?"

"Yes."

"Under the mistletoe? In front of the whole squad?"

"Well . . .yeah," Huey answered, although he sounded a little less certain this time.

Dewey shook his head and unscrewed the cap from the wine box on his desk. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think we both need another drink."

Huey thought for a couple of seconds about whether hearing a wolf talking to an imaginary Mountie was really any stranger than seeing Fraser and Vecchio making out in front of all their co-workers, and then he pushed his empty glass across his partner's desk.

"I think you're right."