3. Rippa Meets Buttons
Sitting down with a hand keeping a gun behind one’s back was an awkward motion. Rippa’s mom absentmindedly brought the hand forward, saw the gun, and quickly hid it behind her back again.
But the man did not seem to mind at all.
Dad glared at Mom for a second, then brought his gun onto his lap, being careful not to point it anywhere in the man’s general direction. “I am sorry about this. Just… a precaution.”
Sitting across the table on a comfy sofa, the man waved it off. “Understandable. I have zero objections.”
“So… what is this place?” Rippa asked, putting her pepper spray on the table. “Who are you people?”
Now that they were sitting in this otherwise vacant lounge, Rippa had a good look at the man.
He seemed… ordinary. Way too ordinary. Nothing stood out. Just an average-looking middle-aged man, maybe late thirties or early forties. Dark mid-length hair combed back, with patches of gray at the sides. Average height, average build.
He dressed semi-casual. A clean, well-ironed, white short-sleeved shirt underneath a thin dark vest. Dark pants and black socks in dark brown leather shoes. A navy blue necktie. Simple, modest, yet the spotlessness screamed class.
“But first allow me to introduce myself,” the man said. “I am Goggles. Please call me Goggles. And this place,” he gestured around, “is our little retreat. A private space, so to speak.”
“Our?” Dad caught the word.
“Ah, yes,” Goggles nodded. “I am merely what you would call a butler. For my little lady’s sake, I have taken it upon myself to invite Miss Rippa to this place. A play date, if you would prefer to call the arrangement as such.”
Filippa took a sharp breath. “You know I’m Rippa?”
“She is a big fan,” Goggles answered.
“Who’s this little lady?” Dad asked.
“Currently, she is—,” Goggles looked at the hammock, and he paused.
The three guests followed his gaze.
The blond girl had stood up and was helping a little child out of the hammock. She leaned in, scooped the kid up, and carried the little one toward the lounge.
It was a small girl. Maybe eight or nine, ten max. Medium-length ginger hair, now tussled from sleep. She yawned and stretched as she was carried across the sand like a little princess.
Rippa, Mom, and Dad couldn’t help but notice the child was missing a leg. The left one, from the knee down. The stump protruded from beneath a simple white one-piece dress.
“Well, she is awake now,” Goggles said.
The young blond girl gently set the child down on a sofa next to Goggles.
“Thank you, Miss Pendrake,” Goggles nodded to the girl.
Miss Pendrake gave a polite nod, then sat down in a chair a few yards away. Dad noted she didn’t even glance at the gun in his lap. As if its deadliness didn’t even register to her at all.
The child yawned and stretched again. She rubbed her eyes, then looked at the three guests with curious eyes.
“Goggles, what’s happening?”
But before Goggles could answer, a human-sized wooden doll dressed in a simple maid uniform appeared next to the girl. Rippa’s family gasped.
The maid plucked a packet of Capri Sun out of thin air, inserted the straw, and handed it over to the girl. After bowing, she disappeared.
“W-what was that?” Rippa stammered. “What the fuck?”
The little girl’s eyes widened. “Wait, I know this voice!” The girl looked at Rippa. “Goggles! I know this voice!”
“Yes, Buttons,” Goggles nodded. “Meet Rippin’ Rippa.”
The girl named Buttons froze for a second. Then her jaw dropped, and her eyes went even wider. She gripped the Capri Sun so hard it crinkled, and the juice spurted out of the straw, wetting her white dress.
“No way. For real?”
Goggles’ expectant eyes met Rippa’s.
“Yes, for real,” Rippa acknowledged. She was still confused about the whole situation, but this little girl looked harmless. “I’m Rippa.”
“And we are her parents,” added Mom.
“Mamapin! Papapin!” Buttons shouted, excited. The Capri Sun pouch in her hand once again shot out a jet of juice.
Papapin blushed a little.
“Oh god,” Rippa put a hand on her forehead, “she really watches my stream!” She then looked at Goggles. “She’s too young to be watching my stream! I swear all the time!”
“Ah, well…” Goggles shrugged.
At this point, Dad gently put down his gun on the table, making sure it was pointing toward the beach. Mom did the same. Goggles nodded in appreciation at this gesture.
“Goggles, Goggles! How did this happen?” asked Buttons, her eyes, wide in awe, moving from one guest to another.
“Ahem. I invited Miss Rippa,” Goggles said rather flatly, “and she was kind enough to answer.”
The family exchanged looks. ‘Invited?’
“Oh, really? Nice! Wait…” Buttons frowned. “Why?”
To another surprise of the three guests, three wooden doll maids appeared behind Buttons. One put her hands below Buttons’ armpits and hoisted her up, and propped the kid up behind the sofa. Another was carrying a clean dress. The third maid held a small metal-shaft prosthetic leg and leather straps and belts.
As the maids started changing her dress, Buttons, blocked from view by the sofa, demanded once again. “What do you mean you invited Rippa?”
Goggles leaned over. “You said it would be nice if you and Miss Rippa were friends.”
“Yes, but what part of the word ‘if’ did you misunderstand?”
“If you wish to discuss semantics, let us focus on ‘would be nice.’”
The first maid lifted Buttons, now with a new, clean dress, and settled her back on the sofa. The third one got down on her knees and did a quick job fastening the prosthetic. The first one spawned a hairbrush and brushed Buttons’ hair a couple of times. The second maid conjured a tray with three packets of Capri Sun on it. She offered the drinks to the family.
“Mr. Goggles said it was a play date,” Mom offered an explanation to Buttons, taking the pouches from the tray and thanking the doll, who nodded politely and went to stand behind Miss Pendrake, joining the other two. Mom distributed the Capri Sun to Rippa and Dad, but after exchanging silent glances, the three left the packets on the table.
Buttons’ face had meanwhile gone bright red. “Goggles! You can’t impose me on her like this!” She eyed Rippa apologetically. “This is embarrassing!”
“I must say,” Dad chimed in, “it would have been better if the invitation had been… less intrusive.”
“But it was kinda cool,” Rippa added. “Having said that… who are you people?”
Buttons blinked a couple of times, then she sprang up. “Gosh, where are my manners. I’m Buttons. Please call me Buttons.” She did a little curtsy.
Rippa’s mom clapped her hands like a kindergarten teacher. “Nice to meet you, Buttons.”
“Hello,” Rippa and Dad greeted, too.
The girl named Buttons smiled and sat back down. She then realized her juice pouch was empty.
One of the maids approached, but before she could spawn another Capri Sun, Rippa’s dad gave his to Buttons. Dad threw a quick glance at Goggles.
“Thank you, Papapin,” Buttons thanked the man, and let the maid handle the straw. She seemed to be unaware of three sets of eyes darting between her and Goggles.
When Buttons drew a big gulp and swallowed with a satisfied smile, the three guests let out a sigh of relief. Rippa and Mom reached for their juice packets on the table and started struggling with the straws.
“I mean no harm,” Goggles commented, laying both hands on the table. “By the way, would you stay for dinner? We have very nice—”
“Ah, thank you, but we’ve eaten already,” answered Mom. “It’s actually nighttime for us.”
“Oh,” Goggles paused. “Please excuse me. I should have accounted for that.”
The sky turned to night. The three guests were stunned with their mouths open.
“I have adjusted to your local time. Hopefully, it will make your next visits more accommodating.”
“Next—” Dad was interrupted by Mom’s elbow. She gave him a look that clearly said, ‘You just saw what he did.’
Rippa finally closed her mouth. And then she opened it again. “Wow.”
“Goggles, but I just woke up!” Buttons protested.
“Ah, that is true. Would you prefer I undo it? But mind you, this would be more convenient for Miss Rippa when she comes to play with you.”
“When I what?” Rippa blinked.
“Aha. OK, let’s keep it this way.” Buttons then blushed again. “My, this is embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry, but I haven’t even…” Rippa trailed off when her eyes met Buttons’. Seeing the kid holding her breath, Rippa felt a little twist in her chest.