“Ahh . . . Big Crunch in hurry too. Will talk with little man later.”
“Sure. Anytime. I’m usually around.”
He waved goodbye, and I waved back as I hurried after Tananda.
Little sister seemed quite preoccupied when I caught up with her, so I deemed it wisest to keep silent as I fell in beside her. I assumed she was planning out her next move … at least, until she spoke.
“Tell me, big brother,” she said, without looking at me. “What do you think of Bunny?”
Now Mums didn’t raise any stupid children. Just Tananda and me. It didn’t take any great mental gymnastics to figure out that perhaps this was not the best time to sing great praises of little sister’s rival. Still, I would feel less than truthful, not to mention a little disloyal, if I gave false testimony when queried directly.
“Um .. . well, there’s no denying she’s attractive.”
Tananda nodded her agreement.
“. . .In a cheap, shallow sort of way, I suppose,” she acknowledged.
“Of course,” I said carefully, “she does have a little problem with overachievement.”
“A little problem! Chumley, you have a positive talent for understatement. Bunny’s one of the pushiest bitches I know.”
I was suddenly quite glad I had not verbalized my thought comparing Bunny’s overachievement problem with little sister’s. I somehow doubted Tananda was including herself in her inventory of pushy bitches. Still, there was one more point I wanted to test the ice with.
“Then again, her performance may be influenced by her infatuation with Skeeve.”
At this, Tananda lashed out with her hand at a signpost we were passing, which took on a noticeable tilt. Though she isn’t as strong as yours truly, little sister still packs a wallop . . . especially when she’s mad.