Bittersweet Candy Bowl

38. Rising Temperature, original chapter posted 5/27/07

Page 6 of 14

Transcript

*Mike watches Janet take a sheet of cookies out of the oven. She’s wearing flowered oven mitts.*
Mike: Is Abbey new to your family?

*Janet taps her chin thoughtfully. A hint of smoke rises from the cookies.*
Janet: What’s it been.. four years now?

*Mike raises an eyebrow.*
Janet: Didn’t you know?
Mike: Abbey doesn’t really like telling us about himself.
Janet: Haha.. I’m not too surprised to hear that.

*Janet grins at Mike, who smiles sheepishly.*
Janet: What gave you the hint?
Mike: Well, Abbey mentioned his father’s name before and it wasn’t “Kevin”.

Mike: And, uh, well, the other thing is kind of obvious..
*Janet taps her mouth with a spoon, looking thoughtfully into the distance.*
Janet: Ahh, right right.

*Mike looks earnestly at Janet. Janet holds the spoon in front of her mouth.*
Mike: I’ve never really met a family like yours before..
Janet: ?

*Janet smiles brightly.*
Janet: Yeah, we’re a little unique!

*Janet closes her eyes, smiling quietly.*
Janet: Kevin and I really wanted to start a family.
Janet: And while we’ve had some difficulties over the years..

*Janet looks up at the ceiling, smiling.*
Janet: Those kids are my life.

Janet: It just goes to show: you work with what you’re given, and things can still turn out perfect ♥
*Mike blushes a tiny bit, with a soft smile.*
Mike: Aww..

*Paulo bursts into the kitchen, fist raised and snarling in irritation.*
Paulo: MIKE YOU IDIOT COME HELP ME MY LIFE IS AT STAKE HERE!!
*Janet and Mike both look startled and blush.*

*Janet smiles apologetically, still blushing a bit.*
Janet: Oh, my apologies.. I really was gabbing on back there..
*Mike flattens his ears, annoyed.*
Mike: Believe me, I’d much prefer to chat than rewrite another one of Paulo’s crummy thesis statements.

[Caption: Later]
*Mike stretches out on the thick grass outside, sighing contentedly.*
Mike: Ahh~ ♥

Mike: It’s so cozy back here.. Great idea to work in your backyard, Abbey~
*Paulo glowers at Mike, huffing in annoyance.*
Paulo: See, this is why I didn’t want you to come!!

*Abbey holds up a sheet of paper and smiles encouragingly at Paulo.*
Abbey: So what’s this about? Just a comparative essay sorta thing?
*Paulo looks back at Abbey with a smile.*
Paulo: Oh, yes!

Abbey: What do YOU think about the question?
*Paulo grins and gives Abbey a thumbs-up.*
Paulo: I dunno! I didn’t read EITHER of those books!

*Abbey and Mike both freeze. Paulo keeps his confident grin.*
Abbey: …
Mike: …

*Abbey starts to tremble as he holds the paper. Mike smiles awkwardly.*
Mike: Err.. I’m sure he remembers a few things from class.
Paulo: ?

Author commentary

Veronica: I guess it’s here where we reveal a SCIENTIFIC FACT in the Bittersweet Candy Bowl universe — cats and dogs cannot reproduce. It isn’t a matter of race.. or breed.. it’s just a matter of what kind of ANIMAL you are. So yeah.. you either marry someone you love of the same species and have kids.. or marry someone you love of a different species.. knowing that you can’t have babies. TOUGH DECISIONS.

If I were to make these characters all human, I guess Janet or Kevin (Or both?) would be infertile? Though I know the “cats and dogs can’t have babies” rule creates trouble for one relationship in the comic down the line BECAUSE of that roadblock.. what would be the excuse for that relationship never blossoming, then, I wonder..

Anyway, I’m getting WAY ahead of myself!