Mocha Mysteries

Setting: Wren’s Nest Office

Players: Imani “Ice Cream Trunk” Harris (age 3), J. Lain Shakespeare (24), Mercenary Amelia Trace (24), Shorty Amanda (23)

(That’s Imani on the right, hanging out with Destiny at Wren’s Nest Fest. Imani insists on being called “Ice Cream Trunk.” Probably because she’s so sweet and confused.)

The Scene: Lain, MAT, and Shorty enter the Wren’s Nest to be greeted–at full sprint–by Imani, who is yelping and leaping, presumably with joy.

Shorty, meeting Imani for the first time, is taken aback. Though having heard the lore surrounding the legend that is “Ice Cream Trunk,” she is prepared to believe anything. Imani is in rare form.

The plot thickens when Imani’s enthusiasm not only refuses to wane, but also turns to rambling tales of ducks, cakes, and lost grandmamas with some dancing sprinkled in for good measure.

Lain, Shorty, and MAT’s mouths remain agape for the good part of 20 minutes. Where did this energy come from? How is she maintaining it? Why is everyone’s favorite three-year-old wearing lipstick?

But then, just as suddenly as our questions arose, they are answered.

On the windowsill, with the lipstick-marked straw: an empty cup of delicious iced coffee.

Jeri, one of our fine docents, had left it unattended, and Imani had stolen a sip or five, leaving evidence–her lipstick–all over the straw.

Imani denies any involvement with the coffee. But we know better.

Shorty is currently running Imani around in circles in the yard.

We expect Imani to fall into a gentle slumber sometime Tuesday.