Back Home [Bernard]

"HEY, BERNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!", the voice came loud and clear, resonating through the corridor. Brittany had arrived home, and as usual, she sounded like a hurricane with such enthusiasm. It had been a very productive and rewarding morning. Today's presentation for the basketball team was a success thanks to the extensive training sessions she had for the last two weeks and boy, wasn't she tired. And to think she still had to take a shower and get ready for her afternoon duties... Brit definitely enjoyed an active life, but sometimes she felt like being too active would drain life away from her body sooner than not... "BERNIE, I'M HO-OME! Damn, where has that bird gone this time?" After locking the frontal door, Brittany threw her handbag on the ground nonchalantly and threw her full weight body on the living room's couch, digging her face into one cushion. She wouldn't really bother looking for Bernard again. Some months by his company made her realize the owl goes by his own pace: whenever he feels like giving her the grace of his presence, he'd do it, or whenever he's hungry. It was odd, he flew through her windows everyday but he always came back late.

The cushion felt surprisingly nice, so nice Brittany almost dozed off, ignoring the fact she had to get up soon and get ready for the upcoming afternoon event. There's no better place than your own home, right? In any case, before she could indeed fall asleep out of tiredness, the presence of Bernard brought her senses back to reality. He was no heavy pet, but his claws on her shoulder made a presence itself.

"Bernie? Oooh, you're there!", she said, readily lifting her head to look to the snow owl, hair strands falling over her face, blocking her sight but not her smile. "Where have you been? Momma was looking for you!", her voice was relaxed, yet silly at the same time, the type of voice owners do to their own domestic animals. "Urgh, I'm sooooo tired! I really, REALLY should get up and head to the bathroom, but I can't. It's like my legs are too numb to move. I wish I had a life like yours, sleeping, eating and flying around with no worries in the world!" ~ Meanwhile one index finger made its way to below the owl's neck, rubbing his feathers in an unpretentious display of tender affection.

While Brittany was happy to see Bernard acting meek contrary to some time prior to this moment, she really wished he'd stop making her hair messy, as well she'd love to understand his language for a change. Like Dr. Dolittle. You know, the very, veeeeeeeery old movie starring Eddie Murphy. Boy, they don't make films like these nowadays, but what does Brittany know? She barely had time to go to the movies and check what's new anymore. Back to the point, she shifted in the couch carefully taking the owl in her hands so she could invert her position and face upwards, lifting Bernard way upwards, making him block the living room's light against her eyes.

"So, Bernie, you're gonna be my counselor for today! Yaaaay!", her silly voice, as if Brittany was talking to a baby, remained, though the topic ahead was quite of a serious importance to her. "What do you think? Should I get ready and take a bath to go to work? Or should I, like, come up with some lame excuse to stay home? Say "coo" if you think I should stay, say "hoo" if you think I should go, alright?", she narrowed her sight to him, waiting for an answer...or something she'd read to be an answer. Perhaps the poor owl understood her instructions perfectly? She knew how birds weren't as intelligent as humans, but she was so clear, there was no way he wouldn't comprehend it. Or so Brittany hoped.

"Oh, you think so? Bernard, momma has to work! I can't be home with you all day!", she chuckled, bringing him back down, given how agitated the little owl was due to his owner treating him like a plushie at times, and caressing the back of his head repeatedly. "Do you know who I met today? One guy I've not seen for years...way before the Divide...", she said, sitting on the couch, with Bernard still placed comfortably on her lap. She smiled... Memories would come, bringing to her face a different kind of contemplative emotion. Whether it was a good or a bad emotion, it was up to the viewer. "Have I told you about him, Bernie? Have I? Do you wanna hear it? Say "coo" if you want it, say "hoo" if you don't want it."

As expected, Bernard released a "coo", which meant he was interested in the newest hot gossip about his owner's personal life. "A-ha! You wanna know the dirty juicy details, don't you, you dirty little owl? Alright, alright, I'll tell you, mmkay?", one finger went down to his beak, caressing it carefully. Of course she knew it was risky and Bernard could peck her finger and cause some pain, but the possibility didn't even cross her mind. "I met him on my last day before adoption... I was alone at the R&D Park. You know, the R&D building. We had a field trip to the place because we never go anywhere...it was nice, but not so nice, anyway, I met him at the Park when I was on my own. And we talked, he, like, gave me a sandwich. It's been five years and now he studies at the same school I do... Can you believe that?", the girl had a different kind of smile upon her lips. It was...genuine happiness. Serene happiness, quiet happiness, not the spontaneous and momentary joy.

Brittany, of course, took it as if Bernard was interested in her little childhood tale. "Mmmmm...he's...like, a bit taller than me, not so much, though. His hair is, like, a bit long, bangs cover his eyes, he wears glasses too and...hmmm... He's a nerd, what can you expect?", she smile jokingly, still caressing Bernard. "He has not changed... Not at all... " It was...weird. She desired no contact with her former self and the implications of getting in touch with a past she'd rather forget was...disturbing, but this... She liked this. She liked meeting him again, and she liked the fact he stayed the same, unlike her. "Oh hey, I so totally have to get going! But first, I'll clean your cage and put food for you, alright? Are you hungry, Bernie?

As she identified easily how Bernard was hungry, by his agitated motion, Brittany got up from the couch in a jump, laughing cheerfully as she grabbed him with her hands and drag the little owl closer to a tender snuggle, from a loving owner to her pet. "Fine, fine, I get it. Let's go then, I'll put your owl food on your bowl right now. Does it taste good? I mean, it's, uh, chicken meat? Like, really? Okay, I do eat chicken meat sometimes, but at least I roast or fry it before! I should totally teach you how to be classy!", she smiled as her steps led both to the kitchen. It was indeed hard to have an owl as a pet, Brittany could tell very well, and most places had special legislation against it. However, she managed to buy one for herself and it was sort of love at first sight. "Sort of" being the key word here, for she soon found out how..."unique" of a pet an owl makes. The troubling part was cleaning up Bernie's mess and feeding him dead day-old cockerels, according to the internet guides. At least she could buy these easily on the market. It was funny how Bernard taught Brittany a lot of things about nature she didn't know. For that, and for his company, she was happy...~