Groover emerges from the back room, takes one look at Hendrix, and pinches the bridge of his nose. "What the hell did Marcus teach him?"
"Teach him?" Becker's face is splitting into a grin that spells trouble. "This isn't teaching. This is a gift. This bird is a gift."
"Pump it!" Hendrix agrees enthusiastically. "PUMP IT!"
"We can't let him say that during the fundraiser," Wall points out.
"We absolutely can and will let him say that during the fundraiser."
"Becker—"
"He's the star attraction now. Move over, puppies. Hendrix is the main event."
I finally manage to free one arm from the Christmas lights some fifteen minutes later. The knot looks somehow even more complex than before. I'll be done never.
Sighing, I prop my chin on my palm and take in the scene, my eyes automatically drifting to the corner of the bar where Devon's crouched down to Hendrix's eye level. His lipsare moving, but I can't hear what he's saying over the continued debate about the reindeer.
Curious, I drift closer, lights trailing behind me like the world's least festive cape.
Devon's face is scrunched up in concentration. He clears his throat, then half-sings: "Someday...?"
Hendrix stares at him.
"Someday...?" Devon tries again, more emphasis this time.
Hendrix tilts his head. "What the puuuuck?"
Devon sighs and tries again. "Someday...?"
"Someday," Hendrix echoes.
Devon's eyes light up for a split second before he shakes his head vigorously. "No! Hendrix. We've been over this.We'll know. Your line iswe'll know. Again." He clears his throat dramatically. "Someday...?"
Hendrix considers this for a long moment. Then: "Fuck off."
I bark out a laugh.
Devon's shoulders slump in defeat. "You're doing this on purpose. I know you're doing this on purpose. You learned'pump it real good'in like five seconds but you can't learn two words of a song?"
Hendrix preens his feathers, utterly unbothered.
Devon straightens up, running a hand through his already messy hair. Then, in this determined voice that's honestly kind of adorable, he belts out: "Someday we'll know!"
Kayla appears at his side, wiping down glasses. "What are you teaching him?"
"Nothing, apparently." Devon's voice drips with resignation. "Absolutely nothing. This bird has learned an entire firefighter vocabulary in one afternoon, but he refuses to learn one simple lyric."
Kayla looks into space, brows. "I feel like I've heard it before."
Devon's entire face lights up. "You have?"
"I think so? I can't quite place it."
Devon points at Hendrix. "This conversation is not over." Then, he turns back to Kayla. "’Someday We'll Know.’ New Radicals. Only the most underrated band of all time. I thought I was literally the last fan on earth."
Something cold runs down my spine.
No. No, no, no. I heard that wrong.
