“Sam, Morgan told me there was no food on your flight--you both must be famished. Please! Dig in!” Allison told her guests as she grabbed a plate of green beans herself & scraped a bunch onto her plate. Morgan grabbed a chicken leg & some stuffing but Sam was still too transfixed by the sight of the tiny man trapped in the center of the table to think about anything else at the moment. She tapped her nail on the top of Jim’s makeshift centerpiece/jail cell

“Gotta be honest with ya girls... I mean, Morgan told me the whole deal -- she convinced me she's a witch, she showed me the funny videos you took of him...but wow. You’re totally right Allison, seeing him right in front of me... in the flesh...It’s just incredible.”

“Right?! Here, take this,” Allison replied and handed Sam a little wooden-handled magnifying glass. “Look at his little bare feet---look how tiny his miniature little toes are! So much more detailed than the real Ken Dolls wouldn’t you say? Yeah, sometimes I catch myself just gawking at the marvel of it all.” Sam moved the glass up and Jim thought she might be inspecting his little thumbtack of a dick now. When she giggled he knew she was.

“Morgan said she thought he literally had the world’s smallest human penis now and I don’t think we need to call Guinness to find out, do we Steve? Is it ok if I call him Steve? Morgan told me you want everybody to call him Pipsqueak now but it helps me savor all this if I can call him the name I knew him by when he….was still with me. Do you mind?” Allison looked embarrassed. 

“Oh Sam, you just go right ahead and call him whatever you want. You have your own history with him--do whatever you think will help! Speaking of history though, I’m curious about something. When Morgan told me she’d found Jim’s first victim, she didn’t say anything about what he did to you. Would you be willing to share it with me or is everything still too raw? I’d TOTALLY understand if you’re just not ready to talk about it yet--I mean I’m not sure *I* am ....”

Sam just waved her hand & said, “Oh it’s fine. It was years ago--I haven’t gotten any less *pissed* at him….” she threw a green bean at him and he jumped as it bounced off the glass. “...but the pain’s mostly faded by now--It’s a long story though, mind if I just give you the short version? Here goes. I met Steve...Pipsqueak...whatever…..We met randomly at a coffee shop only later I found out it hadn’t been random at all--Steve had planned everything--even how we met. This was at a time when I was really vulnerable -- I’d just been through a messy divorce and I was blaming myself for it. Steve had done his research on me apparently and knew all about that. Together with my wealth, it’s why he chose me as his first victim---I’m sure of it.   

Jim couldn’t bear to look at Allison’s face--he’d worked so hard to make her pity and forgive him...she was starting to trust him again. He did not want to see all it all evaporate in one evening. He knew Sam's story obviously since he wrote it. He didn't want to hear her tell it and he didn’t want to look at any of them. He just sat down & watched Allison’s dumb dog running around in circles in the yard. He shook his head and thought about all the humiliations he’d had to endure with a smile the past several weeks---all the embarrassments he’d pretended to take in stride--all the rage he’d had to choke down and swallow. It hadn’t been easy, but he knew it was starting to pay off--Despite everything and against all odds, Jim could tell he was actually managing to worm his way back into Allison’s heart. He was pretty sure he’d played on her empathetic & forgiving nature perfectly. He’d even convinced her to think of him as her boyfriend again--just a new, more compact version. He still had zero idea how to get himself back to normal yet but he was positive that whatever the ultimate revenge plan turned out to be, step zero was definitely “Make Allison love him again” -- and it was fucking working! The last thing he needed *now* was for Sam of all people to just show up out of the blue and erase all his progress in one fucking dinner chat! He couldn’t bear to listen, so he plopped down and covered his ears like a spoiled little boy. Nobody even noticed though, and Sam went on,

 “So yeah, he easily seduced me--we were together for about a year when I asked him to move in with me, and soon after that we got married. Dad wanted me to get him to sign a prenup but I didn’t listen.” Morgan blew some smoke into Jim’s cell which forced him to cough and Sam giggled. Allison grimaced at Morgan, causing her to shrug & mouth the word “S o r r y” in response, though she clearly was anything bug sorry. Allison turned back to Sam & said “Please just ignore her, she might be a witch but she acts like a 9 year old sometimes. So then, how long were you two married then?” Sam looked down at Jim, still coughing on his little hands right in front of her. 

“Eh, long story short...the prick stole everything I had: My flat, my BMW, my entire savings---and apparently that wasn't enough for him. He talked me into helping him convince my dad to invest in a fake company he said he was starting--my whole family lost their life’s savings to this fucker.” Morgan interrupted,

“Woah, holy shit, really Sam? You didn’t mention that bit. ” 

“No? How about the time he fucking *raped* me and then convinced me it was *my* fault---that I’d ‘made’ him do it. He made me *apologize to him!*  Trust me there’s loads I didn’t mention. I could go on for days, but I think you get the picture.” Allison put her hand on Sam’s shoulder and tried to comfort her,

“Oh Sam I’m so, so sorry,” And morgan blurted out,

“What the fuck are *you* sorry for? There’s somebody at this table that sure as fuck should be sorry but it sure isn’t you--Or should I say *on* this table?” as she gave Jim’s glass container a violent shake, making Jim duck nervously. Allison just ignored her,

“So then, how did you figure out it was all just a scam? Did someone tip you off?”

“Well actually I *didn’t* figure it out--not everybody has their own personal guard-witch you know. No, he just bled me dry ...bled us all dry & disappeared without a trace as they say. I woke up one day and he was just gone. He left a little note on a sticky---I still have it--It said ‘Thanks for EVERYTHING you stupid cunt.  P.S. Your sister fucked me in your bed this weekend and she was great--so that’s one more thing she does better than you.’ He knew that I had a huge inferiority complex about my big sister Hannah, who I hated back then and hate even more now obviously. The police had closed the case years ago for lack of evidence. If it hadn’t been for Morgan and her magical detective work I’m sure I never would have seen him again. I’m sure that’s what he thought too--at least I’m sure he HOPED he’d never see me again, didn’t you little fella?” Jim didn’t respond or even turn around. All this talk about Jim’s shitty past was bumming Morgan out and she was relieved when Sam’s face suddenly lit up like she just remembered something. She chirped,

“Oh I almost forgot! I came bearing gifts!” She leaned over, unzipped the bag by her chair and started rummaging around in it. “Damn! I actually brought three presents but I guess I only put one of them in this bag--The rest must be in one of the bags I left at Morgan’s place. Oh well, I do have THIS one….Ta Da!!” She plopped a tall rectangular box on the table, making a clunk loud enough that Jim turned around to see what it was. The box was made of metal. It looked to be about 14” tall and it’s base & lid were both  roughly 6”x6” square chunks of stainless steel. The base was itself supported at each corner by four rubber-tipped metal legs and those same metal tubes continued up through the base all the way to the matching lid up top. A very fine mesh screen--stretched tightly around the four corner pillars--made up the entirety of all four walls. In the center of the lid was a lockable circular trap door and it’s sides connected to a D-shaped wooden handle. Jim cocked his head to one side as he regarded the thing, trying to decide what it’s arrival might mean for him. He hated the times Allison felt the need to put him under the planter that presently contained him. But those times were becoming very infrequent lately, and he was starting to let himself think that if he kept being a good boy that she’d stop using it altogether. This new cage-or-whatever-it-was looked sleek. It looked ‘designed.’ He scratched his head and worried that Allison might love it and want to keep him in trapped in it full time. Morgan casually lit a cigarette and looked on while Allison tried to work the latch on the trap door. Sam offered to help. 

“It’s actually just an easy little flick like…. that. See? And now it’s open! Easy!” 

“Well...I bet it’s a little bit trickier from the inside though...What do you think, Pipsqueak?” She was trying to trick him into squeaking but he didn’t fall for it and just looked on silently. Allison tried out the handle and picked it up.

“Wow it’s a LOT heavier than it looks isn’t it?”

“Yeah it’s meant to be very hard to tip over--it’s actually a transport container for dangerous insects. My Uncle’s an Entomologist and he gave it to me for my birthday one year, hoping I’d get interested in bugs or something I guess. I forgot I even had it but when Morgan filled me in on Steve's little housing situation I thought I’d donate it to the cause--I mean, he himself is basically not much more than a bug now is he?” Sam gave Jim a look that chilled him to the bone. Of all his victims, Sam was the by far the smartest. He knew Sam wouldn't fly all the way here just to say 'hi' and eat some fried chicken. He knew her well--he knew she had a deep cruel streak and that her grudges never fade. Jim was sure Sam had her own plans for him, seperate from the other two, and wouldn't let anything stop her from completing them--not even Morgan. She might not be a witch but Sam scared Jim even more than Morgan. Allison put the box back down on the table & said,

“Sam, it’s just lovely--Thank you so much! And yes, as you can plainly see,” there are indeed times we can’t just let Pip run around on his own so this will come in very handy. You’d both be surprised though--I’ve been training him every day & he’s been turning into such a good boy that I leave him free to run around loose on the floor most of the time now.” Morgan raised her eyebrow yet again. She was sure Jim was working Allison again and it sounded like she might be falling for it. 

“Well I think it’s perfect for him. Let’s take it for a test run, shall we?” Morgan said as she lifted Jim’s planter with one hand and reached for him with the other. But Allison slapped her hand away and took the planter from her. 

“You don’t have to handle him like that anymore, Morgan, watch this.” Morgan and Sam both did watch as Allison set the planter on the floor and placed the maximum-security-bug-prison on it’s side.  

“Come here, Pipsqueak.” she said sternly. 

“Squeak-Squeak!” Jim said back cheefully & dutifully. Morgan and Sam looked at each other skeptically for a moment and then watched as Jim marched across the table to Allison like a little toy soldier and then stood in front of her plate as if at attention. It reminded of Morgan of how he looked when she'd forced him to stand that very first day. It was odd seeing him apparently doing it all on his own. 

“Good boy.” Allison dipped the tip of her index finger in her whiskey and offered it to Jim who licked it off greedily. She looked up to Morgan and said, “You were right, M--This is his favorite treat!” When Jim was satisfied he’d gotten it all Allison made her voice stern again and said, “Now, go crawl through that hole, Pipsqueak.” Jim looked at the steel-mesh box. He was still 12” tall and the hole looked to be around 4” in diameter so he had to do as instructed to fit through & get inside.

Jim cheerily said, “Squeak-Squeak!” as he got down on all fours. This was killing him on the inside. Bad enough to be forced to debase himself like this but the fact that his plan required him to pretend to do it happily, willingly...it made him shudder thinking about it. Sam started to giggle loudly at the sight of her once-tormentor timidly crawling into his own tiny cage on his hands and knees at the bidding of one of his victims. But the second Jim's trailing foot cleared the opening Morgan quickly snatched up the cage handle, jerking it upright. All Jim could do was tumble awkwardly, straight down onto his face on the bottom. 

“Oopsie! Hey Al, you might want to think about some kind of padding for his little floor here--looks like he hit his head pretty hard.” She joked as she held Jim up near her face with one hand. Jim could only stare into Morgan's enormous eyes. Morgan knew he'd have no trouble reading her expression and he did not: Her expression said "You may have Allison fooled, but not me you little shit," And then he heard the <click> of the latch being locked shut. 

“May I?” Sam asked Morgan as she held her hand out. Morgan said “but of course m’lady!” and handed Jim over to her. Jim sat at the bottom trying to brace himself against one of the corner pillars while Sam swung him back and forth in front of her face. She said,

“This is So. Fucking. Cool. You guys I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing big, strong, scary steve so puny, weak and helpless!”

Allison lightly leaned over slightly, dragged two fingernails down the screen near Jim’s face and said, “I know what you mean but...you but you’d be surprised, Sam--People can get used to almost anything.”

Jim started coughing when Morgan blew more smoke at him. She poked at the screen with her lit cigarette and asked him, “What about you, Pipsqueak? Can people get used to anything? It’s been like a month or so now, have you gotten used to your pathetic new little life yet?”

Jim was frantically waving his hands around trying to clear the smoke away. Morgan shifted her gaze to Sam and told her, “You know, I read that even prisoners of war who get tortured and humiliated like, every day...I read they eventually get numb or something. Even with all that pain, it happens every day so they just kind of adjust to their new horrible normal.” She put her eyes back on the tiny captive again & asked him,

“So what’s the scoop, Betty Boop? Are *you* used to getting humiliated and tortured every day now?”

“Oh Morgan, things have changed a lot with Pipsqueak while you were gone! It’s really not like that now. This transformation has done wonders for Pipsqueak’s attitude--more than you..more than I ever would have thought. Now, I know you’re not going to want to hear it but if you'd been here, if you'd how good he's been to me...I'm telling you he’s honestly different now. I think you shrank all the asshole out right of him. All that's left is a trusting, adoring, little cutie-pie. Don't look at me like that, Morgan, he has! He’s my tiny little boyfriend named Pipsqueak! Aren’t you pip?” Sam was utterly shocked and baffled as she watched Allison lovingly stroke the screen-wall of Jim’s new cage. She blurted out, 

“YOUR BOYFRIEND?! Sorry but, you’re joking, right?  How could you possibly still….” Morgan joined in and pointed out,

“Allison he’s doll-sized now but you do realize this is the same fucking asshole right?” Morgan looked at Jim and noted his smug expression. He knew this was coming and he was savoring it. 

“No, that’s just it. It’s *not* the same asshole...er...not the same person I mean. *This* little guy here….*he* isn’t an asshole--*he*’s never done anything bad to me--I mean...look at him-He’s too small & weak to do anything like that even if he tried. No, the fucking asshole was big Jim...or “Steve” or whatever his real name was...And yes, Jim/Steve was absolutely a horrible, horrible man who did horrible, horrible things to me and many other nice ladies such as yourself, Sam. So yeah, Jim? FUCK that dude!” But the thing is, that dude Jim is long gone!” Allison placed her hand on Jim’s new cage and smiled sweetly at him. “ This little cutie here isn’t Jim or Steve--His name is Pipsqueak. He’s tiny and handsome and adorable and I just love him. I take care of him, M--I don't want to torture him--any more than we already have, I mean.” Morgan raised an eyebrow incredulously as she grabbed two more chicken legs with one hand. She said,

“Oh no? Al--What about that time you taped him to the fucking…” but Allison cut her off & continued,

“I’m not saying he doesn’t need to be *disciplined* from time to time, but only when he needs it--you know, to keep him safe & to help him adjust to this very different kind of relationship."

“Tom-ay-to, Tom-ah-to…” Morgan replied & shrugged again. Jim noticed Sam was staring directly at him with an absolutely predatory look in her eyes. He wanted to be somewhere else--anywhere. He started waving both his arms, trying to get Allison’s attention but she didn’t seem to notice. He opened his mouth and almost tried to yell but he remembered just in time that he could only squeak now. Though his strategy wouldn't allow him to show it, Jim hated the sound of his own squeaks so intensely that he only ever opened his mouth when he had to answer a direct question--Allison had trained him to use one squeak for yes, and two squeaks for no. On rare occasions she’d let him speak his answer with words but he hated that sound too and kept his words to a bare minimum--even in the rare instances he was permitted to use them. 

But Sam was still utterly confused by what she was hearing--she thought she’d been invited to a torture-steve party, not a…. whatever-this-is! She couldn’t get her head around why Allison would want to try to reboot her life with this fucker. She wonderd if Morgan knew about Allison's soft spot for the little asshole. She looked at Morgan with a “what the fuck?” face but Morgan just shrugged and felt she should apologize a little for her gullible-but-lovable best friend. She tried to offer an explanation that Sam would understand,

“Yeah…. I didn’t get it at first either. But.. I've been watching how Allison is with him now---all the training and the treats and the punishments and everything...…It's actually not as weird as she's making it sound."

Allison looked relieved and chimed in, “Yay! Morgan I was dreading telling you that I made him my boyfriend again. I was going to wait until after Sam’s visit but I started getting worried one of you might do something cruel so it just kind of came out. I know it must seem odd for you both, but you'll see: Jim’s shrinking has changed everything--thanks to you Morgan, and what you did for us, we can finally be very happy as boyfriend and girlfriend!” Allison gently took the cage back from Sam and looked inside smiling, “Right Pip! You’re the best little boyfriend I could ever hope to have, arentcha.” Jim swallowed hard and did his best to make his fake loving smile look genuine, but it only seemed to fool Allison. Sam clearly wasn't satisfied and Morgan could tell so she kept explaining her take on it,

“Allison. I hate to be the one to point this out but…” Allison angrily cut her off,

“NO! Morgan, you are NOT going to ruin my new relationship with Pipsqueak right when it’s starting to get good! I know it's a little..unusual...for a girl to treat her boyfriend the way I treat Pip here but whatever, it works for us.” Sam's mouth opened a little & looked at Allison like she was a crazy person. Sam was even starting to wonder whether she should have just stayed in England. But Morgan just smirked and replied,

“Dear, sweet Allison. Witches honor, I have zero interest in messing with your wonderful new relationship with Pipsqueak here, in fact I don't even agree that your relationship is ...'unusual' as you called it. 

“What do you mean, of course it is. Boyfriends don't usually need to get literally trained with treats. That's all I meant."

“Well that's just it--That's unusual for boyfriends but that's not what he is to you. You and Pipsqueak indeed do seem to have forged a new relationship all right but it ain’t boyfriend & girlfriend...... Honey, it’s pet & master. Pipsqueak is your pet. Not judging, just calling it like I see it.”

“Oh fuck you--he is not! Why would you say such a thing! You’re always ..right when….Morgan there's no way you can tell me that Pip here is just a pet to me and nothing more.” 

Nobody was paying attention to him but Jim looked thoughtful. He thought Morgan had a point--and that maybe he hadn't made as much progress with Allison as he thought if he really was just a fucking pet to her--Pets don't have a great track record at talking themselves out of jams. Morgan gave Sam a quick nod to thank her for refilling her glass & said,

“You might be right. Maybe I can't convince you. So let's ask Ji...Pipsqueak what he thinks. Mind if we get his take on it? I just want to ask him a few questions and whatever happens I promise I'll drop it.”

“Okaaaaaay….I guess so.” Allison didn’t like the cocky tone in Morgan’s voice but didn’t see any harm in letting Pip confirm that he is, in fact, Allison's new boyfriend. Without looking away from Morgan, Allison said, “Pipsqueak! Speak! You’re free to talk for a bit sweetie, I want you to answer every question Auntie Morgan asks you ok? I know you’ll be honest--remember: No more lies in this house.” 

Jim was ready with his fake plastic Ken-smile. He nodded and just said, “Yes. Of course my love, I will be nothing but honest as always. What would you like to know, Morgan?”

Sam wrinkled her nose as Jim spoke. She was looking forward to seeing him get forced to talk--she'd been told about his new voice and she knew how intensely he must hate it. She'd been looking forward to seeing him visibly disgusted by the sound of his own new chipmunk voice. But as he stood there lying through his fake smile, he didn't seam disgusted at all--he was obviously so good at pretending it didn’t bother him in the slightest that not even a trace of that disgust she knew he must feel came through. Moreover, Jim was laying on such a thick layer of fake, syrupy sweetness to every sentence that Sam couldn’t enjoy anything about this farce at all. She just found it gross. Morgan, on the other hand, had known to expect this tactic.

“My! My! Aren't we the polite little one now!” she said and noted that Jim and Allison exchanged proud smiles at that. “Well, look dude. I know we girls have been kind of rude, talking about you like you weren't here even though you were literally sitting right in front of us. I'm sure you had plenty you wanted to say so I know how frustrating that must have been for you--sorry about that." Morgan knew well that for someone like Jim, being ignored and talked over by women was all but intollerable so she couldn't resist a poke.

"But while you're not such a strong talker anymore your ears still work ok don't they? I'm sure you've been following along...kind of like a fly-on-the-wall...so to speak?" Jim nodded and strained to keep that smile on his face. "So is Allison right? You're her boyfriend again?”

“That is correct, maam.” 

“Not...her pet.”

“Yeah, well, obviously we have a rather large um….height difference between us, but so do lots of happy couples, frankly. And thanks to you---and what you...did to me --I can finally see Allison with new eyes. I can see how wonderful she truly is and how foolish I was to almost lose her. We love each other very much, Morgan. She knows I’m different now. I'm not the same man anymore. I'm proud to be her boyfriend.” Allison beamed down at him, full of pride. 

“So….not her pet.” Jim was starting to find it hard to keep his cool, and knew Morgan could sense that and was poking him-- but he had to keep up the charade at all costs. He took a deep breath and in a forced-calm he said,

“No! Not her pet! That is ....Sorry I was just saying that while our relationship might not be conventional, for obvious reasons, I am indeed Allison’s boyfriend--not her pet.” 

“Wow, you both sound so sure. Jeez, maybe I got this all wrong. Let’s see….so where do you sleep? In a human bed or a bed made for pets?” Allison’s eyes darted to Jim's doggie bed, just visible through the sliding glass door. She interjected,

“That’s not fair, Morgan, you know how worried I am about accidentally squishing the guy if I let him sleep up with me….you knew I found that perfect little bed just his size...who *cares* it was intended for a dog originally?” Morgan had more questions though,

“Ah, right. Right. But Allison I already know what you think...you said I could talk to your boyfriend here about it. May I continue please?” Allison said, “oops.” & put her hand over her mouth. 

“OK Pip, just a few more ok?” Morgan was enjoying interrogating the tiny man like she was a detective. Jim took another big breath and calmly said,

“Ask anything you like, Morgan--I’ll answer you clearly and honestly.” Jim was really laying it on thick. Sam rolled her eyes. She wanted Morgan to just get to the point already. 

“Ok. So when you eat dinner, do you sit at the table with your girlfriend?”

“...Um, no, but...well you see since I’m her boyfriend again she wants me to have as much freedom as possible and she knows how much I hate feeling dependent on her. Since she knows I can’t reach the table or the fridge or the cupboards, she just keeps a little plate of cold cuts down low where I can reach it.”

“And where’s that exactly?”

“Over there...in that bowl”

“Oh I see. You mean the little bowl with your name on it next to the bowl with her pet Roxy's name on it. That bowl? Got it.” Allison bit her lip and Sam thought she looked a little embarrassed. Morgan pressed on,

“Ok, I hope this one isn’t too indiscreet for you but if you don't mind my asking, where do you.. relieve….where do you poop and pee?”

“Ok well again, just because of my height disadvantage...I can’t exactly use the toilet anymore obviously. So Allison likes me to do that in the backyard, under a bush.”

“Oh I see...so you have to ask her to open the door for you every time or…”

“No, I just use the little door inside the big door.”
“The...doggy door you mean.” 

Jim didn’t reply, he just looked at Allison who said, “Morgan, you know very well he’s too small to keep…” Morgan held up her hand,

“He’s small. I get it. But I mean……..c’mon. He eats out of a dog bowl. He uses a doggy door to go do his business in the backyard. He sleeps on a doggy bed. He can’t speak, but he makes happy noises & comes when you call him.” Allison started getting a little flustered--hearing all this at once did give her pause. But no, it was different with Pip, she told herself and then protested again,

“Ok, haha, you’ve had your fun, M. I’m sure you’ve made him feel quite bad about his handicap and how we’re forced to work around it but…c’mon. You know very well that just because he’s small, that doesn’t mean he’s my pet.”

“Haha what? Girl I haven’t even mentioned that his size yet, but since you did... Name one other human boyfriend who weighs less than the average cat and can’t even free himself from an unlocked room because he can’t work doorknobs. He's smaller than literally any human, Al--it would actually be strange if you still thought of him more as a man than a pet. OH! Just thought of another one. When you have to leave the house with him, like to take him to work with you or whatever, how does he ride? That's right--in fucking cat carrier.”

"But it's a FANCY cat carrier!"

This made Sam bust out laughing, and Morgan started counting on her fingers and kept going,

“There’s more! Let's see. Does he make any money? Is he dependant on you for everything, including his food and shelter? You still put him in a cage whenever you’re not home, right? Didn't you say you were ceven onsidering getting him a fucking leash??.... Ha, look at his face! He didn’t know that yet, did he?" Jim had indeed not heard about any plans for a leash and he clearly wasn't pleased. Allison had no answer for that one.

"For fuck's sake, Allison--You don’t even let him sit on the couch! Hell even *Roxy* is allowed on the couch!” 

“Oh that’s just because last week Pip spilled my...oh. ...Huh.”

Jim was properly angry now and he was forced to struggle very very hard to hide it. But as he was processing Morgan’s parade of evidence he suddenly felt a new wave of humiliation wash over him. Both he and Allison came to the same realization at the same moment--Morgan was absolutely right about this. The facts were the facts--Jim hadn't been promoted to Allison's boyfriend, he'd been demoted to Allison's pet! Jim kicked himself for not realizing it earlier, but she was right--He was literally nothing more than a fucking pet, in every sense of the word. Morgan noticed his face turning red and gave him a little sarcastic pout which made Jim even more pissed. He looked up to Allioson, still holding out hope that she'd react by changing the rules--he hoped she'd see the light and stop all the pet-treatment bullshit. But his hope was short-lived because after only a moment’s reflection, Allison wasn’t angry at all anymore. She even brightened a little as she lifted Jim’s cage up to her face & said,

“Ok, maybe you have a point. But so what?  I mean, if that’s what he is, then I guess that’s what I want him to be and that’s fine with us. I mean, pets and owners can have wonderful relationships-- right Pip?" Jim was at a loss. He didn't know what to do so he just nodded back at her. Roxy barked and Jim started feeling sick to his stomach as Allison went on,

"Look at me & Roxy for example. We love each other--maybe not as lovers, but we're definitely more than just friends. You don’t mind being my little pet, do you Pip?” But Jim had reached his limit. He couldn't take it anymore and allowed his rage to boil over. He kicked the screen wall nearest Allison’s huge face and screamed, 

“I’M NOT ANYBODY’S FUCKING PET! Put me down, you bitch..You cow...zilla! Get me out of this fucking bug cage! You can’t just...” He started jumping up and down and throwing a little tantrum until Allison gave his new home a single shake, knocking him to his ass. She said, 

“ENOUGH! Pipsqueak, squeak.” Jim’s high-pitched barrage of impotent threats didn’t have any teeth as it was, but when Allison's command morphed his chipmunk threats into a tiny barrage of little frantic squeaks, all three women busted out laughing at him. Allison said,

“Ok, ok, he’s getting fussy now. I think it’s past his bed-time. Let me set him on a shelf in the living room and then I’ll bring out the desert. We have mousse!” 

Sam and Moran smirked at each other as they watched Allison casually swing Jim’s cage to and fro as she walked away, Jim’s increasingly frantic little squeaks fading away as she did so.

Sam joked, “Uh, did she say ‘mousse’ or ‘mouse?’ Hahahaha, either way, this is already the best night of my life. Thanks for this Morgan.”

Morgan was taking a big gulp of her Pino but replied with a little two-fingered salute. Just then something suddenly occurred to Sam and she said,

“Oh hey, while she's gone….I wanted to ask you about something. Since Allison’s obviously decided to make the dude her literal pet...what should we do about the other presents? I mean...now I'm worried she might hate one of them--you know which one I mean. Should we throw that one out? It'd be super disappointing but I like your friend Allison--I don’t want to upset her.” Morgan wiped her mouth with her sleeve & said,

“Ooooooh no. Are you kidding? No way--I HAVE to see him in that thing and I know you do too. She's already thinking of him as a pet now--a pet who needs discipline. We just might need to stretch blur the boundery in her head between discipline and torture. Since he's too big to fit in it yet we'll also need to talk her into letting me shrink him some more but that should be pretty easy I think. In fact.. ” Morgan saw Allison approaching with plates of desert and lowered her voice for one last bit of reassurance. She whispered,

 “Just...trust me, Sam. Pet or no pet, that little fucker is gonna get a lot littler soon, and then he’s going to be spending a lot of  quality time inside that thing--inside... YOU. Stick with me, kid, I won't let you down."

“Well, I’ll drink to that!” Sam blurted out and they both raised their glasses and giggled.