For this particular outing, both mother and daughter were dressed alike. On a normal day, Genevieve and Eve merely resembled each other.
On that particular day, Genevieve might as well have been a miniature carbon copy.
As various zoo patrons tried to approach the eye-catching pair or tried to strike up light conversation, neither of the girls responded. They both maintained near identical expressions that radiated elegance and aloofness.
Those that approached felt slightly wronged until they saw mother and daughter exchange a slight smile. They felt guilty for criticizing such fairy like beings in their hearts.
Once someone realized they weren't going to get a response, they were content to watch from a distance and would gradually move on. Those that moved on would just as soon be replaced and the whole cycle would start again.
It was maybe the fifth or sixth iteration by the time Roy spotted the shifting crowd of observers.
'This sort of thing,' he thought to himself and shook his head. Though he was once a jealous man, a decade of marriage had taught him such situations were unavoidable. He also knew that for the sake of their relationship, he had to let them go.
Quite frankly, they couldn't both be constantly possessive and distrustful so Roy let Eve do as she pleased.
He started to weave his large frame, as politely as he could manage, through the crowd to get to his wife. When he had made it about two-thirds of the way through, the latest person to approach Eve was far less courteous.
It was a young photographer who tried to ask for a picture of the lovely mother and daughter. Upon being ignored, she became rather belligerent and stared spouting curses and insults.
"How arrogant! What gives you the right to brush off people as you are doing now!? I've seen countless others come over here and you've ignored each and everyone! How conceited can you be!?"
Roy threw aside his polite demeanor and directly pushed his way to the front. When he surfaced from the crowd, he was standing directly behind the angry photographer.
"Excuse me," his deep voice started the woman and she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Her frustration must have been more powerful than her fright. She turned around and glared at the man who was more than twice her size. "And just who might you be?"
Roy didn't answer her question and instead repeated his earlier statement, "Excuse me. You are in my way."
"How dare you! You think you are better than me? Better than any of us? She hasn't responding to a single soul here!" The woman crossed her arms and added a "hmph" for good measure.
Roy rolled his eyes and looked past the annoying woman to check on his wife and daughter. Both looked to be perfectly fine and continued observing the birds in the exhibit. They acted like this entire situation had nothing to do with them.
"I am only going to say it nicely this one last time, then I will have to resort to something more drastic. Please step aside." He looked down at the woman and waited.
"Are you threatening me? Do you hear that?" She looked around at the crowd with a disgusted look on her face. "This man is threatening me!"
"Alright, have it your way." Roy shrugged and reached into his pocket.
The woman flinched and subconsciously took a step back, afraid that he was going to hit her.
Instead she was handed a business card. No, wait, it was two business cards. For a pair of... lawyers?
"What is this?" In her absentmindedness, her question was spoken aloud.
"The first card is mine. I plan to sue you for harassing and defaming my client. The second card is a fantastic lawyer I am recommending to represent you as I imagine you may not already have one." Roy patiently explained each card and then stepped around the baffled woman to reach Eve and Genevieve.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked gently and held his hand out to his wife. She took hold of one and Genevieve enthusiastically held the other.
All at once, the eyes of the bewildered onlookers grew impossibly wide and their jaws dropped to the floor.
"Damn! What did I just see!?" One man rubbed his eyes as the two beauties left with the large man.
"I don't know. You tell me!" Another replied.
Someone with a bit more understanding said, "A giant came, defeated a wicked witch, and stole away two fairies!"
Several others in the crowd nodded. That was the best way to describe the drama that had just unfolded before them.
The lady photographer snapped out of her daze and realized people were whispering and pointed at her. She heard the title 'wicked witch' being directed at her and scowled.
"What are you all looking at!?" She stamped her foot and stormed off, her fist crumpling the two business cards that she was still holding.
"Sue me? You didn't even get my name. How stupid." She grumbled all the way back to her car and then recklessly sped out of the parking lot.