“Arcade, you have to hide him!” Zoe pulled her backpack off her shoulder and unzipped it. “Put him in here.”

I looked in the black hole filled with Zoe’s girl things. “But it’s hot in there. And he won’t be able to breathe with all your perfumed lotions.”

Zoe shook her backpack at me. “He’s a tropical bird. He’ll be fine! And we’ll leave the top unzipped.” She glanced over at Elijah, who was now talking to another pedicab tour guide. “Hurry! It’s probably against the law or something to have a flamingo in New York City!”

I took the trembling bird in my hands. “Okay, Flames, this will just be for a little while. Try to stay quiet.” I put my finger to my lips and looked in his eyes. “I got you.” Then I lifted him up and placed him feet first in the backpack. I set it on the floor of the cab. “Hang in there, adventurous one. You’re about to go for a ride through Central Park.”

*  *  *

“This will cool you off.” Elijah held out a cold water bottle to both me and Zoe. He dried his wet hands on his pants, and then jumped on his pedicab bike seat.

“And now, we go for the snow cones.” He turned the handlebars and began pedaling north on the trail toward Bethesda Terrace.

I cracked open the water bottle and took a sip.

Squawk!

Elijah jumped and turned around. I pretended to choke on my water and threw in a snort and a burp to cover for Flames.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Arcade? You sounded like a taxi cab horn just now.”

I laughed nervously. “Yes, I’m fine.” I coughed and burped again, just for effect.

Zoe slapped me on the back. “Please, excuse my brother. He gulps when he drinks, takes in too much air, and then . . . well . . . you know. The burping around our house can be deafening.”

Elijah laughed. I glanced down at Flames. The backpack was rocking gently, and he looked pretty comfortable in it. I reached down and patted his head.

“Elijah,” Zoe said, “would it be okay if we took a rain check on the snow cones? It was a very nice offer, but we’re really tired, and this water is cooling us down just fine.”

Elijah turned left on the path. “Of course, Miss Zoe. I am happy to take you straight home. The flavored ice will be there for a few more weeks, and then we will require hot chocolate to get through the chilly fall and freezing winter days.” Elijah popped up off his seat and pumped hard on the pedals to make it up a slight hill going toward our neighborhood. By the time he got to the top, he was breathing hard.

“Which season do you like the best here for biking, Elijah?” I couldn’t imagine pedaling people around the park in hot or cold weather.