Page 2 of The Sound Of Us

But I watched Mrs. Dalton cry for months after her giant schnauzer got run over by some city folk who got lost while passing through. I’m not prepared for that. Pepper is not just a therapy dog. She’s my best friend, even before Benson most days.

“Pepper,” I yell, as I take off after her.

Her excited barks give me heart failure. She runs and I run behind her. It’s like a comedy show, where everyone is laughing at a racist or homophobic joke, but it’s actually not funny.

The SUV comes to a halt just as Pepper leaps forward for a nip at the wheel.

“Pepper, I swear to god—” I yell with my hand pointing upward like I’m on the frontline of a war and the captain just yelled charge!

I’m winded, more than usual, when I get to her. I don’t like how tired I am after a ten second run.

The driver steps out of the car and I—

I—I just—

Breathing hard, my chest burning, I come to a dead stop two feet away from the driver of Pepper’s dream car.

Although I’m standing still and at a reasonable distance from him, it feels like I’ve been flung right into him. The pull to him is instant and shocking to my nervous system.

He’s tall. Not as tall as Frank, but I still have to look up to get a good look at his eyes. I don’t know how to swim but if I ever tried, now I know what it would feel like to drown in the palest blue ocean. My thumb grazes over the inside of my ring finger, where my wedding band digs into that finger as well as my conscience.

One time, nine years ago, when I was nineteen and married for one year, I didn’t look into the mirror for ten months because I hated the sight of my face (god, your face is like a fuckin’ Chihuahua, Axel).

First of all, I didn’t even know at the time that a chi-hua-hua is a tiny dog with a skinny face. Secondly, I guess the price you pay for chemo is looking like a dog whose name no one can spell.

But now, even from this distance, looking into this stranger’s glassy stare… I’m captivated because I’m convinced that if I were to step closer, I might see my reflection in those eyes and I might never want to stop looking.

He’s wearing professional-looking clothes—black dress pants that sit on him so elegantly. Shiny black shoes. A white button shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He must have good heating in his vehicle. No one can dress so scantily and get away with it over here.

His short brown hair catches some flakes of snow and, sadly, for my confused, married brain, he runs his hand through his short strands, dampening and spiking them slightly and turning himself into the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. Even more handsome than Frank is my next horrifying thought.

He makes some signs with his hands, snapping me out of my shameful, inappropriate observations.

What? I must look as confused as I feel.

He makes another sign, pointing to his ear. Then, when he gets nothing but crickets from me, he retrieves his phone from his pocket. I’m ashamed of how much I notice that elegant slide of his hand.

He types and turns the screen to me. “I’m deaf. Speak. I can lip read.”

I’m so flustered. I’ve never met a deaf person before. Do I just… speak? Like I normally would? He’s so gorgeous. My thoughts are as scattered as the flakes of snow falling around us.

“I’m sorry,” I say slowly. I don’t know if I should round my words carefully? “My dog. She likes to chase cars.”

Pepper gets one of my covert glares, but she doesn’t care. She’s sitting next to this exquisitely beautiful stranger, as if she belongs to him.

He smiles and dips his head. He understood me. I’m inexplicably pleased that I spoke clearly enough and so I offer him my own smile without meaning to.

He bends and ruffles Pepper’s fur. She’s all over him, pawing and licking.

“Pepper,” I call. “Come here, girl.”

Nothing. She’ll keep him there until it gets dark if I let her, and when she shows no signs of letting the stranger go, I step forward to pull her away. The man chooses that moment to stand up.

I’m face-to-face with him. God, those eyes.

My thumb grazes my wedding band again, and the reminder helps me get Pepper away from her new crush without turning myself into a fool, too.

He lifts his hand in a wave, his face breaking out into a smile that has me hypnotized all over again.

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