Page 64 of You and Me, For Real
I release a low whistle. “That’s terrible. What can I do?”
She covers her face with a new tissue. “Do you…” She hiccups. “Can you…can Teddy and the puppies stay with you?”
“Of course.” Easy. Anything I can do to fix her situation.
I peer into the dog crate next to the couch. Two fluffy black-and-white dogs snuggle on top of each other. How hard can a couple of extra dogs be?
She drops her tissue, eyes red, and huffs a laugh. “Maybe you should take some time to think about it first.”
“Don’t need to.”
“It’s three extra dogs, Griffin. They can be a lot of work.”
“I can handle it. Besides, Teddy doesn’t even count. He’s better well-behaved than most young children.”
She laughs. “It’ll hopefully only be for tonight, until I can get an emergency foster volunteer set up for the puppies, along with finding a place Teddy and I can stay.”
“They can stay as long as they need.”
“Really?” She plops her hands into her lap. “Are you sure? That’s a big commitment. You’ve gone from no dogs to a house of four dogs in the span of two weeks.”
“It’s fine, I promise. Look.” I unlatch the crate and release the pups. They immediately run out and explore every inch of the carpet around the living room and race to Roxy. She leans her head back slightly but allows their gentle exploration. “See. It’s fine.” I meet her eyes with mine, conveying my sincerity.
“I promise I’ll try my hardest to get them adopted or fostered. It might take a bit of time. And?—”
I reach for her hand and squeeze it. “I said it’s fine. I can do it. Just trust me, okay?”
Her puffy eyes stare into mine for a minute, and then she quietly nods.
“Good. Glad that’s settled. I haven’t eaten yet. Have you?”
Luke’s mysteriously disappeared. How convenient.
She looks to the kitchen where the microwave’s digital clock displays the time. “It’s almost nine o’clock. Isn’t it a little past dinner time?”
“It’s a meal, not a time. We can eat whenever we want. How about I order us some dinner? We can hang out on the couch, plan your next step, and when you’re ready, I’ll drive you to a hotel or wherever you want to go. Sound good?”
I’m surprised at how much I want her to say yes. I like the idea of taking care of someone else.
“Okay.”
“Great.” I pop up, whipping out my phone. “What are you in the mood for? Chinese? Mexican? American?”
“Are you serious?”
“What? About the food? Yes. I’m very serious. I’m starving.”
She gasps.
I look up from the phone. “What?”
She’s looking behind me toward the floor.
I spin and see one of the dogs hiking a leg and peeing on my plush white rug.
A snort erupts from Ashton. She covers her mouth with her hand and says, “I am so, so sorry.”
The absurdity of the situation makes me bust out laughing. Ashton breaks into a fit of giggles. To see her smile back is the best reward, even if it comes at the cost of a soiled carpet. I’d do just about anything to elicit this kind of joy in her.
