Page 34 of The Marriage Deal
CROSS MY HEART
LILAH
Big warm eyes peer up at me from the head that rests in my lap. My heart—my silly little heart—weeps.
“I’ve taken to calling him Senior,” Madelyn says.
“Has there been any interest in him?”
She shakes her head. “None.”
“How can that be? He’s so sweet.”
“He’s old.” Madelyn shrugs, but I can feel her frustration. “Big dogs rarely live longer than twelve, maybe thirteen. I suspect Senior is around ten.”
“So?”
Her eyes flick to mine from the stack of charts she’s working on. “So, most people don’t like to open their hearts to an inevitable loss.”
“All pets are an inevitable loss. They don’t live as long as people.”
“You know what I’m saying.”
“Yeah.” I stroke my thumb over the smooth golden fur between Senior’s loving eyes. He gives a doggy sigh that whispers love from the heart.It hurts.“But I wish I didn’t.”
“I figure he’ll just spend his final years with me.” Madelyn slaps a chart closed. “I’m not going to just give up on him. He deserves better from us. From people. And other than his age, he’s healthy. Great with people and kids.”
“He does deserve better.” I wince at the needle that drives into my heart when Senior scoots a little closer. Sometimes I really hate people.
“Are you meeting the man tonight again?” Madelyn changes topics.
“I am.”
Her eyes flick up from the charts. “You are?”
“Yep.” I pop the P. Then I feel myself sink into a spiral of spilled secrets. “If I told you a big secret, and I mean a huge secret, would you keep it?”
Her brows rise. “Do you have a big secret to tell me?”
“Maybe.”
“Lilah.”
I squeak. “Yes.”
Madelyn pushes back from her desk to drop her butt in the chair beside mine. “Spill. The whole thing.”
I clap my hand over my mouth. “Oh, my God. I can’t.”
“I’ve been your best friend since pre-k, girl. Spill.”
“I’m a terrible person.” The words are muffled behind my fingers. Senior lifts his head from my lap with doggy concern.
“You’re not a terrible person.” Madelyn scoots to the edge of her seat. “What’s this about?”
“Briggs.” His name sounds high.
Her eyes widen. “You slept with him! Already!? Go you.”
