Page 86 of Sean's Sunshine
“You’re starting a new job, and I’m going to be stuck at home—”
“Let’s get a dog,” Billy said, out of the blue.
Sean turned to stare at him. “Are we moving a little fast?”
“If we get a dog this weekend and I move out the next week, are you going to let the dog starve?” Billy asked.
“No! I’m not a monster!”
“Good. You needed a dog before I moved in. You need a dog now. Let’s get a dog. It’ll give us an excuse to go to the dog park before we catch the thief.”
Sean glared at him. “Big dog,” he said, although Billy knew he’d regretted giving Poppy back to her human, even though he’d been in rehab and more in need of a little dog companion than any human in history.
“Little dog,” Billy said equably. “Little dogs make little poops. Big dogs leave big steamers.”
“We get one of those septic pits installed—a hosepipe, some enzymes, you dump the poop into the hole, add the little enzymes and it becomes dirt.”
Billy’s eyes got really big. “I did not know that. That needs to be common knowledge. Two dogs.”
“Are you kidding me?” Sean asked, bewildered. “What are we going to do with two dogs?”
“What do you have—a month? You have a month before you go back to work full-time?”
“Three and a half weeks,” Sean groused.
“Yeah, and I’m working three days a week and going to school two and a half. So those dogs are going to be alone in the backyard, and they need to have a buddy. So a big dog and a small dog who love each other, and a pet door.”
Sean scowled. “They are going to destroy everything we own.”
Billy snorted. “All I got is clothes, and they’re already in your guest room closet. I say we buy ourselves a new comforter now, and then when the dogs rip up the one on your bed, we have it ready.”
“Jesus, Guillermo, you’ve got this all planned,” Sean said, sounding baffled.
“Yeah, Sean Kryzynski, I really fuckin’ do,” Billy replied, proud of himself. “You and me are going to live in your duplex ’cause it’s a nice place. I’m gonna decorate because you offered, and I’m gonna make it my place. There needs to be some color in there. Right now it’s like a blue jeans ad. I mean, my name is Guillermo Morales—I need some Mexican in my place, you understand?”
“And a small dog,” Sean said, and Billy had stopped at a long light, so he had time to turn his head and give him a sly smile.
“And a big dog,” Billy said. He grinned. “They can take turns bossing each other around.”
Sean chuckled, and Billy felt the last of his pout dissipate into the bright fall day. “At the very least,” he said, “we should put out Halloween decorations.”
“You know what?” Billy said happily, “I got nothing but time today. Let’s do that now.”
THE NEXTday, Billy’s phone blew up with texts between Henry and the Johnnies boys because Rivers was getting home that afternoon and he and Henry were planning arealproposal. Everybody wanted in. Sean and Andres went in on a glass vase that Billy got to pick up from the store—it was engraved and everything. Sean had wanted to put Billy’s name on the tag, but Billy said he’d go in with the flophouse guys on the table setting and the flowers.
Billy had spent part of the day at school and part of the day running around helping Henry run errands for Jackson, and when he got home, he collapsed wearily on the couch, looking at Randy in admiration.
The kid had not just hung with Sean while Billy was out, he’d also hung the decorations they’d bought the night before, and now their porch and the tree in front of the duplex looked commercially spooky and fun. They’d bought ten pounds of candy the day before—Sean said there were usually lots of trick-or-treaters—and Randy had put some of it out in a bowl shaped like a skull so company could eat a Starburst if they were so inclined.
“Good job,” Billy said, grinning. “You want to dress up and give out candy on Saturday while you’re at it?”
Randy’s eyes got big. “I could do that? I mean, Mr. Sean, could we do that? The flophouse really doesn’t get anybody—we buy candy every year, and we’ve got a fake pumpkin out with a light, but so far, no action.”
Billy glanced at Sean, who grinned. “Sounds good. Invite the other guys too.”
“Yes!” Randy cried, and then he paused. “I started dinner, Billy. Sean walked me through kielbasa and sauerkraut, and we’ve got some whole-grain bread and some veggies to sauté.”
“Sounds great. You staying for dinner?”
