Page 49 of You Only Live Once
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The next morning, when I got up, Jack was already at the hob with what looked like the makings of a very large English breakfast. Clive was in his bed, watching intently, his nose twitching as delicious smells drifted across towards him.
‘Morning,’ I said, entering the kitchen and heading towards the kettle to make a cup of tea.
‘Good morning,’ Jack returned, the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice. ‘Your tea is there on the side. I’ve just made it. I heard you moving about.’
‘You didn’t have to do that.’
Jack turned from his cooking for a moment and I looked up to meet his eyes. I could see he was holding on to his patience.
‘But thank you,’ I said, remembering my manners. I might still be cross with him but that didn’t mean I had to be ungracious as well.
‘I thought I’d cook breakfast. You didn’t eat last night, so you must be hungry, before you refuse it.’
Don’t you just hate it when people are right when you don’t want them to be?
‘I am a little hungry,’ I conceded. My stomach decided to back me up by emitting a long, low grumble.
‘That sounds like more than a little.’
I picked up my tea and walked over to the sofa and sat down. Clive padded out of his bed and took up residence next to my leg, his weight leaning against it before he rested his head gently again as he had last night on my leg.
‘Looks like someone likes you.’
‘Oh, don’t even start. Dogs like most people. You still have to take him back.’
Jack rested his head back for a moment, staring at the built-in fan in the ceiling. ‘Right. Well, the lady is away this weekend so it will have to wait until Monday. If you’ve got a problem with that, I’ll find a hotel that takes pets for the next couple of nights.’
‘Don’t be silly. You can both stay here until then.’
Jack looked across at me.
‘I mean, obviously you can stay here longer than that, I just meant the dog can stay here till then.’
‘To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether I would still be welcome after last night’s…’ he paused, ‘discussion.’
‘These things happen. You’re aware, I trust, that you crossed a line when you thought you knew what is best for me?’
‘Sometimes other people can see things clearer.’
I counted to ten and blew out a sigh. ‘The dog goes back Monday. You don’t make any other decisions on my behalf, and things can go back to normal. Deal?’
‘Sounds like you’ve already made those decisions, so…’ He shrugged and turned his attention back to the food sizzling and popping in front of him.
Clive nuzzled his nose further up my leg and gently pressed my tummy with the end of it. ‘I know, and I really am sorry.’ I leant down over him, speaking softly. ‘You are very lovely. I’m just not ready for this. You deserve to have somebody who will shower you with love and sadly I think my days of being able to do that are long past. You deserve so much better than me.’
Breakfast was a slightly awkward affair, with half-hearted attempts at conversation but mostly long silences. Clive looked between us at times as if trying to figure out what was wrong. They do say dogs can be very sensitive and there was definitely tension. To be fair, I was sure even a stick insect could have sensed it.
‘Well, I guess I’d better take Clive out for a walk. Unless you want to do it, of course?’ said Jack.
‘No, thank you.’
‘Shame. Looks like a lovely day out there.’
‘Which I can appreciate just as well from my own garden.’
‘Not really the same, though, is it?’ Jack countered. ‘And you did say how much you enjoyed getting out for that walk the other week. We could find a dog-friendly café and have a cup of tea afterwards.’
