viewed it. For me, it was definitely a wonderful miracle, but I was starting to wonder if deep down Anna truly accepted me with all my limitations. I doubted whether she loved me half as much as I did her.
After using the guest bathroom, I paused for a moment, listening to the voices floating from the dining room. No way was I ready to return to that. I headed toward the bedroom, clinging to the bannister as I made my awkward way upstairs. In the hallway, the sound of giggling kids and a barking dog stopped me.
I went to the bedroom Gulliver and Haynes were using and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I tapped with my knuckles and called, “Guys, what’s up?”
The mutter of voices stopped, but the barking continued, and the sound of scratching came from the other side of the door.
“Have you got the dog in there? Open up.” I tried to sound as if I expected to be obeyed but was sort of surprised when it worked.
The door opened , and Baby rushed into the hall, barking and leaping up against my legs. I crouched awkwardly and tried to pick her up, but she slipped through my hands and ran toward the stairs, probably heading toward Anna’s voice. If I were a little faster, I might have intercepted her, but now she was Anna’s problem.
Haynes stood in front of me, his eyes big and round. Gulliver came up behind him, skulking like he had after nailing his brother with a snowball that morning.
“You know Baby’s not supposed to be in the house,” I said sternly as I grasped the door frame and hauled myself upright. Then I caught a glimpse of the room behind them. “Oh hell.”
In the brief time the dog had been in the bedroom, she’d managed to chew up a pillow or two. Stuffing had settled in small white drifts around the room.
“What happene d here?” I asked. “Pillow fight?”
“We were just messing around, but she wouldn’t let go. She wanted to play tug-o-war . We couldn’t stop her.” Gulliver folded his arms and scowled, making me want to pop the little brat.
“With your aunt’s pillow and what else?” I walked into the room, searching for any other items Baby might have destroyed. I snapped my fingers at Gulliver. “Go catch the dog. Now!”
He met my gaze for a second , then did as he was told. I heard his footsteps on the stairs, followed by distant exclamations of surprise. Baby must have erupted into the dining room.
I noticed the dog had also chewed a hole in the spread covering the bed. More stuffing oozed out of the tear. “Well, shit,” I muttered.
Haynes lurked nearby. His eyes were shiny , and his bottom lip quivered. At least he reacted like a kid who knew he’d been naughty and deserved punishment.
“Why don’t you help me clean up?” I said as I picked up the pillow.
He nodded and started collecting fluff from the floor. “She pee-peed too.” Haynes pointed to a small stain on the ornamental rug that covered most of the hardwood floor.
“Great. Of course she did.” Right then I wasn’t loving our dog.
Anna’s dog. Not really mine any more than the apartment was. Of course, I’d always known the power balance between us was weighted in Anna’s favor. She had more to sacrifice by being involved with me. I had everything to gain by being with her. I’d learned to accept it and not feel too weird about it. But just then I was really wondering if our relationship was strong enough to overcome that difference. In the long run, would Anna start to resent me?
Glum thoughts clouded my mind as I straightened the room and discovered a chewed corner of the rug as well. No wonder Jackie hated the idea of pets in her house. I was tired, sore, annoyed with Baby, and upset with Anna. At the best of times, I had some trouble controlling my emotions, so it was no surprise I sort of snapped when Anna came into the room.
“ I put Baby in her crate,” she said. “How bad is it? Gulliver said she made a mess.”
“A little chewing. A little peeing. You’ll want to
After using the guest bathroom, I paused for a moment, listening to the voices floating from the dining room. No way was I ready to return to that. I headed toward the bedroom, clinging to the bannister as I made my awkward way upstairs. In the hallway, the sound of giggling kids and a barking dog stopped me.
I went to the bedroom Gulliver and Haynes were using and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I tapped with my knuckles and called, “Guys, what’s up?”
The mutter of voices stopped, but the barking continued, and the sound of scratching came from the other side of the door.
“Have you got the dog in there? Open up.” I tried to sound as if I expected to be obeyed but was sort of surprised when it worked.
The door opened , and Baby rushed into the hall, barking and leaping up against my legs. I crouched awkwardly and tried to pick her up, but she slipped through my hands and ran toward the stairs, probably heading toward Anna’s voice. If I were a little faster, I might have intercepted her, but now she was Anna’s problem.
Haynes stood in front of me, his eyes big and round. Gulliver came up behind him, skulking like he had after nailing his brother with a snowball that morning.
“You know Baby’s not supposed to be in the house,” I said sternly as I grasped the door frame and hauled myself upright. Then I caught a glimpse of the room behind them. “Oh hell.”
In the brief time the dog had been in the bedroom, she’d managed to chew up a pillow or two. Stuffing had settled in small white drifts around the room.
“What happene d here?” I asked. “Pillow fight?”
“We were just messing around, but she wouldn’t let go. She wanted to play tug-o-war . We couldn’t stop her.” Gulliver folded his arms and scowled, making me want to pop the little brat.
“With your aunt’s pillow and what else?” I walked into the room, searching for any other items Baby might have destroyed. I snapped my fingers at Gulliver. “Go catch the dog. Now!”
He met my gaze for a second , then did as he was told. I heard his footsteps on the stairs, followed by distant exclamations of surprise. Baby must have erupted into the dining room.
I noticed the dog had also chewed a hole in the spread covering the bed. More stuffing oozed out of the tear. “Well, shit,” I muttered.
Haynes lurked nearby. His eyes were shiny , and his bottom lip quivered. At least he reacted like a kid who knew he’d been naughty and deserved punishment.
“Why don’t you help me clean up?” I said as I picked up the pillow.
He nodded and started collecting fluff from the floor. “She pee-peed too.” Haynes pointed to a small stain on the ornamental rug that covered most of the hardwood floor.
“Great. Of course she did.” Right then I wasn’t loving our dog.
Anna’s dog. Not really mine any more than the apartment was. Of course, I’d always known the power balance between us was weighted in Anna’s favor. She had more to sacrifice by being involved with me. I had everything to gain by being with her. I’d learned to accept it and not feel too weird about it. But just then I was really wondering if our relationship was strong enough to overcome that difference. In the long run, would Anna start to resent me?
Glum thoughts clouded my mind as I straightened the room and discovered a chewed corner of the rug as well. No wonder Jackie hated the idea of pets in her house. I was tired, sore, annoyed with Baby, and upset with Anna. At the best of times, I had some trouble controlling my emotions, so it was no surprise I sort of snapped when Anna came into the room.
“ I put Baby in her crate,” she said. “How bad is it? Gulliver said she made a mess.”
“A little chewing. A little peeing. You’ll want to
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