newspaper, if you do
come. I am so desperate for news of
my plight.
Forever yours,
Colin “Professor” Worthington
I placed the letter back into its envelope,
then turned and prompted vomited into the bathtub.
There was nothing in the letter that was
horrible – no threats of cutting up my body, no promises to get out and
come and see me. They were just
words on a page – they could only be so bad. And besides, there was nothing he could
write in a letter that would even come close to the things he had already done
to me.
But just knowing he had been the one on the
other side of the pen, just knowing he had contacted me brought back all the memories
of that night and stirred something up inside of me, thoughts so dark and
horrible I didn’t want to ever think of them again.
I began to clean out the tub, washing away my
dinner from last night, that beautiful dinner that Noah had arranged for me,
all of it gone.
I washed my face and brushed my teeth, studying
myself in the mirror.
I had planned on going back to school today,
but now there was no way.
I returned to bed, climbed in and curled up
under the covers.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being roused by something wet licking my
face.
I picked my hand up and pushed the wet thing
away, then snuggled deeper into my covers.
But whatever it was persisted.
I opened one eye and a furry face stared back
at me.
A dog.
There was a dog in my bed.
“What the hell?” I murmured, sitting up.
The dog seemed to like this. He gave a playful little bark and wagged
his tail happily. He was
medium-sized, with shaggy golden fur and a very cold nose.
.He was
wearing a bright red collar, and tied to it was an envelope. My name was written on the front.
I reached out and opened it.
Dear Charlotte,
I was hoping this might brighten your day. The people at the shelter tell me he is
a mutt, maybe some golden retriever, maybe some border collie. He is about three years old, and
apparently past the puppy stage, although he still seems like a puppy to me.
Jared has been instructed to deliver him and
leave his things with you – a leash, a bowl, a toy, some food.
He will need a name, which I will leave to you.
I love you very much,
Noah
I smiled.
A shelter dog! Noah had gotten me a shelter dog, even
though he definitely didn’t want a pet. He’d done it for me.
I could hear the sound of rustling in the
kitchen.
“Jared?” I called.
“Yes, miss,” he called back. “I’m sorry to barge in on you like this,
but Mr. Cutler insisted it be a surprise.”
“That’s okay, Jared.”
The dog was already making himself at home in
Noah’s bed, his body snuggling up against mine. I giggled as he licked my face.
“I’ll leave his toys and things out here,”
Jared said. “Would you like me to
walk him before I go?”
“No, that’s fine,” I said, scratching the dog
behind the ears. “I can take care
of it.”
“Very well, miss. Please let me know if you need
anything.”
I heard the front door open and close as Jared
left the apartment. I reached out
and grabbed my cell phone, dialed Noah.
“Hello,” he said when he answered, and I could
hear the smile in his voice.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Do you like him?”
“I love him. The question is, do you love
him?” The dog was pushing his nose
under my hand, demanding that I pet him. I couldn’t imagine how Noah would feel when the dog was doing that to
him while he tried to work. I
stifled a giggle.
“I love whatever makes you happy,” he
said. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“I’ll see you tonight,” I agreed.
“Charlotte?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I flushed with pleasure as I ended the call.
Noah was right.
Force, Professor Worthington, Mikayla –
that was all in our past. It was
time to start moving on with our lives.
***
Two
come. I am so desperate for news of
my plight.
Forever yours,
Colin “Professor” Worthington
I placed the letter back into its envelope,
then turned and prompted vomited into the bathtub.
There was nothing in the letter that was
horrible – no threats of cutting up my body, no promises to get out and
come and see me. They were just
words on a page – they could only be so bad. And besides, there was nothing he could
write in a letter that would even come close to the things he had already done
to me.
But just knowing he had been the one on the
other side of the pen, just knowing he had contacted me brought back all the memories
of that night and stirred something up inside of me, thoughts so dark and
horrible I didn’t want to ever think of them again.
I began to clean out the tub, washing away my
dinner from last night, that beautiful dinner that Noah had arranged for me,
all of it gone.
I washed my face and brushed my teeth, studying
myself in the mirror.
I had planned on going back to school today,
but now there was no way.
I returned to bed, climbed in and curled up
under the covers.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being roused by something wet licking my
face.
I picked my hand up and pushed the wet thing
away, then snuggled deeper into my covers.
But whatever it was persisted.
I opened one eye and a furry face stared back
at me.
A dog.
There was a dog in my bed.
“What the hell?” I murmured, sitting up.
The dog seemed to like this. He gave a playful little bark and wagged
his tail happily. He was
medium-sized, with shaggy golden fur and a very cold nose.
.He was
wearing a bright red collar, and tied to it was an envelope. My name was written on the front.
I reached out and opened it.
Dear Charlotte,
I was hoping this might brighten your day. The people at the shelter tell me he is
a mutt, maybe some golden retriever, maybe some border collie. He is about three years old, and
apparently past the puppy stage, although he still seems like a puppy to me.
Jared has been instructed to deliver him and
leave his things with you – a leash, a bowl, a toy, some food.
He will need a name, which I will leave to you.
I love you very much,
Noah
I smiled.
A shelter dog! Noah had gotten me a shelter dog, even
though he definitely didn’t want a pet. He’d done it for me.
I could hear the sound of rustling in the
kitchen.
“Jared?” I called.
“Yes, miss,” he called back. “I’m sorry to barge in on you like this,
but Mr. Cutler insisted it be a surprise.”
“That’s okay, Jared.”
The dog was already making himself at home in
Noah’s bed, his body snuggling up against mine. I giggled as he licked my face.
“I’ll leave his toys and things out here,”
Jared said. “Would you like me to
walk him before I go?”
“No, that’s fine,” I said, scratching the dog
behind the ears. “I can take care
of it.”
“Very well, miss. Please let me know if you need
anything.”
I heard the front door open and close as Jared
left the apartment. I reached out
and grabbed my cell phone, dialed Noah.
“Hello,” he said when he answered, and I could
hear the smile in his voice.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Do you like him?”
“I love him. The question is, do you love
him?” The dog was pushing his nose
under my hand, demanding that I pet him. I couldn’t imagine how Noah would feel when the dog was doing that to
him while he tried to work. I
stifled a giggle.
“I love whatever makes you happy,” he
said. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“I’ll see you tonight,” I agreed.
“Charlotte?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I flushed with pleasure as I ended the call.
Noah was right.
Force, Professor Worthington, Mikayla –
that was all in our past. It was
time to start moving on with our lives.
***
Two
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