Original Fic - Part Five
When an idea hits... run with it. Or from it... whatever works for you. I wasn't fast enough...
~*~*~
I woke the next morning from a deep, dreamless sleep. But I knew the reason why I hadn’t dreamed was still asleep in the room across from mine. At least I thought he was. Seconds later, the door swung open and I was set upon by two very awake dogs, both with the intent to kiss me into oblivion. Two pairs of brown eyes seemed to laugh with me as they continued to kiss and then play around me. How anyone could sleep with these two around, I’ll never know. But it’s a lovely way to wake up. Senona is a good influence on my dog.
I hear the door across the hall open, and I can hear my guest yawn and stretch. I push myself up to lean on one elbow, the dogs still playing, though quieter. The next thing I hear is a great yowl and then a muttered curse and apology. He’s found one of my cats, and I can’t help laughing more.
“I see you’ve met one of my cats,” I call out to him.
“It wasn’t the best of meetings,” he answered coming to stand in the doorway. “I’m pretty sure I only stepped on its tail.”
“What did it look like?”
“Grey, long hair, some white and beige.”
I laugh again. “I see you met, and probably managed to insult, my oldest cat. That was Muffin upon whose tail you trod. She’s ten.”
“I’ll try to remember her name and do my best to watch where I step next time,” he replied, laughing as well.
A squabble from outside the room gains the attention of both dogs, and they race out of my room, practically barrelling into him as they pass. He watches them go for a few moments before turning back to look at me. Still smiling, he walks over the my side of the bed and sits down.
“Sleep well?”
“Well enough, until two dogs decided that I should be up. You?”
“The same. No dreams, though. First time in a while that’s happened.” He leans over, one hand on the other side of my legs, his face only a few inches from mine. “I think I know why, too.”
“Why is that?”
His smile grew a little more, and there was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite read. Leaning just a little closer, he kissed me gently. “I think the reason I didn’t dream last night is right in front of me.”
“The same reason for me as well,” I said, smiling shyly. Wonderful. Now, I’m shy. Well, it was short lived anyway.
The dogs start barking and cats start running through the house to their various hiding places. Surprise is written on his face as he tries to watch the phenomenon from where he sits. “Someone’s coming,” I said, scrambling out from under his arm and out of the bed. I’m still wearing my dress, and rush to the closet for another.
“Were you expecting anyone?”
“No, actually. This is a complete surprise.” The dogs continue barking, but they’s gone from the living room to the kitchen door. I turn and look at him with the new dress in my hands. “I can’t get changed with you here.” I’m nothing if not modest. At least in front of strangers. Though he’s not really a stranger. Ironic.
“I’ll go,” he said, but not before kissing me quickly on the forehead. “I don’t suppose you have a change of clothes for me?”
“No,” I said, giggling a bit. “Sorry.”
“No problem. I’ll just wash up a little.” He smiles and leaves quickly, closing the door behind him.
As fast as I can, I get out of the old dress and into the new one, and freshen up as best I can. Within seconds of finishing, I hear a knock on the door. Looking in the mirror to make sure I’m presentable, I leave my room and make my way to the door. The dogs are excited, running from me and back to the door. My dog starts his spring board routine and jumps to look out the window of the door. Through the curtain, I see a familiar face. Well, two familiar faces. My sister and niece have come to visit. And then I remember. They were supposed to come today. We had a picnic planned. Well, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if he tags along. Besides, I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees him. Opening the door, I give my sister a hug, and take my niece from her, receiving a kiss.
“Are you ready to go?” Christa asks, rummaging around my kitchen for things she forgot to bring.
“Not quite yet,” I answer. Erika squirms out of my arms and proceeds to chase both dogs through the house. It’s a wonder that Christa hasn’t noticed I have a new animal.
Packing several items in the basket she brought, she turns to look at me. “You look ready to me,” she said. The dogs run back into the kitchen with Erika close behind. It was then that Christa noticed Senona. “Whose dog is that, or have you brought home another stray?”
“She belongs to me,” I hear him say from behind me. “You could say she brought home two strays.”
I watch Christa’s face as it suddenly dawns on her who he is. Erika, little charmer that she is, comes back into the kitchen and stares up at him, then smiles. When the dogs come back in a flurry, she reaches up for his finger and starts pulling him away, just as Christa grabs my hand to do the same.
“Is that who I think it is?” she asks, obviously not too stunned to ask, though I hear the amazement in her voice and see it written on her face.
“Yes.” I’m enjoying this way too much.
“What’s he doing here?”
“How do you mean? What's he doing in town, or…”
“You know what I mean!”
“He spent the night,” I said, trying miserably to hide my smile. I can see the thoughts rushing through her mind. I know my sister well. “He stayed in the guest room, and later on, we were going to go get his things from the hotel.”
“He’s staying?”
“Only for a few weeks. You don’t mind if he comes with us, do you?”
Apparently, Christa forgot the picnic, at least for a moment. A giggle from Erika brings our attention to him as he comes back from wherever Erika took him. She’s charmed him as I knew she would, and managed to get him to pick her up. He’s got the biggest grin on his face, and Erika’s looking rather smug. I laugh, going up to take her from him, and then Christa takes her from me.
“I don’t want to intrude if you’ve already had plans,” he started to say, but Christa shakes her head.
“No, it’s alright. I have enough to feed a small army anyway,” she assures him. “Well, if we’re all done here, we can go.”
I gather up my dog and put his harness and leash on, not willing to risk another two days of searching for him if he should run off again. And since Senona is the same size, I hand a spare harness and leash to him for the same reason. Christa gathers up the picnic baskets, but my friend takes it from her with a smile. Still amazed, she manages a smile, then leads the way out of my house. Making sure I have the key, I lock the door behind us and we begin our walk to the nearest park. Luckily, there was a fenced in area so that both dogs could run around.
After we ate our lunch, we all sat around and talked. Erika, more interested in the dogs than the playground, joins them and we all laugh at her antics. As the day progresses, we notice the dogs and Erika are getting slower, so we help Christa pack up, collect Erika and the dogs, and from there we part ways.
“It was great meeting you,” he said as she walked away.
“It was great meeting you, too,” Christa said. Erika just waved from over her shoulder and we waved back.
As we walked back to my house, he took my hand in his, and held it. A simple gesture, and yet it makes my heart race. It took a little longer going home than it did going to the park but we make it. The dogs rush past us to get inside. They head for the bedrooms and proceed to lay down in the middle of my bed. Smiling, I start making the rounds, filing the various bowls with food and water. He stands and watches me, a bemused smile on his face. When I finish, we get a drink for ourselves before heading out again to get his bags from the hotel.
~*~*~
~*~*~
I woke the next morning from a deep, dreamless sleep. But I knew the reason why I hadn’t dreamed was still asleep in the room across from mine. At least I thought he was. Seconds later, the door swung open and I was set upon by two very awake dogs, both with the intent to kiss me into oblivion. Two pairs of brown eyes seemed to laugh with me as they continued to kiss and then play around me. How anyone could sleep with these two around, I’ll never know. But it’s a lovely way to wake up. Senona is a good influence on my dog.
I hear the door across the hall open, and I can hear my guest yawn and stretch. I push myself up to lean on one elbow, the dogs still playing, though quieter. The next thing I hear is a great yowl and then a muttered curse and apology. He’s found one of my cats, and I can’t help laughing more.
“I see you’ve met one of my cats,” I call out to him.
“It wasn’t the best of meetings,” he answered coming to stand in the doorway. “I’m pretty sure I only stepped on its tail.”
“What did it look like?”
“Grey, long hair, some white and beige.”
I laugh again. “I see you met, and probably managed to insult, my oldest cat. That was Muffin upon whose tail you trod. She’s ten.”
“I’ll try to remember her name and do my best to watch where I step next time,” he replied, laughing as well.
A squabble from outside the room gains the attention of both dogs, and they race out of my room, practically barrelling into him as they pass. He watches them go for a few moments before turning back to look at me. Still smiling, he walks over the my side of the bed and sits down.
“Sleep well?”
“Well enough, until two dogs decided that I should be up. You?”
“The same. No dreams, though. First time in a while that’s happened.” He leans over, one hand on the other side of my legs, his face only a few inches from mine. “I think I know why, too.”
“Why is that?”
His smile grew a little more, and there was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite read. Leaning just a little closer, he kissed me gently. “I think the reason I didn’t dream last night is right in front of me.”
“The same reason for me as well,” I said, smiling shyly. Wonderful. Now, I’m shy. Well, it was short lived anyway.
The dogs start barking and cats start running through the house to their various hiding places. Surprise is written on his face as he tries to watch the phenomenon from where he sits. “Someone’s coming,” I said, scrambling out from under his arm and out of the bed. I’m still wearing my dress, and rush to the closet for another.
“Were you expecting anyone?”
“No, actually. This is a complete surprise.” The dogs continue barking, but they’s gone from the living room to the kitchen door. I turn and look at him with the new dress in my hands. “I can’t get changed with you here.” I’m nothing if not modest. At least in front of strangers. Though he’s not really a stranger. Ironic.
“I’ll go,” he said, but not before kissing me quickly on the forehead. “I don’t suppose you have a change of clothes for me?”
“No,” I said, giggling a bit. “Sorry.”
“No problem. I’ll just wash up a little.” He smiles and leaves quickly, closing the door behind him.
As fast as I can, I get out of the old dress and into the new one, and freshen up as best I can. Within seconds of finishing, I hear a knock on the door. Looking in the mirror to make sure I’m presentable, I leave my room and make my way to the door. The dogs are excited, running from me and back to the door. My dog starts his spring board routine and jumps to look out the window of the door. Through the curtain, I see a familiar face. Well, two familiar faces. My sister and niece have come to visit. And then I remember. They were supposed to come today. We had a picnic planned. Well, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if he tags along. Besides, I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees him. Opening the door, I give my sister a hug, and take my niece from her, receiving a kiss.
“Are you ready to go?” Christa asks, rummaging around my kitchen for things she forgot to bring.
“Not quite yet,” I answer. Erika squirms out of my arms and proceeds to chase both dogs through the house. It’s a wonder that Christa hasn’t noticed I have a new animal.
Packing several items in the basket she brought, she turns to look at me. “You look ready to me,” she said. The dogs run back into the kitchen with Erika close behind. It was then that Christa noticed Senona. “Whose dog is that, or have you brought home another stray?”
“She belongs to me,” I hear him say from behind me. “You could say she brought home two strays.”
I watch Christa’s face as it suddenly dawns on her who he is. Erika, little charmer that she is, comes back into the kitchen and stares up at him, then smiles. When the dogs come back in a flurry, she reaches up for his finger and starts pulling him away, just as Christa grabs my hand to do the same.
“Is that who I think it is?” she asks, obviously not too stunned to ask, though I hear the amazement in her voice and see it written on her face.
“Yes.” I’m enjoying this way too much.
“What’s he doing here?”
“How do you mean? What's he doing in town, or…”
“You know what I mean!”
“He spent the night,” I said, trying miserably to hide my smile. I can see the thoughts rushing through her mind. I know my sister well. “He stayed in the guest room, and later on, we were going to go get his things from the hotel.”
“He’s staying?”
“Only for a few weeks. You don’t mind if he comes with us, do you?”
Apparently, Christa forgot the picnic, at least for a moment. A giggle from Erika brings our attention to him as he comes back from wherever Erika took him. She’s charmed him as I knew she would, and managed to get him to pick her up. He’s got the biggest grin on his face, and Erika’s looking rather smug. I laugh, going up to take her from him, and then Christa takes her from me.
“I don’t want to intrude if you’ve already had plans,” he started to say, but Christa shakes her head.
“No, it’s alright. I have enough to feed a small army anyway,” she assures him. “Well, if we’re all done here, we can go.”
I gather up my dog and put his harness and leash on, not willing to risk another two days of searching for him if he should run off again. And since Senona is the same size, I hand a spare harness and leash to him for the same reason. Christa gathers up the picnic baskets, but my friend takes it from her with a smile. Still amazed, she manages a smile, then leads the way out of my house. Making sure I have the key, I lock the door behind us and we begin our walk to the nearest park. Luckily, there was a fenced in area so that both dogs could run around.
After we ate our lunch, we all sat around and talked. Erika, more interested in the dogs than the playground, joins them and we all laugh at her antics. As the day progresses, we notice the dogs and Erika are getting slower, so we help Christa pack up, collect Erika and the dogs, and from there we part ways.
“It was great meeting you,” he said as she walked away.
“It was great meeting you, too,” Christa said. Erika just waved from over her shoulder and we waved back.
As we walked back to my house, he took my hand in his, and held it. A simple gesture, and yet it makes my heart race. It took a little longer going home than it did going to the park but we make it. The dogs rush past us to get inside. They head for the bedrooms and proceed to lay down in the middle of my bed. Smiling, I start making the rounds, filing the various bowls with food and water. He stands and watches me, a bemused smile on his face. When I finish, we get a drink for ourselves before heading out again to get his bags from the hotel.
~*~*~