by A. J. Wells
I list all the things I’ve found comfortable and likable, finding there’s not much I don’t like. I, especially, like the way he kisses me and what it does to me and yet it scares me to lose myself so completely.
“Did ya lose yourself ‘so completely’ with your fiancé? Is that what scares ya?”
“No. Ronnie never even came close to my experience with Steve so there’s no comparison.”
“Maybe that’s what’s scaring ya. You’ve never experienced the amount of ‘wanting’ someone you’re experiencing now and you’re afraid you’ll start relying on him too much, losing yourself, your independence, self reliance and confidence. You’ve been working hard to get the clinic goin’ maybe you’ve lost yourself to the work and don’t know who you are anymore. I’ve noticed we don’t have much fun anymore and haven’t for some time. Maybe we just don’t know ourselves anymore. Maybe we need some time away from things. Maybe we need to go to the coast for a week and just have fun. Never mind, I don’t know how we’d do that. We can’t afford it, nor do we have time for it and I have Shay. How can a person lose themselves so completely the way we seem to have?”
“I don’t know, but I think ‘all work and no play’ has certainly taken its toll on us. I think that’s our problem with these relationships. But what do we do about it?” Maria’s quiet.
“I don’t know and I can’t figure out anything to bring back the fun. Sher, have we ever been anything but studious and serious? I don’t remember many times we weren’t walking the straight and narrow. We’ve always been too serious. Remember when your mother told us to go outside and play and we couldn’t think of anything to do? We never really fantasized about being mothers and wives or brides. Why not? We never really had boyfriends and when we did we jumped right into the middle of trouble. I married the wrong man and you almost did. We need to learn how to have fun and find that side of ourselves. That’s what the problem is.”
“I think you’re right. How do we fix it?”
“Talk to your mother and I’ll talk to mine. Maybe they’ve had the same problem and can help us figure out what we need to do.” We discover its midnight and we have to work tomorrow. So we decide talking to our Moms is our best course. So we hang up and go to bed.
I don’t sleep very well; I can’t remember much fun after elementary school. Kids in junior high were pairing up and goin’ to movies, dating. Maria and I didn’t, we were studying and working with our families. We spent the night at each others house and when we did we couldn’t get too noisy because everyone had to get up early. In high school we studied, hoping to get some kinda scholarship to college. Maria got one that paid her tuition for four years, but she couldn’t go because it was so far from home and she’d have to work during college to live away from home. I was close to a scholarship, but didn’t quite make it. Mom and Dad paid my way through college and I came home to help on the ranch during the summers. We never really had a chance to have fun. The most fun I remember us having is when we’d sneak off to the creek and go swimming. Once that riddle was solved I fell asleep.
Maria beat me to work today. “You’re late, get much sleep?”
“No, couldn’t stop trying to remember when we had fun growing up.” I’m taking my sweater off, it’s chilly this morning. “I couldn’t remember having time for fun. I did remember the times we slipped away to go swimmin’.”
“That’s about all I could remember, too. There were a few parties my family had, but I couldn’t remember if I was involved. I think I was mostly on the sidelines laughing at someone else’s antics. We have two appointments this morning. One should be along soon.” We get to work.
I check on the puppies and mama and I can see they’ve been fed. I’ll bathe them between appointments. I look out the back door to see the façade of the “Social Center” is almost finished. It looks very nice. We’ll soon have to arrange the cats play balcony and the play yard. I need to check on the animal shelter today.
Miss Lili and the guys came in at eleven thirty with lunch. Maria and I get hugs and kisses. We eat and give the guys instructions for the afternoon. Miss Lili drove her caddy over so Maria and I drive our vehicles over to Miss Lili’s, pick up Mom and drive off in Bob’s truck.
We talked all the way to Gatesville. Miss Lili is excited to be out with Maria, Mom and me shopping. We get in and Miss Lili asks for two guys to help us shop. We have two flatbed carts and Miss Lili is filling them up. Maria and I have to get two regular carts for the meat. Miss Lili insists we get two dozen packages of hamburger and two dozen hams. I know she’s well off financially, but this is going to cost her a fortune. But, she says she did her homework and this is what she needs so we don’t argue with her. We then have to stop at Walmart to get three dozen kids Halloween costumes and other incidentals. Then we stop at a church to pick up several boxes of clothes. They’d put them aside for Miss Lili. We stop at Goodwill so Miss Lili can buy some kids books then off to the Salvation Army for more boxes of clothes and books.
The drive back was a little cramped. The truck was full and three of us sat in the front seat with a box of books under Maria’s feet in the back seat. “I’m sorry girls, but I’ve picked up some extra things for the school. The costumes and the books will go there. In a few weeks I have to start getting baskets together for Thanksgiving and then there’s Christmas. I love helping at Christmas and I want to make sure everyone has a nice one.”
Maria’s trying to drop off to sleep, lucky her. “You girls don’t look like you got a good night’s sleep. I’ve noticed you look very tired lately. When was the last time you took some time off?”
“ Yesterday was time off.” I’m pretty sure that’s not what Miss Lili means, but I’d rather play dumb than answer the question.
“No, I mean a vacation, a week or two. Just took off and had some fun away from work and home.” She asked anyway.
“I can’t remember if we ever have. Why?”
“Before we get involved in the “Boarding House” and the animal shelter we need to take off for a week. I have some business I have to attend to in Corpus, I’d like you girls to go with me. We’d only be gone about five or six days. A little swimming and relaxing away from anything to do with work might do us some good. What’d ya think?” I can see Miss Lili isn’t going to take no for an answer.
“I’ll have to get things taken care of at the office and the newsletter and I gotta get the dogs into a home and check my finances to be able to do that. I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford it. I don’t know what Maria will think of it.” Miss Lili smiles at me, but says nothing more ‘til Maria wakes up.
Then she lays out a nice little vacation and what sounds like fun. Maria and I will need some spending money, but everything else will be taken care of. We won’t be in Corpus Christi, exactly, but we’d be on the beach and can relax for about a week. If Maria can leave Shay with her sister for a week, Miss Lili will give her a phone number where she can be reached if necessary. Maybe we can sleep in and get some real rest before we start in on the resort and the animal shelter. Week after next would be great, the boys can watch the office, the newsletter and the posters. We could have some fun, for a change. Maria has to check with her sister, but we’ll let her know tomorrow.
At Miss Lili’s there’re twelve people waiting for us. I was supposed to go to the office and get the guys, but Dad brought them home since we were late getting back. Puppies were fed and bathed before they left the office and the newsletter and posters are done for this week. This is Monday, how’d the guys do all that? Dad explains the guys were so bored they just got it all done.
Later, I ask Mom about Miss Lili’s invitation and Maria’s and my problem with the guys. She thinks we should go. I haven’t had much fun for some time now and Maria’s never had a break. If it’d help with the guys we should go “play” for a while. We’ve been working too hard and too much.
I get a chance to drop by Maria’s before I go home and I tell her what Mom’d said
. She says she’d talked to her mother and sister and they think it’s a good idea, too. So should we go? Maria’s gonna miss Shay and worry about him. But Miss Lili is our partner and she has business there and she can’t drive that far by herself. We won’t need much spending money since we won’t be buying anything. About a hundred dollars should do it, and we’ll be bringing most of it back with us anyway. Okay, but there’s reservations about leaving Shay.
When Bob and Steve hear about the trip they’re not too thrilled, but they say Miss Lili makes this trip a couple of times a year. They’ll watch the office and take care of the newsletter while we’re gone. They know the puppies are going home this weekend so there’ll be nothing to do at the clinic. The week after we come back they’ll be on light duty at the station so the first week of November is perfect. Mom steps up and says she’ll help at the office, too. So arrangements are made by three on Tuesday and Miss Lili couldn’t be happier. She goes home to make the arrangements for the visit and the trip.
The guys are around the next couple of days so I ask Steve and Bob what they think of the name we came up with for the boarding kennel. They haven’t heard it so I tell them “Paws Boarding House.” They laugh. They offer their suggestions: “Pet’s Motel,” “Paws Retreat,” “Animal House,” which got a laugh from the guys, “Paws at the Bluff,” another few yucks, “The Pets Plaza,” “Paws for the Cause.” Okay, I learned my lesson. When the guys quit guffawing at themselves, I point out the façade and ask for something to go with the design of the building. They ask where we came up with the building design. I tell them the “Cheyenne Social Club.” “A brothel?” they say at the same time and they start laughing again.
“We liked the colonial look of the building and thought it might blend the upper play areas for the cats with the design.”
“Well, it does and it is colonial western,” Bob says still laughing, “but a brothel?” They’re laughing again. “Were you planning a breeding resort?” Their very funny, they think. I’m not laughing.
Maria and Miss Lili have returned and are standing behind the guys. “We hadn’t planned it that way and this façade has been used on many buildings. We just liked it and thought it would work.” Miss Lili says.
“And we don’t appreciate your laughing at our choices. The building is classic is it not? And the cats’ play yard works with the design and is hardly noticeable, right? Then what’s wrong with a decent, classy name for it?” Maria has a voice. The guys are choking back their snickers.
“Nothing, we were just razzing Sher,” Bob says. “Sorry,” came out of both guys at once.
“We want something that fits the building, the state and the town. We want classy yet tells what it’s for. Now, do you have any real suggestions?” Miss Lili is ready to listen.
The guys turn to look at the building. After a few minutes Steve says, “How about “Colonial Pet Boarding House.’?” He’s looking at Bob. Bob nods and there’s no snickering.
“Got any others?” Miss Lili wants something else.
“’Waggin’ Tails Boarding House,’ or ‘Paws Play House,’ or ‘Paws Omega House,’ or ….” Bob’s run outta suggestions, steam and snickers.
“How about ‘Paws City Boarding House’ for the name?” Steve says. “It’s western, says what it does and for who, tho’ the class is a little questionable it does show exclusivity, to pets.” Bob slaps Steve on the shoulder, indicating he thinks Steve did well.
Miss Lili smiles, “We’ll keep those suggestions in mind. Now let’s have lunch.”
We go in to have lunch. After lunch we call the people who spoke for the dogs and invite them over Friday, tomorrow, afternoon to pick their puppy and take it home. Maria and I go to the hardware store for leashes and totes while the guys print up instructions for care. Then we go back to fill the totes with a bag of puppy food, dog bowls, leashes, brushes, care instructions and discount coupons for vaccinations and spaying or neutering. The guys and Miss Lili also printed up a flyer for the boarding kennel, to be open before Thanksgiving. The bags packed, the puppies fed and bathed, we lock the clinic up. We’re to have supper at Miss Lili’s tonight. So I go home with Miss Lili and Steve while Bob goes home with Maria to get Shay.
Chapter 10
One week ‘til I’ll be packing for my first vacation ever. I feel strange, I can’t explain it. Like I’m running away from something and it’s bad that I’m doing it. I have a sense of foreboding about this trip, but that’s probably because I’ve never done anything like this before and don’t know what to expect. I’m thinking all of this while I help Miss Lili fix supper. Bob and Steve are sitting at the table talking to Miss Lili about the trip, but I’m not listening because I’m caught up in my own thoughts. Steve grabs me as go past him and pulls me into his lap. “Don’t let Grams lead ya astray while y’all are in Corpus. She has friends there that are unbelievable. That means ya can’t believe anything they say. That’s my only warning about this trip. Oh, and don’t forget me.” With that he kisses me, but not the quick kiss he’s been giving me when we’re in the company of others. After a minute, Bob and Miss Lili start hooting, Maria’s laughing and Shay comes in and starts hooting. We break it off.
Bob takes one look at Maria’s face when Shay started hooting and grabs him, taking off for the living room, a crutch under one arm and Shay in the other. Maria says nothing…’til Bob comes back. He goes over to her, puts his arms around her and kisses her before she can say anything. She’s trying to push him away when Shay comes in and yells “All right!” Miss Lili rescues him this time, taking his hand and leading him back into the living room. After he’s out of the room, the rest of us laugh at his enthusiasm over the kiss.
Maria pushes Bob away and tries to stay mad at him, but he won’t let her. He’s whispering in her ear and once in a while she snickers. Miss Lili comes back, “Well, you sure got his vote.” And we start laughing again.
“That’s good, because I plan to make them both mine.” He looks at Maria as she turns toward him. “What? I’ve never kept it a secret how I feel about you and Shay.” He grabs Maria and pulls her to him in a bear hug, nibbling her neck, causing her to giggle and push him away. “I can’t play rough right now,” and he whimpers his next words, “I’m broken and at a disadvantage.”
Miss Lili’s laughing, “Sounds like a good time to take advantage of the situation, to me.” With that and outta shock we all hoot and laugh. “I guess now’s a good time to put supper on the table.” Maria and I start helping to get the table set and put supper on it. After supper we clean the kitchen and talk about the trip. We’ll be staying over in San Antonio Sunday night and part of Monday, then on to Corpus and sand and surf.
Maria has to get Shay home to bed. So we leave for home, going separate directions.
Friday we get everything done at the office and at three o’clock all the adopting owners show up. They go out back to pick their puppy and bring them back in to fill out the paperwork and pick up their totes. Mama’s picked up at four thirty. There’s one puppy left besides Chaucee. I decide I’ll keep her, or see if Mom and Dad want her. We all go out to eat and I go back to get the puppy and go home.
I take the puppy over to Mom and Dad’s to see what they say about her. I tell them I’ll keep her if they don’t want her, but this next week I’ll need them to watch her anyway. “What’s her name, if we have to watch her.”
“I haven’t named her yet, got any suggestions?” I haven’t had the time to figure out her personality.
“I don’t know her yet and suspect that’s the same reason she doesn’t have a name yet.” Mom’s gonna take her, I can tell, she hasn’t put the puppy down since I brought her in. When I go to leave Mom goes out with us. She watches the puppy trotting around the yard. “She’s kinda prim and particular, isn’t she? Come mere little Princess.” The puppy comes to her. She picks her up and says, “Okay, well, I guess we’ll see you tomorrow.” She and Princess go back in the house and I walk home alone.
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I sleep in for the first time in two months. There’s nothing at the office I need to tend to. About one I take my laundry to Moms. Princess is perched on her new bed and comes running when I come in. Dad comes around the kitchen door with some new puppy toys and stops dead still, as if caught doing something wrong. I step back and let him through to the porch where Princess is, or was. “Ah, toys…for the dog,” he says as he steps out the door. I go into the laundry room and while I’m filling the washer I hear Dad talking and playing with Princess. I find myself smiling, listening and then I’m acting like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar when Mom steps in the room.
“They’re quite a pair. He’s gonna tell you I bought the toys, but all I got was the chew bone.” We chuckle and then we hear Dad scolding Princess, she piddled on the porch. Dad takes her out anyway and when she finishes outside he praises her. He leaves her out and comes in for paper towels to clean up the porch without a word. When we come out, we find them playing ball in the yard. Mom bumped me with her elbow as if to say, “See.”
I get a chance to play with Princess before my laundry finishes and I go home. Shortly after that Steve knocks on my door. “How’d you get here?” I say as I open the door. Stupid question since his truck is setting right there, only a few feet away. He comes in, hugs and kisses me.
“I had to see ya today. I tried to call ya to see if you’d go out to dinner with me tonight, but your phone was busy. When Bob tried to call Maria for the same reason and her line was busy we figured y’all were talking. I dropped Bob off on the way out.”
“You’re not supposed to drive. How’d you drive out here?”
“I sprained my left ankle and with the automatic transmission, my right foot’s all I need. Aren’t ya glad to see me?”
“Yes, I’m glad to see you, but I don’t wan‘cha to hurt your ankle again. Sit down, ya make my arms hurt standing there with those crutches.” He sits down on the couch and pats the cushion beside him so I sit down next to him.