All I Want

by Natalie Ann

  He’d been whimpering, then crying, before going to full-blown howling in his crate since they went to bed two hours ago.

  It all started out just fine. She’d left Brynn’s house after painting for a few more hours, loaded Droopy and his crate in the back of her car and drove home. Brynn had dropped off food a few days before, so all Carly needed was Droopy’s favorite blanket, a few toys and his leash.

  It seemed to be going so well that she was trying to figure out where things went so wrong. They’d gotten home around dinnertime, Carly took Droopy for a walk, let him do his business and then fed him while she threw together her own dinner.

  Once they were both done eating, Droopy settled down on his blanket in Carly’s living room while she got to work on her lesson plans. For hours Droopy lay there sleeping, barely moving.

  At one point she walked over and nudged him to see if he was breathing. He opened one sleepy eye at her and then closed it back up. She even had to pick him up to bring him outside to do his business before bed. He absolutely wanted nothing to do with being woken up at that point.

  She climbed the stairs to her bedroom with Droopy in her arms because he tried to walk up them, but his little legs just weren’t able to do it. Either that or he was playing her. She wasn’t quite sure, but she was positive the dog looked at her and begged each time he tried to lift his paw, just to have it bang into the step.

  She was trying to figure out if the dog was really too stupid to figure out how to climb the stairs, since she knew Brynn’s bedroom was on the second floor, or the dog was just plain lazy.

  Anyway, she cradled Droopy in her arms like a baby, then made her way to her room. Not surprisingly, the dog fell asleep in the short one-minute walk, so Carly felt it was going to be all right. She placed Droopy in his crate next to her bed, shut the door and went into her bathroom to get ready.

  The minute Carly climbed into bed, the little whimpers started. Carly had rolled to her side and gazed down at Droopy looking up at her with a sad pleading look in his eyes. At least she thought it was that; there were so many wrinkles on his face she still wasn’t positive his eyes were open at all. “It’s okay, buddy, go back to sleep.”

  That seemed to work, so she shut her light off, lay back down and closed her eyes. Only five minutes later a few more whimpers escaped. Carly tried to ignore them, hoping he would settle down. She was a schoolteacher after all, so she was used to tuning out whining.

  But he didn’t stop. Almost an hour later the whimpering turned into crying, and slowly her ever-present patience reached her breaking point. She’d grown up being able to shut loud noises out of her brain, but for some reason she couldn’t do it tonight.

  So she dug within herself and turned her thoughts to Sean and his invitation to dinner. Did she want to go on a date with him? That was easy enough: sure, why not? He was nice, sweet and seemed harmless. All the things she looked for in a guy.

  Just because he was bigger than the normal man she was attracted to didn’t necessarily mean anything. She wouldn’t let it mean anything. What was the harm in one date to see if they had anything in common? Nothing, that’s what.

  Except, deep down, she knew the harm. If for some reason one of them liked the other more, it could become awkward. The connection they had through their friends could make things uncomfortable. Maybe. Or maybe she was over thinking things. It’s not like she was around Sean all that much. She was getting way ahead of herself in her thoughts—something she always did.

  Taking a deep breath, she realized she had successfully blocked out Droopy’s crying and felt her own eyes close, her body relax, and her brain shift off into wonderland.

  Until the howling sounded. She sat upright in bed, her heart pounding, not believing something that loud just came out of the little wrinkled figure in the crate next to her bed. Only it did.

  Leaning over the edge, she turned the light back on, looked in the crate and saw what she thought might be tears in Droopy’s eyes. She had to be imagining that. Dogs didn’t shed tears, did they?

  Dropping her arm down, she slid her fingers between the bars and ran them over his head, speaking in a soothing voice like she did to the abused children she mentored. “It’s okay. Just close your eyes and go to sleep. Think happy thoughts. Let your body relax and drift to sleep.”

  What the heck was wrong with her? This was a dog she was talking to, not a child. He had no idea what she was saying. “Ouch.” She yanked her fingers back. Those puppy teeth of his had started to gnaw on her. It wasn’t the first time it had happened, but this one hurt the most.

  Normally Droopy would start to lick her fingers, as he’d been doing when she was talking to him, then he’d suck on them almost like it was a pacifier. As grossed out as it made her feel, if it calmed him down, she didn’t care…until he took nibble out of her finger for no reason.

  “I tried to be nice. Now you need to just close your eyes and sleep, buddy. Morning will be here soon and you can go see your Uncle Phil.”

  After what Phil had told her, she should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy. She’d thought Droopy would have been fine in the office with Phil. Let’s be honest, Phil and Alec were twins and the dog really didn’t seem smart enough to be able to know the difference between them. But Phil had told her that Droopy spent a lot of the day pacing from room to room looking for either Alec or Brynn. Phil even tried to go sit at Alec’s desk and work to see if that helped. Carly guessed Phil might have thought the same thing she did, that the dog wouldn’t know the difference between them, but unfortunately that didn’t work. Droopy was obviously missing his parents.

  Two more long howls and Carly couldn’t take it anymore. Her heart was just breaking. Always a sucker, she sat on the side of the bed, unlatched the crate and picked Droopy up, hoping to rock him to sleep.

  Almost immediately the howling stopped, and that was when she noticed the dog had the hiccups. Seriously, he’d worked himself up so much he was hiccupping. Talk about piling on the guilt and pulling on her heartstrings.

  So she held him tight, cradling him again—because he seemed to like that the best—and rocked him to sleep. Once she was positive he was out for the count, she bent down to return him to the crate, but he woke up and let out a whimper. Immediately, she sat up straight and started to rock him again, this time with her back up against her headboard.

  When the sun came up through her windows and woke her, she was stunned to find herself sleeping on her back, still up against the headboard with Droopy curled against her side. Yikes, that might have been a mistake, letting the dog sleep on her bed.

  Nothing she could do about it now. Throwing the covers back, she put her feet on the floor, looked over and saw the dog stretching on his side, then rolling over on his back, his little tail wagging, and then out of the blue he let out a bark. That was the first time she’d heard him bark. Before this, she wasn’t sure he even knew how to bark.

  “What, do you need to go potty?”

  Droopy walked to the edge of the bed, looked down to the floor and she swore she saw him gulp. “Guess you need me to help you down, huh?” She set him on the floor, quickly pulled on sweats and a shirt, slid her feet into flip flops, then grabbed the puppy again as he started circling her floor. She knew what he was doing and she didn’t want it done in her house.

  Racing down the stairs as fast as she could, she grabbed his leash and clipped it on, never breaking stride. Just in the nick of time she placed Droopy on the grass.

  ***

  “You look a little tired this morning. Rough night?” Sean asked when she walked into Harper’s hours later. He’d gotten to work earlier than normal to meet her. He knew she arrived to school before most; it was part of her dedication to her job. He’d heard Brynn mention it before and he didn’t want her to be late.

  “It could have been better,” she said, smothering a yawn. “Sorry.”

  His eyes softened. The vulnerable side of her was sweet. “No worries,
we all yawn.” Bending down, he gave Droopy a brisk rub on the head. “How are you doing, boy? Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

  He didn’t miss the snort Carly let out. “Sure. After I rocked him to sleep.”

  Choking, Sean asked, “You rocked the puppy to sleep last night?”

  “I had no choice, not unless I wanted to listen to howling all night.”

  “Droopy howls? He’s never even barked that I’ve heard.”

  “He whimpers, he cries, howls, and surprisingly, he let out a little bark this morning when he woke up. Right after he was rolling around on my bed all happy as a clam since he got his way.”

  “Your bed?” He tried not to think of her in bed. It was an effort, but he could do it. So he focused on the dog. The lucky dog that seemed to have slept in Carly’s bed last night. “Was he there all night?”

  “Pretty much. And if that’s the only way I’ll get any sleep, then he will continue to stay there. Alec and Brynn can break him of that habit when they get home,” she added, letting out a little chuckle.

  “Serves them right for leaving him, don’t you think?”

  “I do.”

  “So,” he slipped in there. She seemed agreeable to conversation, but he knew she needed to leave for work soon. “Did you think about my invitation for dinner?”

  “I did. I had a lot of time to think about it while I prayed Droopy would cry himself to sleep.”

  “And?” he asked, holding his breath.

  “I think dinner sounds good.”

  She was hedging and he wasn’t sure what that was about. “But…?”

  “I think we should maybe wait until Brynn and Alec get back. I really don’t want to leave Droopy alone. He already seems traumatized.”

  Sean thought it was adorable that she was putting the dog first, and shouldn’t have been surprised by it. “I would offer to cook for you at my place, but I can’t have any pets in the townhouse.”

  “A week isn’t a big deal, right?”

  “Sure,” he said, agreeing with her, sort of leaving it hanging, waiting to see if she took the bait.

  And she did. “I guess I could cook for you if you don’t mind. Not that I normally ask guys over to my house for the first date. Not really. Actually, not ever. Maybe it’s not a good idea,” she rushed out, rambling sweetly to him.

  He stopped her before she could change her mind even more. “I think it’s a great idea. Maybe Droopy will calm down with someone else there that he knows. I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble, though.” He didn’t want to seem too eager, even though he was.

  “No trouble. I like to cook, but I’ve got plans tonight after school and tomorrow. Does Wednesday work? If not, then we can just push it off. No rush.”

  He wasn’t pushing it off. She offered and he was going to make himself available for it. “Wednesday sounds awesome.”

  “Do you have something for me to write my address down on?”

  He walked over and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen off of the reception desk and handed them over. “Here you go.” When she was done, she leaned down and rubbed Droopy’s head quickly. “I’ll see you after work, buddy. Don’t sleep too much today, please.”

  “That’s like asking a child not to eat the cookie you placed in front of him.”

  “True. Anyway, I need to run. Maybe I’ll see you when I pick him up.”

  Nice Feeling

  Wednesday at five, Carly opened her front door to see Sean standing there with Droopy in his arms. This morning when she dropped him off at Harper’s, Sean offered to bring him over after work rather than having her go out of her way to pick him up. It was an easy enough offer, and a nice one too. It saved her the trip and allowed her more time to get dinner ready.

  “Hey, buddy,” she said, reaching out and transferring Droopy to her arms. She never thought she would get so attached to him in the three short days she’d had him. Unfortunately here she was, wanting a quick cuddle before she set him down. She knew he felt the same way after he bathed her face in multiple licks before she could stop him.

  “I walked him up the street quick. He should be set for a while.”

  “Thanks. Come on in,” she offered, then noticed he had a bottle of wine in his hand. “I’ll just take this to the kitchen and grab a few glasses.”

  “Hope white is okay? I know Brynn drinks white, so I took a guess you might too.”

  Even sweeter, he put some effort into that. She had to give him credit for it; she didn’t expect that from him. Honestly, she wasn’t sure what to expect from him, or this night. That was why they called it a first date, so they could learn about each other. “White works, especially with dinner. Hope you like stuffed chicken?”

  “I’m not fussy. Chicken sounds great.”

  Terrific, a guy who didn’t need a big platter of beef. “Come on back to the kitchen then, and have a seat at the island while I finish up, if you don’t mind. The chicken should be done in about fifteen minutes and I’ll put out a salad first if you’d like.”

  ***

  He sat on the stool and looked around her kitchen. There were school photos adhered by magnets all over her refrigerator and some handwritten notes addressed to Ms. Springfield. He wasn’t surprised to see them.

  Right now, she was looking like he always saw her: most likely still dressed from school in a pair of black pants, a colorful shirt and another pair of ballet-type flats on her feet. She looked comfortable to him. That was probably why she wore what she did. He’d bet she did her fair share of running around during the day.

  Moving his attention back to the oven she had just opened to look inside, he couldn’t help but notice how awesome it smelled. He watched as she put the rest of the vegetables in the big salad bowl and tossed them together. “What type of dressing do you like? I’ve got ranch, Italian, and honey mustard.”

  “Whatever you are having works for me.” The smile she sent him made it worthwhile to be agreeable. Honestly, he wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t fussy. Having grown up in a pub, working behind the bar, washing dishes, cooking, serving, and doing whatever else his parents needed him to, loving food was just second nature to him. “Is there anything I can help with? I feel bad just sitting here. My mother would have my hide if she knew I was letting you do all the work.” Which wasn’t really true. His mother always waved him away when he offered to help, telling him she had it covered. But he still hated that everyone always waited on him.

  “I’m good, but if you want, you can grab the salad bowl and bring it to the table behind you. I’ll grab the salad dressing once I pull the chicken out for it to rest. The rest of the dinner is ready to go, but will stay warm.”

  “Sounds good.” He did as he was instructed, taking the salad to the small table, and noticed it was set so prettily. Cheerful, no matching plates, but everything looking like it belonged. He could tell it was set with a purpose, rather than anything being accidentally mismatched. “This looks nice.”

  “Thank you,” she said, sincerity coming into her eyes. “I like cheerful things. Brynn says I’m a Suzy Homemaker. I guess I am.”

  He could see that. It seemed to fit her personality so well. “I appreciate the home-cooked meal.” She smiled shyly at him, and he noticed she was still skittish. He walked around and held her chair out for her and chuckled at her surprised expression. “I have three older sisters and grew up listening to all the things they wanted a guy to do for them. I’m not sure if they were teaching me, molding me, or lecturing me. Probably a bit of everything. Either way, it all stuck.”

  When he was seated, she asked, “So are you outnumbered then?”

  He reached for the salad bowl and dished some up when she was done. “I am. My father and I are the minority in the house and the women let us know. Repeatedly.”

  “You don’t seem all that bothered by it.”

  “I’m not, at least not now. Growing up, it was hard and I couldn’t wait to leave. It can be smothering at times.”<
br />
  “I bet. So I guess this is where we learn a little about each other. Since you mentioned your family first, why don’t you start?”

  “Sure. I won’t bore you too much. How about a summary? I’m the youngest of four kids, and the only boy. My parents own and operate an Irish pub on the outskirts of Boston. It’s been in the family for three generations, with the shocking name of Callahan's.” Her eyes crinkled slightly. “So I grew up working alongside both of my parents. It’s a family affair: we all worked the pub at some point, and still do when needed. When I offered to cook for you tonight, I really can cook, just so you know. It wasn’t some cheesy line to earn favors.”

  “That’s nice to know. Maybe next time I’ll let you have the honors.”

  Okay, that was clear enough. He seemed to be getting past the first date jitters, so he continued on. “I’m from a big Irish family. My sisters are all married with kids of their own. I’m the last one standing, you could say, and of course the favorite uncle.”

  “I bet you relish being the favorite uncle.”

  “It’s the best position to be in. I get to visit, spoil them all rotten and then leave them with their parents. So what about you?”

  “I’m an only child. My mother and I moved to Saratoga when I was ten, along with my grandmother, and we’ve been here ever since.”

  “That’s it? Nothing more exciting than that, huh?”

  She paused, almost as if she was gathering her thoughts. Something was going on in her mind and he wasn’t sure what it was. “Not really. Saratoga has been a quiet life for us. My mother still lives with my grandmother. I guess you could say they keep each other company and out of trouble.”

  “And you met Brynn in college and have been friends with her ever since?” He knew the answer but felt he should say something else. He wasn’t sure what had come over her, but her demeanor had changed, almost cooled down, and he wanted to bring her back to the way she was before he asked about her childhood.