Chapter 9 #2
Travis abandoned his extensive study of the inside of the fridge and went to let him outside.
Trent pulled away from me to push the door shut and point toward the island when Trav came back. “Sit,” he ordered. “I’ll make eggs.”
“Bacon?” Our son was hopeful.
“And toast,” Trent confirmed.
I poured a fresh cup of coffee, added a little creamer, and plucked the egg out of T’s hand to replace it with the mug. “I’ll crack. You whisk.”
“I’ll eat,” Travis put in.
“That’s really generous, Trav,” Trent replied. “Thank you, son.”
He grinned, and I snorted. “We’re so thankful that we’ll make sure to buy you the best pooper scooper we can find.”
He groaned, and Ketchup whined at the back door. Travis let him in and then grabbed the carton of orange juice out of the fridge and sat down at the island with it. He didn’t even get a glass, just started chugging.
Meh, one less dish to wash.
“Ugh, Trav, you’re so gross,” Andi said as she walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of jeans and a pink hoodie.
Ketchup danced around her feet, knocked into me, and I knocked into Trent. Setting aside his coffee, he stepped behind me, caging me in with his chest and arms, chin resting on my shoulder as I finished cracking eggs into a bowl.
“What are you doing, frat boy?”
“Eggs are expensive these days, baby. I’m just making sure you don’t drop any.”
“Gross,” Travis muttered, swiping his chin with his sleeve.
Guess what color it was.
If you said black, you clearly have been paying attention.
“Good boy!” Andi crooned, and Ketchup raced out of the kitchen with a treat hanging from his mouth. He couldn’t eat it on the floor like a normal dog. No. He had to jump onto the couch and enjoy it there.
What we created here together, in this house, was my favorite. Powerful enough to hit pause on the outside world and any challenges out there waiting. I hoped the kids felt it and knew we would always be here, no matter what.
The interview with the police went smoothly, and the girls didn’t cry, which was a win in my book.
Travis answered all their questions and didn’t cuss once.
Another win in the book of parenting. Andi sat in my lap, Travis right beside me, and Trent stood over us like the guard dog Lorhaven always claimed he was.
Romeo did the same with Rimmel and London, and Romeo’s dad tried to soften their glowering with a smile.
It might have worked if Braeden wasn’t also in the room.
We kept the rest of the kids out of it, even if I did suspect the little eavesdroppers stood at the top of the stairs and listened.
They asked Travis and the girls for a physical description of the woman and let us know afterward that it matched the description other witnesses gave.
They also had the damn recordings all the bystanders took instead of helping.
If you ask me, they didn’t need to ask our kids what she looked like because they had her on video, but I guess they had to do their due diligence.
The uniforms seemed confident they’d be able to find her. I almost told them our PIs would find her first, but I wasn’t about to be an asshole. I wanted all hands on deck when it came to getting this woman off the streets.
Knowing she was still out there, doing who knew what, made me want to keep the kids inside the security of the compound walls, but promises were made to two girls.
And so here we were, about to get our animal adoption on. The stone exterior of Rimmel’s animal shelter was familiar as ever. The landscaping around it had filled in over the years. The bushes were full, flowers lined the walkway, and the climbing roses covered the entire corner of the front side.
The window boxes were empty, but the dirt was fresh.
“I’m going to be filling them for fall in just a couple weeks,” Rimmel said as we approached. “And since Romeo is retired, he’ll have time to help me this year.”
“I’m all yours, smalls,” he said, linking their hands.
“Can I help too?” Andi asked.
“Of course!” Rimmel replied. “The other two shelters need some flowers too. I need all the help I can get.”
She still ran three shelters and was hands-on with all of them.
A car turned into the parking lot, and I tensed immediately, turning to stare down the approaching SUV. A man was driving, a woman in the passenger seat. I looked hard at the woman, trying to see if she matched the description of the one from yesterday.
Trent’s hand settled over the back of my neck, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s not her,” he said low.
I nodded once but scanned the rest of the lot and the main road beyond. The press was probably lurking.
“Come on, Dad!” Andi yelled.
I turned to see her waving at us from the door.
“Coming,” I called back, and she raced inside without waiting. I glanced at Trent. “She could be anywhere,” I told him from the side of my mouth. “What if she tries again?”
“Nothing is going to happen,” T promised, voice like steel. “I won’t let that nutjob anywhere near our daughter or son.”
An intrusive thought blew through my brain like a scarf on a windy day, the potency of it halting me in my tracks.
Trent stopped when I did, concern written all over his face. “Drew?”
I swallowed, appalled at my own brain.
Trent filled my line of vision, hands cupping my face. “Tell me.” His voice was gruff.
I glanced around, looking for the kids.
“They’re already inside with Romeo and Rimmel,” T said.
Nodding, I met his stare and wet my lips. Then I shook my head.
“Drew.”
“I don’t want to say it out loud,” I whispered. “It’s terrible.”
“You can say anything to me.”
“I-I…” I stuttered. “It was just a thought. One I don’t mean.”
Ever patient, Trent stroked my cheekbone with the pad of his thumb.
“I thought, I’m glad she’s dead,” I whispered, looking at him in horror. “I didn’t even mean to think that.”
Trent made a sound and pulled me in, hugging me right there on the sidewalk.
“You’re a father who’s worried,” he said softly, not a trace of condemnation in his tone.
“You just want them to be safe. I think what you really mean is that you’re glad she isn’t a threat to their safety.
She can’t come back and cause turmoil and confusion in their lives. ”
“I don’t want to share them,” I whispered. “Only with you.”
“You’re a good dad, Drew. It’s just a hard day.”
His words were comforting and made me feel less like an asshole.
Trent held me another moment and then stepped back. “We better get inside before Andi decides she wants one of everything.”
“Especially since you lack the ability to tell her no,” I teased.
“As if you’re any better at it,” he retorted, settling his palm at the small of my back and leading me inside.
“Touché.”
“Maybe we should have brought Braeden,” Trent mused.
The lobby of the shelter was clean and slightly scented of disinfectant. The summer intern sitting behind the counter waved as soon as we walked in. “They went that way,” she said, pointing toward the area where the dogs were housed.
“Thanks,” I replied.
“How ya doing, Kelsey?” Trent greeted. “Summer’s almost over. Classes start up soon, don’t they?”
She smiled slightly, and her cheeks turned pink. “Hey, Trent. Yeah, week after next,” she replied.
“We’ll miss seeing you around here. Thanks for helping our sister out this summer.”
“Oh, Rimmel said I could stay on and help a few days a week this semester. So I won’t be leaving.”
“Oh yeah? That’s great news.”
Kelsey blushed even more, and I slid my arm through Trent’s, linking us together.
A door burst open, and Andi appeared. “Dad! Come see Lolo’s new puppy!”
“She picked one already?” I mused.
“It was love at first sight, Dad! Geez.”
“Yeah, geez,” Trent repeated.
I gave him a look. “That intern totally has the hots for you.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Are you jealous?”
“No,” I growled.
I was totally jealous.
Trent’s laugh quieted, and he leaned close. “You’re the only one I want.”
“Look!” Andi exclaimed and held out her arms like she was presenting a million dollars.
London sat on the floor with a golden puppy in her lap and three others all around her. Her long dark hair was wavy and mussed as though she’d been rolling around on the floor with four dogs—which, yeah, she probably was.
Purple-framed glasses bordered blue eyes that sparkled with happiness as the dog licked her cheek. She laughed and scratched behind the puppy’s ear.
Another puppy climbed onto her lap, and she giggled more, scooping them both into her arms. “Daddy, look! They both want to come home with me.”
I turned to where Romeo stood not far away, hands tucked into the Wolves jacket he was wearing, staring at his daughter with a wistful expression on his face.
“Dad,” London called again.
He blinked and smiled. “You look just like your mother.”
“Acts like her too,” I noted, watching the puppies climb all over her.
Andi sat down and held out her arms. Two puppies rushed her, and she fell back with a squeal while they climbed all over her, tails wagging.
Laughing, Rimmel reached down to pet one and ended up on the floor with both the girls.
Trent, Rome, and I stood there shaking our heads at the pile they made, but none of us hurried them along. It was good to see them smiling and carefree after everything.
“You know, when they asked for puppies, I didn’t expect actual puppies. You don’t get a lot of those here, do you, sis?” I asked.
Pushing her hair off her face, Rimmel sat up with one wiggling in her arms. The hoodie she wore was covered in dog hair, and there was drool on her glasses.
“Not a lot. We do usually get animals that are a bit older, but these guys were left near the firehouse in town in a box. One of the guys brought them over the other morning.”
“Kelsey posted them this morning, and we’ve already gotten a few calls, so I’m sure they will all have good homes in just a few days.”
“What about the other dogs?” Lolo asked, looking toward the hall where the other dogs were housed.
“We’ll find them homes too,” Rimmel promised. “But sometimes the older dogs don’t get picked as fast as the puppies.”
“Why not?” Andi asked.
“Well, because they’re older, and a lot of people want puppies because they’re very cute.”
“Grown-up dogs are cute too,” Andi said. “Just look at Ketchup.”
“Ketchup is definitely cute.” I agreed.
“That name, though,” Romeo muttered.
Trent made a sound of agreement.
Rude.
Lolo suddenly stood and handed the puppy in her arms off to her mother, then went down the hall.
“Strawberry, where you going?” Romeo called.
London looked over her shoulder. “To pick an older dog. I don’t want them to feel left out.”
Romeo turned his eyes to his wife. “She’s killing me, smalls.”
Rimmel sniffled and pushed to her feet, nearly pitching sideways when the puppy in her arms started wiggling to get down. I grabbed her arms to steady her, and she smiled, sheepish. “Thanks. You mind?” she asked, pushing the dog into my chest.
I couldn’t exactly say no, so I tucked her into my chest. A wide, wet tongue dragged along my chin and up to my lower lip.
“Ack,” I said, turning my face.
The puppy’s tail beat against my stomach.
“She likes you, Dad!” Andi said.
“This one is a troublemaker,” Trent declared and pointed to one tugging on his shoelaces and growling like it was vicious.
A few minutes later, London, Romeo, and Rimmel appeared from the hall with a dog trotting along beside London.
“This is Sampson,” she told us, laying her hand on his head, which was about hip high to her. He was all black with a patch of white on his chest and nose. He had short hair, but it somehow looked wild. “He’s three years old, and he’s coming home with us.”
Sampson looked up at her like she hung the moon and stars, and when she leaned down to hug him, he licked her nose.
“You sure he’s the one you want?” Romeo asked.
London gasped and put her hands over the dog’s ears. “Dad! You’ll hurt his feelings.” She pulled her hands away. “Of course he is! Just look at him! He’s the most handsome dog ever!”
Andi ran over and patted his head. He licked her too.
“Who wants to help me wrangle these puppies back into their condo?”
Rimmel called all the rooms the dogs stayed in “condos.” She said it was nicer than calling them cages or kennels.
Once they were secured, Andi raced to the other end of the shelter where the cat condos were, and we watched her greet all five that were there.
“That one is hiding, Aunt Rimmel,” Andi said, pointing through the glass at one of the condos in the back.
Rimmel nodded. “She’s very shy. She doesn’t come out much. I think this place is a little noisy for her.”
“Can I go in there?” Andi asked.
“Sure,” Rimmel said. “But don’t be sad if she won’t come out. Some animals just need space.”
After punching in the code, the door swung open, and Andi stepped inside the small room. I moved closer to watch through the glass, and Trent did the same.
Andi walked to the back of the condo and sat down, stretching her legs out in front of her. After a minute, she called to the cat softly.
Nothing happened at first, and I glanced at Trent, worried Andi was going to be disappointed.
But then T made a soft sound and gestured for me to look.
I turned in time to see a small white cat with black paws and a black ear slowly approach my daughter.
Andi rubbed her fingers together, and the cat hesitated before going right to her and rubbing against her hand.
Andi looked at Rimmel, excitement spilling over in her eyes, and Rimmel gave her a thumbs-up.
A few seconds later, the cat climbed onto Andi’s legs, sat down, and looked up at my dark-haired baby girl.
Andi smiled and started stroking its head and back. The cat started to purr so loudly that Andi giggled.
“She looks like a panda,” Andi said, looking up at me and Trent.
“You’re right. She does.” Trent agreed.
“She’s so little. How old is Panda, Aunt Rimmel?”
Rimmel checked the paperwork at the door. “Panda is female and approximately nine months old. She was found on the side of a road, and we think she was probably born in the wild.”
“That must have been scary,” Andi said, still stroking the cat. “You can come live with me. My brother looks scary, but he’s not.”
I laughed under my breath.
Andi looked up. “Dads, can Panda come home with us?”
Even if Braeden had been here shouting, Oh, hells no!, no one would have listened.
So yeah, everyone, meet the newest members of the fam: Panda and Sampson.