Chapter 41- Ellie
I wake up to the soft weight of an arm draped over my waist and the slow, steady rise and fall of Oliver’s breathing behind me.
For a moment, I just lie there, letting myself exist in the quiet warmth of it — the sunlight slipping through my curtains, the faint smell of his cologne on my pillow, the way his fingers twitch slightly against my hip like he’s dreaming.
I shift a little, and Oliver tightens his arm around me without even waking up, pulling me closer until my back is pressed to his chest. His nose brushes the back of my shoulder, and he lets out a sleepy sigh that makes my heart melt.
I turn my head just enough to see his face — messy hair, relaxed expression, lips parted slightly. He looks peaceful. Young. Soft.
I kiss his cheek lightly. “I have to get up,” I whisper.
He makes a low noise, half-asleep. “No you don’t.”
I smile. “I do. Work, remember?”
He finally opens one eye, squinting at me like the sun personally offended him. “Five more minutes.”
“Oliver…”
He groans dramatically, then rolls onto his back, dragging me with him so I’m half on top of him. “Fine. But I’m not letting you leave without a kiss.”
I laugh, leaning down to kiss him — slow, warm, the kind of kiss that makes me want to stay in bed all day. But I pull away before he can deepen it.
“Later,” I tease.
He smirks. “I’ll hold you to that.”
I slip out of bed and get ready for work while he stays sprawled across my sheets like he owns the place. When I come back out in my work clothes, he props himself up on his elbows and looks at me like I’m the only thing in the room.
“You look beautiful,” he says simply.
And I feel it.
The office is already buzzing when I walk in — phones ringing, papers shuffling, the soft hum of people moving through their routines. I grab my badge, clock in, and head to my desk.
It’s a normal day.
A good day.
Around mid-morning, a little girl comes in with her mom. She’s shy, hiding behind her mother’s leg, clutching a stuffed bunny with one ear nearly falling off. I kneel down so I’m at her level.
“Hi,” I say softly. “I love your bunny.”
She peeks at me, then whispers, “His name is Marshmallow.”
I smile. “That’s a perfect name.”
By the time she leaves, she’s holding my hand and telling me about her favorite cartoons. Her mom thanks me — really thanks me — and something warm settles in my chest.
I’m good at this.
I’m helping people.
I’m doing something that matters.
And I’m proud of myself.
At home, Moony bursts through the front door like she owns the place, doing her usual zoomies around the living room. Oliver laughs, shaking his head as he sets his keys on the counter.
“She missed you,” he says.
Moony trots back over and presses her head into my thigh, tail wagging so hard her whole body wiggles. I scratch behind her ears. “I missed you too, baby.”
Oliver steps behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I missed you more.”
I laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Only for you.”
We start cooking dinner — pasta, garlic bread, something simple — when Oliver suddenly pauses, glancing at his phone.
“Oh,” he says, trying to sound casual. “Your surprise is here.”
I blink. “My what?”
He grins. “Stay right here. Don’t move. I mean it.”
“Oliver—”
“Nope.” He kisses my forehead. “Stay.”
He slips outside, closing the door behind him. I walk to the window, peeking through the curtains just enough to see him talking to a guy near a truck. They shake hands. The guy hands Oliver something — or someone — small.
My heart jumps.
But I don’t want to ruin the surprise.
So I step back.
I wait.
I try not to explode.
A moment later, the door opens.
And Oliver walks in holding the tiniest, fluffiest, bluest-gray baby heeler puppy I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
My breath catches.
My hands fly to my mouth.
My eyes instantly fill with tears.
“Oh my god,” I whisper. “Oliver…”
The puppy wiggles in his arms, letting out a tiny yip. Oliver smiles — soft, proud, a little shy.
“Surprise,” he says quietly. “He’s yours.”
I cover my mouth again, tears spilling over. “Are you serious?”
He nods, stepping closer. “You’ve been doing so good. You’ve been so strong. And I know how much you’ve always wanted a dog of your own. So… I wanted you to have one.”
He places the puppy gently in my arms.
And I swear my heart melts into a puddle on the floor.
The puppy snuggles into my chest immediately, warm and soft and perfect. Moony trots over, sniffing him curiously, tail wagging like she approves.
I look up at Oliver, voice shaking. “He’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” he says softly.
I laugh through my tears. “What’s his name?”
“That’s up to you.”
I look down at the tiny blue heeler in my arms — big eyes, floppy ears, little paws tucked against me.
“Bunter,” I whisper. “His name is Bunter.”
Oliver smiles like I just handed him the moon. “Bunter it is.”
Moony barks once, like she’s welcoming him to the family.
We finish dinner with Bunter curled in my lap, Moony lying at my feet, and Oliver stealing kisses every time he walks past me.
Later, on the couch, Bunter sleeps on my chest, Moony curled beside Oliver, and Oliver’s arm wrapped around me.
My little family.
My little world.
Right here.
And as I look down at Bunter’s tiny sleeping face, I think:
This is what my life looks like now.
Soft.
Safe.
Loved. Full.
And I love it.
After we finish dinner, Oliver disappears down the hallway for a second. I’m still on the couch with Bunter curled on my chest, Moony lying protectively beside me, when I hear the closet door slide open.
Then a thump.
Then another.
Then Oliver muttering, “Okay, that’s heavier than I thought.”
I sit up a little. “Oliver? What are you doing?”
He pokes his head around the corner, cheeks slightly pink. “Don’t come in here yet.”
I laugh. “Why?”
“Because I said so.”
I roll my eyes but stay put, scratching Bunter’s tiny head as he yawns against my chest. Moony watches the hallway like she’s supervising him.
A moment later, Oliver comes back out carrying… a whole pile of stuff.
A tiny dog bed.
A little food bowl.
A matching water bowl.
A bag of puppy food.
A squeaky toy shaped like a dinosaur.
A tiny collar.
A tiny leash.
A blanket.
A puppy shampoo bottle.
A brush.
A pack of training pads.
My jaw drops. “Oliver… what is all that?”
He sets everything on the floor in front of me, looking both proud and shy. “Everything Bunter needs.”
I blink. “You bought all this already?”
He shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I, uh… may have been planning this for a while.”
My heart squeezes so hard it almost hurts. “Oliver…”
He kneels beside me, gently lifting Bunter from my arms so I can stand. “Come on. Help me set it up.”
We spread everything out in the corner of the living room — the little bed, the bowls, the toys. Moony sniffs each item like she’s giving her approval. Bunter toddles around on wobbly legs, exploring his new world.
Oliver hands me the tiny collar. “You wanna put it on him?”
I nod, my throat tight. I kneel down and fasten the soft blue collar around Bunter’s neck. He looks up at me with big, trusting eyes, tail wagging.
“There,” I whisper. “Perfect.”
Oliver slips his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. “He already loves you.”
I lean back into him. “I love him too.”
We watch as Bunter curls up in his new bed, Moony lying down beside him like a big sister guarding her baby brother.
Oliver kisses my cheek softly. “Our little family.”
I smile, tears stinging my eyes again. “Yeah. Our little family.”
By the time we finish setting up Bunter’s little corner, the excitement finally starts to settle into something softer — a warm, sleepy kind of peace that fills the whole room.
Bunter lets out a tiny puppy yawn, wobbling over to his new bed before collapsing into it like he’s had the longest day of his life. Moony immediately circles once and lies down beside him, her big body curled protectively around his tiny one.
My heart squeezes. “She loves him already.”
Oliver smiles. “She’s gonna be the best big sister.”
I lean into him, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. The house is quiet, the lights dim, the air warm. Everything feels… settled.
“Come on,” he murmurs. “Let’s go to bed. They’ll follow.”
We walk to the bedroom, and sure enough, Moony pads in behind us, Bunter trotting after her on his tiny legs like he’s trying to keep up with his hero.
Oliver pulls back the blankets, and I climb in, exhaustion finally catching up to me. He slides in beside me, pulling me close, his arm warm and heavy around my waist.
Moony jumps up onto the bed, circling once before settling at our feet. Bunter tries to climb up after her, but he’s too small, so Oliver reaches down and lifts him gently, placing him between us.
The puppy curls into a tiny ball against my chest, letting out a soft sigh. Moony rests her head on Oliver’s leg. Oliver kisses my forehead.
And just like that…
we’re all there.
Together.
Warm.
Safe.
Home.
My eyes grow heavy, and the last thing I feel before sleep pulls me under is Oliver’s thumb brushing slow circles on my hip, Bunter’s tiny breaths against my skin, and Moony’s steady warmth at our feet.
And I fall asleep with a full heart.