AllFreeNovel
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And it’s Crew’s fault. Lately, I’ve changed. I leave work at a reasonable hour. Worry less. Smile more. Make the spontaneous decision to adopt a puppy. They’re healthy changes. Changes I wouldn’t have made on my own. Reconciling who you are with who you were is uncomfortable. Especially when you’re not certain it’s a permanent change.
“I’ve always wanted a dog,” he tells me.
“You have?” Surprise saturates the question.
Crew scratches Goldie’s chin. The puppy stretches. “Yeah.”
“They gave me a whole packet of stuff. He needs food and training and vaccinations.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“To a pet store, Red. To get all the shit he needs.”
“Like what?”
“Like a bed and a crate and toys and a collar and a leash and food?”
Yeah. Definitely didn’t think any of this through. “Oh.”
“We don’t have any of that, right?”
I appreciate thewe. “No.”
Crew stands and holds out a hand to pull me upright. “Let’s go shopping then.”
“You were trying to work earlier. I can just…”
He leans down and scoops up the dog. “You coming?”
Without waiting for an answer, he heads for the stairs, carrying Goldie.
An hour later, we stand side by side, staring at the wall covered with dog toys.
“Wow.”
“Should we get him one of each?” Crew jokes. There are dolphins and condiments and emojis. Dinosaurs and beer bottles.
Our dog will be spoiled. There’s no other logical conclusion, looking at the overflowing cart. It took us fifteen minutes to decide on the right brand of puppy kibble. We spent another ten minutes in the treat aisle. Choosing a crate was quick because we got the biggest one. Ditto with the bed, because there was only one that fit the largest crate. And now we’re stuck in the toy aisle with way too many options.
“Who would buy their dog an eggplant emoji?”
Crew smirks. Grabs the purple plush toy and tosses it in the cart.
I laugh. “We’renotgetting that.”
“I’ll give it to him when you get home from work.”
I fight it, but I’m smiling when Crew’s phone rings. He tugs it out of his pocket. “Asher.” He doesn’t answer it.
“Work?”
“Nah. He probably wants to go to a bar.”
“You can…if you want to. Not that you need my permission.” With one sentence, I spread the insecurities I’ve tried to bury. In the two months since we got married, Crew hasn’t gone to a club. He works, and he spends time with me. I’m waiting for it not to be enough.
“I don’t want to.” He grabs a bear and an orange rope. “Good?”
