Page 96 of Drawn Together

When we got back to the apartment, Norman looked at the dog with curiosity. “Miss Cortés… you got a pet?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, holding my head high. This stray was no purebred, but I was no snob.

We went up to my apartment, where it was warm inside, since the radiator turned on automatically when the temperature dropped below fifty-five degrees. I truly understood, more than ever, how fortunate I was. My father could be an asshole, but he had always given my sister and me everything.

Sebastian hung his coat up without taking his eyes off the dog, who had waltzed into the apartment like he owned the place. I smiled. He walked around sniffing everything—his snout stuck to the floor—and then circled the rug three times and lay down beside the small electric fireplace in the living room.

“Do you see how smart he is?” I said, pressing the button to ignite the flames.

Sebastian groaned something in response and looked at us.

“We have to give him a name.”

“You’re going to name him?”

“What do you think of Rico?”

“Why would you call him Rico?”

“I don’t know… It’s the first thing that came to mind.”

Sebastian walked over and studied the dog with a serious expression. Rico sniffed him. “He’s kind of ugly.”

“He’s not ugly! He’s unique.”

Rico barked, as if agreeing with me, and Sebastian smiled for the first time all day. “You should take him to the vet; he’s malnourished. And you’re going to have to house-train him and walk him…”

I rolled my eyes. “I know how to take care of a dog, thanks.” I stood up, and Rico followed me into the kitchen. “What should I feed him?”

Sebastian raised his eyebrows, as if saying I was already proving him right. “Don’t give him too much—his stomach must be the size of a marble. We’ll give him a little bit of chicken, to see how he does with it, but tomorrow you need to take him to the vet.”

I nodded, looking lovingly at Rico. “Want me to give you a bath while Uncle Sebastian makes you something to eat?” I asked in a singsong voice.

“You gave Uncle Sebastian the rest of the day off. Don’t push it.” He turned around and headed down the hallway.

“Come on, Sebastian,” I begged, looking at Rico, who barked to back me up. “You’re really going to leave me alone in the kitchen?”

He seemed to think better of it, then turned around and threw me a poisoned glance. “I’ll make him a chicken breast, and after that I’m done.”

I smiled as I walked to my room, Rico on my heels.

“One for me, too, okay?”

I didn’t hear what he said because I quickly closed the door behind me, took off my coat, and carried Rico into the bathroom. I didn’t really want the dog in my tub, but I knew Sebastian would refuse to let me wash my new four-legged friend in his shower. I turned on the hot water, adjusting the temperature to keep from burning him. He barked when I put him in the water and grabbed the showerhead to wet him. As soon as he was fully soaked, Rico shook his fur, splashing me with water and grime.

I went through almost an entire bottle of shampoo before the water finally ran clear. The dog’s fur was now bright white, and I smiled contentedly at the result. I picked up the hair dryer and started to dry him as he ran back and forth, opened his mouth to feel the air, and barked like crazy.

“What the hell are you doing to that dog?” Sebastian asked, entering the bathroom and picking him up before he could dash out the door.

“Help me out!”

Between the two of us, we dried him off, and I brushed his fur with my hairbrush. The transformation was incredible.

“Rico, you’re gorgeous!” I said, looking at his white, wavy fur. He was such a mutt that it was impossible to tell what breed he was, but to me, he was beautiful.

We went into the kitchen with Rico following along beside us. Sebastian placed some chunks of chicken in a cereal bowl and brought it closer to Rico, who sniffed it, hesitant at first, then began to eat slowly. It made me sad to think about the things this dog must’ve experienced and the fear and the cold he must’ve felt.

I noticed there was a plate on the counter for me—grilled chicken breast, tomato salad, and cooked carrots—and I turned to Sebastian with a smile. “What would I do without you?”