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As she speaks, she keeps her eyes on the puppies. Her answer leaves me puzzled. I’m curious about her. She seems a little sad and vulnerable—honestly, I kind of like it. I’m not ashamed to admit it. It suits her, just like her sweet innocence.
Chapter Six - Mylah
I play with the puppies for a while. Kyst excuses himself to the kitchen. He fixes breakfast and coffee for both of us. I know I’m quiet and seem sort of on guard. That is how I have always been, though. Animals have been my only friends. Not to mention the hellish nightmare I experienced yesterday. I sigh deeply. I really don’t want to think about that right now. I want a few more moments of peace.
The puppies wrestle around on the floor in front of me. I watch them, but I’m not really paying attention. I keep thinking about how kind it is of Kyst to let me stay here. I hope I am not too much of a burden.
Just then, he pokes his head out of the kitchen. “Breakfast is ready,” he announces.
“Oh. Okay. I’ll be right there,” I reply.
I start putting the puppies back in the box. Their mother sees and jumps in with them. They immediately go to her side. I watch them with a happy heart. I’m so glad that none of them were harmed in the fire.
Getting up off the floor, I walk to the kitchen, hesitating a little.
“Don’t be shy, Mylah. Have a seat,” Kyst says in a friendly tone. He puts two plates of food on the table—fresh eggs and bacon. My stomach growls at the fragrant aroma.
I slide into one of the wooden chairs. He brings two cups of coffee to the table, then sits across from me, giving a polite smile. I offer a smaller one, then stare at my food. He mixes cream and sugar into his coffee. Eventually, I do the same. Breakfast is a quiet affair. I can’t think of what to say to this handsome man. The only sounds are the clanking of silverware.
After breakfast, I start to take my dishes to the sink. “No, I got it. You go relax,” Kyst insists. I stare at him, uncertain but follow his instructions.
In the living room, I watch the puppies. I can hear the soft clinking of dishes from the kitchen. I guess he really is cleaning up. I wasn’t expecting that from him. I sit on the couch and look around. The curtains are closed, but you can see the sunlight through them.
The fireman’s cabin is lovely. Modern, but kind of rustic as well. It’s a very manly sort of place. I stare at the stripped rug on the hardwood floor. Suddenly, it hits me.
“Have you seen the snake? Huggie?” I ask as I walk back to the kitchen. I pause in the entryway.
Kyst stands at the sink with a soapy sponge in his hand. “No. Not since I brought him in last night. I left him in the living room,” he explains. He drops the plate he is scrubbing back into the sudsy water.
“Oh. Okay,” I reply. I know Huggie has to be around her somewhere. I turn away and head back to the living room.
A few minutes later, Kyst joins me. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you find him,” he says.
We both go to different sides of the living room. We check behind the bookcases and side tables. Kyst even opens the doors on his entertainment unit and looks inside. I check the curtains and windows. On his hands and knees, he checks the floor. He lifts the rug, then crawls along until he reaches the couch.
“Found him!” I hear Kyst yell.
I turn around to see him with his arm under the couch. I rush over. “Be careful,” I caution him as I kneel on the ground beside him.
Kyst moves slowly, and I watch with anticipation. Gently he pulls his arm out from under the couch. His hand wrapped around Huggie, who starts to coil around his bicep.
“Oh gosh. Sorry,” I apologize, taking the weight of some of the snake’s loops.
“It's no problem. But where should we put him?” Kyst asks, looking at the snake on his arm.
“Do you…..have a container? Or something he can’t crawl out of?” I ask.
Kyst frowns in thought. “The bathtub in the guest bedroom,” he says.
“Okay. Let’s see.”
We both get up carefully, trying to not jostle the snake. I follow Kyst into the room I was sleeping in. We walk into the large bathroom. He opens the glass shower door.
“Oh, nice. A big bathtub with high sides. He definitely won’t get out of here,” I say.
Together the two of us get Huggie off of Kyst’s arm and into the tub. We close the shower doors and stand there catching our breath.
“Well, that was an interesting start to the day,” Kyst says in a friendly voice. He laughs lightly. “Hey. It’s a beautiful morning, and I’m off work. Would you like to go for a walk outside and get some fresh air?”
