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He smiled back. He drew in a long breath. “I’m almost sober again.”
“And we don’t keep liquor here,” she said firmly.
He chuckled. “I wasn’t asking for any more. I’m kind of tired of rushing to the bathroom to throw up.” He grew solemn. “Thank you, for what you did. Some people would laugh about a man who goes nuts when his dog dies.”
“Only people with no heart,” she said quietly. “She was a beautiful dog and you had her for six long, good years,” she added. “If you remember the good times, and you’re grateful that you had her for so long, it might make this easier. And you’ll see her again,” she added with absolute faith. She smiled. “When you pass over, when it’s your time, she’ll be waiting for you at the gate.”
He sighed. “You make it so much easier.”
“I’m glad.”
He grimaced. “I guess we should go to bed. It’s very late. I enjoyed tonight,” he added. “It was fun.”
She grinned. “You can come over and play Monopoly with us any night you’re free. We don’t watch TV. Only when there’s bad weather.”
“I’ll remember. Good night.”
“Good night, Cody.”
“Good night, Abby.”
The sound of her name on his lips made her feel special. She smiled. Unexpectedly, he bent and kissed her, very gently. Before she could say a word, he was upstairs and into the guest room with the door closed.
She stayed awake a long time, thinking about that kiss. When she finally slept, her dreams were sweet.
BREAKFASTWASDELIGHTFUL. Hannah made fresh biscuits with sausages and scrambled eggs, and served them up with homemade strawberry and fig preserves.
“This sure beats burned toast and bouncy eggs,” Cody remarked as he opened a second biscuit to spread it with butter and strawberry preserves.
“Come on over and I’ll teach you how to cook,” Hannah teased. “Or,” she added with a mischievous glance at Abby, “you could just come for breakfast every day.”
“Oh, I’d like that,” Abby said before she thought, and then flushed at being so forward.
“I’d like that, too!” Lucy piped in. She reached down and petted the pretty white dog with the laughing eyes. “My puppy would like it, too. See? Snow’s laughing!”
All the adults laughed as well. Cody looked down at the little dog with a pained sigh. It brought back memories of Anyu.
Abby slipped a soft hand over his on the table. “Lucy will need help with the puppy. Breakfast is a good time to talk about it.” She hesitated. He was hard to read. “If you’d like to, I mean...”
His hand turned and squeezed hers. “I’d like to. If I wouldn’t be in the way.”
“In the way,” Hannah huffed. “If you knew how many things went wrong in the house that only men know how to deal with. She is hopeless with a screwdriver,” she indicated Abby, “and dangerous with a wrench.”
Cody burst out laughing. “In that case, I’ll be very grateful for breakfast and in return, I’ll fix anything that needs it.”
“That’s a very generous offer,” Hannah said, and she smiled at him.
“Very generous indeed,” Abby seconded. She grinned. “Especially since I think the belt on the dryer is coming loose.”
“I’ll have a look at it soon.”
“And if I don’t get my homework finished on time, maybe you could help me with it at breakfast?” Lucy asked with big eyes.
He smiled at the little girl. “I would be glad to do that, Lucy.”
She grinned at him and dug into her breakfast.
He was beginning to feel like a member of the family. It was nice, belonging. He’d never felt it with Debby. He could have kicked himself for that thought. She’d loved him, just as he’d loved her. It was unworthy of him to think such a thing.
