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“Dad has him. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked as he held my arms and helped me to sit up. I pulled my headphones from my ears and shakily slid them into the pocket of my leggings, scared I’d lose them otherwise.
“I…no,” I shook my head as I took a quick assessment of myself. I was shaking badly, some from the exhaustion of the run and some from terror. “I’m okay. W-where d-did that thing c-come fr-om?” I stuttered as I looked behind Trent to where Nan stood with Dad, hooking a lead onto the dog’s collar. I was relieved it was restrained and couldn’t come running at me again.
“It’s just Rye – Nan and Grey’s dog. She brought him over since Grey’s working and she’s going to be here cooking all day. We didn’t realise you were out here.”
“Blake? Are you okay, sweetheart?” Dad asked as he left Nan with the huge beast, and hurried over to me. He was dressed in a pair of long shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, and I guessed he had been in the home gym when he heard me screaming my head off.
“Yeah,” I nodded as I sat forward, and braced my hands around my calves to try and calm myself. “The d-dog…it scared me. I…I’m not a huge fan of them.”
“She’s terrified of them,” Luca corrected. “We saw Grey the other night and Blake had a really bad reaction to the dog,” He stopped and looked to me. “I’m sorry. I should have checked where you were when I knew Nan had brought him.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the fact Luca was now calling Nan by the name she demanded we all call her.
“We all should have. I never even thought about you having a fear of them. I’m sorry Blake,” Dad told me, once again filled with guilt for something that was in no way his fault.
“I’m okay,” I assured him as I started to attempt to get to my feet. Trent jumped up from where he had been knelt beside me and helped me. “I over reacted. I just thought…he was barking and h-he knocked me over. I thought he w-was going to bite me.”
“That’s why you’re afraid? You’ve been bitten before?” Trent asked.
“Yeah, when I w-was little.” I lifted the bottom of my tank top and showed them the scars on my hip that still remained from the huge chunk that was taken out of me by a dog very much like Rye. I made sure to keep only my hip showing so they weren’t able to see the myriad of scars on my stomach.
“Blake,” Dad began, but I looked to him and smiled, albeit forced.
“It’s fine. I s-suppose I’ll have to g-get over it if Rye comes here often,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but really terrified at the idea of ever getting close to that mutt.
Nan came running out of the house then and we all turned to her as she cried, “I’m so sorry sweetie. He’s an energetic big lug. Doesn’t realise his own strength when he gets all excited like that. He just wants to play. Are you okay?” She hurried over to me and placed her hands on my cheeks as she studied me closely.
“I’m fine,” I replied. “Wh-where’d you put the dog?” I asked.
“Out front. He can’t get out. He’s fine.”
“I’m s-sorry. I didn’t mean to scare him,” I apologised.
“He’s fine. He just thought you were playing with him, daft thing he is,” she laughed. “It’s you I’m worried about. I had no idea or I’d never have brought him. I never even thought about it. I just thought it’d be easier to have him out here in the yard while I was cooking your Dad’s birthday meal,” she went on.
“Honestly, I’m fine. I n-need to get used to him any…” I paused that sentence as what Nan had just said sank in. “Hold on!” I cried as I turned to my dad. “It’s your birthday?”
“Yep. Forty-nine years young today, right Dad?” Trent declared as he patted Dad on the shoulder. Horrified I turned to Trent and glared.
“Why the bloody hell didn’t you tell me?” I demanded, all thoughts of the dog forgotten. It was my own father’s birthday and I had no idea! I hadn’t bought him a gift, a card – nothing! “I’m so sorry Dad,” I went on as I turned to him. “I didn’t know. I haven’t got you anything.”
“Having you here on my birthday this year is more than I could have ever hoped or wished for, sweetheart. I don’t need anything else,” he told me with a gentle smile.
Trent dramatically cleared his throat and looked to Dad with raised eyebrows, making me giggle.
“Having both of my children, is of course what I meant. You both mean more to me than words could ever convey. You know that, son. Having you both here with me means the world,” he went on as he looked between the two of us.
“Happy birthday Dad,” I told him, my eyes glassy and my heart pounding at how much his words had touched me. “I’m so happy I get to say that to you this year, and every one that follows.”
“No wonder she’s the favourite,” Nan laughed as she looked to Trent.
“She is not the favourite! There are no favourites, right Dad?” Trent demanded, with a playful pout.
“Of course not, son,” Dad assured him, but he threw me a wink that made me giggle again.
“I saw that!” Trent gasped as he glared between Dad and I, but it was contrasted by the huge, relaxed smile on his face.
“Were you out here jogging, sweetheart?” Dad asked.
