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“So, he doesn’t eat shoes, belts, or books?”
“That’s to be expected from a puppy. He’ll learn,” Marley said reasonably.
“It’s a good thing he’s so cute.” I loved the additions to our family: Ireland, Sarah, Addy, and the puppies. And I couldn’t help but think that Marley fit in at the dinner table last night and again this morning, with Addy.
“Do you get a lot of visitors in the morning?” Marley asked, her voice filled with affection.
“Not often enough,” I teased Addy.
Her lower lip protruded. “Mommy said you need to sleep because you’re a bachelor.”
Marley bit her lip, but it didn’t stop the twitch.
I winked at the girls. “I do need my beauty rest, but I never mind early morning or late-night visitors.”
“I’m used to waking up alone. So, this is nice.” Marley turned to face the stove, where a few pancakes were already grilling. I wondered if she hid her face for a reason. If she regretted saying something so revealing. It wouldn’t have been for most people, but I had a feeling that Marley was lonely in California. Even though she was usually in a rush to return.
She certainly didn’t have family there or people who’d known her entire life.
I was determined to help her see the beauty of this place and feel the love of our family. I was all mixed up with my intentions, but I knew those two things for sure.
The door opened, and Sarah and Knox came inside, with Comet pulling ahead and struggling against the leash. “Morning. I hope you don’t mind that we dropped her off. Marley said it was fine.”
“You know I love having her.”
Knox unclipped the leash, and Comet bounded over to me, scrambling on the wood floor to find purchase. “Addy wanted to go for a walk and stop in at everyone’s house. By the time we got to your place, we gave in.”
“I never mind waking up to snorts and giggles,” I said, as I loved on Comet. He wasn’t the tiny puppy he was at Christmas, but he still wasn’t full-grown. His feet were larger than his body, hinting at how big he would get.
“I didn’t snort,” Addy said.
“You sure did,” I teased her.
I loved this back-and-forth, my kitchen filled with love and laughter. I helped Addy set the table and get out the maple syrup and orange juice. Then we sat down at the table overlooking the trees.
I wanted more mornings like this. I loved it when Addy stopped by, but it was even better because Marley was here to experience it.
“It must get lonely in California. You don’t have anyone popping in to take over your morning,” Knox said to Marley.
“That’s true. It is quiet. But I open the windows to hear the ocean.”
“You live near the ocean?” Addy asked, her eyes wide.
“I sure do.” Marley pulled out her phone and hit play on a video of the waves over a deck railing.
“You live there?” Addy asked after she watched it through a few times.
Marley tucked her phone away. “That’s my house.”
“I want to live there.”
“It’s pretty amazing. Have you ever been to the beach?” Marley asked her as she ate a bite of pancake.
“We took her this summer. But just to the Eastern Shore.”
“I want to go there,” Addy said, pointing at Marley.
“I live in California. It’s way on the other side of the country.”
