Page 9 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

“It’s not going to happen and you know it. He’s in my arms. I’m just dropping off your bank bag.”

Her brother didn’t work on Wednesdays in his flagship restaurant, Duke’s. Yesterday morning she came in to pick up the deposit from the night before and take it to the bank for him.

She didn’t think her brother would be here and had a key to let herself in and out easily enough. She came in the back door and went right to his office.

Nowhere near the kitchen.

“Thanks,” Duke said, reaching for it. “How’s the escapee doing?”

She’d told her mother what happened on Tuesday. It was hard not to when her mother worked part time in the same office building as her.

It just happened to be a day her mother was in the office so she shared her fun-filled lunch hour.

“He’s fine,” she said. “I’m taking him into the office with me more now. If I’m out for an hour, someone is keeping an eye on him or he is sleeping under my desk.”

“Don’t want to slip in any more dog shit barefoot?” Duke asked, grinning.

“No,” she said, shivering. “It was nasty and I’m having PTSD over it when I let him out and then have to walk around cleaning up the poop. I went and bought a pair of Crocs to slip on my feet now for walking in the yard. I can hose them off easier if I step in it.”

“I still can’t believe you got the mutt.”

She turned Frankie around and nuzzled her nose to his. “He’s far from a mutt. He’s a purebred.”

“You know what I mean,” Duke said. “How much swearing were you doing while you were on the call asking for backup?”

“Ha ha,” she said. “I didn’t do too much that I can remember. Nothing more than saying Mr. Franklin multiple times. I yelled it once. The nine-one-one operator told me yelling his name won’t help.”

Duke was roaring with laughter. “Did you explain the meaning of Frankie’s name?”

“No,” she said. “Only family knows it. And certain family at that. Alex only found out because I told Avery when Frankie had his visit. She thought the name was cute. When I brought my car in for an oil change Carter didn’t know and called him Mr. Franklin and I burst out laughing. He wanted to know why.”

“And you had to explain. Alex had to have been there to hear it,” Duke said.

“No, but other people were. Carter doesn’t say much, but I’m sure some of the other employees did. They all thought it was funny. Hey, it got Mom off my back.”

“Sure, it did,” Duke said. “It stopped your swearing in the office, but to call your dog that?”

“I didn’t mean to,” she said. “It’s just, you know. Frankie came running over to me and it was the first words in my head. In a good way. I can’t help it.”

Duke rolled his eyes. “Everyone thinks you’re an angel.”

She snorted. “No one thinks I’m an angel. Who are you kidding? It’s the long blonde hair that makes me look it, but I’m far from acting it.”

“Very true,” her brother said. “You keep looking out into the kitchen. Do you want me to make you breakfast?”

“I’m always hungry,” she said. “I could stay in here if you want to make it to go. You know, dog hair and all.”

Duke stood up from behind his desk. He was much bigger than her. She got her short stature and petite frame from her mother. Duke got his large height and bulky frame from their father. They shared the blonde hair from their father. Duke’s was even longer and pulled back.

“What do you want?” he asked. “And you can come in to keep me company but stand back and keep Frankie in your arms. Make sure his tail isn’t wagging either to shed.”

She laughed. “I can do that,” she said. “Make me whatever you want. I never complain.”

She stood there as her brother brought out a slab of bacon and started to slice it into thin strips and put it in a pan. Next he was whipping up flour, sugar, milk, butter and eggs.

Woohoo, she was getting pancakes.

“Fruit?” he asked.

---