Page 52 of Burn With Me

I walk to the other side of the bed and grab my boxers. After pulling them on, I let Penny out the back door, then run to the bathroom to pee. I wash my hands and let Penny back in.

“You are such a good girl,” I say as we walk to the kitchen. “Now, where is all your foodstuff? Can you show me?”

Sure enough, she walks to the refrigerator and sits down, and I muffle my laugh with my hand. I open the fridge and see raw meat and other things in large bowls. I look at the bowl and then back at her. This has to be her breakfast because it’s the first one in a line of two.

She feeds her raw food?

I shrug and grab it. Tilting the bowl toward her, I ask, “Is this it?”

It must be because she walks over to a mat and sits down.

I swear if this dog gets sick because that’s not what I was supposedto feed her . . .

I put the bowl on her mat, but she just looks at me.

“Go ahead and eat your breakfast,” I say, but she just tilts her head. “Is this not your breakfast?”

Now I feel stupid because I’m taking directions from a dog and talking to her like she can answer me.

“Eat,” I say and point at it, but she keeps looking at me, her tail wagging faster.

I try to think of everything I’ve heard Am say to her in front of me, but nothing is coming to me.

I grab my phone from the counter and text Sam.

Luke: How come Penny won’t eat? Is there a word Am uses?

Sam: So you stayed the night at Amelia’s, huh?

Normally I would ask you if it was good, but I really don’t want to know.

Why don’t you ask her what to say?

Luke: She’s sleeping, and I don’t want to disturb her.

Do you know or not, asshole?

Sam: Want me to wake her up? I don’t care if she’s mad at me.

Actually, she’ll probably take it out on you.

Maybe I should . . .

Luke: Remind me why we’re friends.

I’ll figure it out

Sam: You’re so easy to rile up

Try break or okay—sometimes I hear her use both of those.

Luke: Thank you, fuck face

Are you going to tell me why Abby seemed so mad at you?

Sam: . . .

Luke: . . .

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