Page 47 of Go Cook Yourself

And then I shout, “Cookie, come here, baby.”

Cookie freezes, turns, and sees me for the first time in weeks. He runs at me from across the room. His tail is on full throttle as he bangs past tables. Clive can’t stop him. I’m jumping up and down like it’s the best day ever.

“Cookie, no,” Clive yells, but Cookie doesn’t listen because Clive wasn’t the one who spent every day training him.

As Cookie is about to reach me, Kath screams. Cookie halts.

“I’m so sorry,” Flora cries as Clive comes alongside Cookie.

“You piece of shit,” Clive shouts. This next bit is necessary, but I hate seeing Cookie told off. His head droops, and hewhimpers. Clive pulls his hand back as if he’s going to hit Cookie. That’s too far. I’m jump up. Clive freezes. All the patrons are watching him. Phones are trained on us as people video for social media—further proof that I wasn’t involved. Clive points to the kitchen door, which is handily open. Well done, Chrissy. “Get out of my sight.”

Cookie looks at me longingly but then spies what only he and I can see—his favourite bone in the kitchen.

“I’m so sorry, big brother,” Flora says between sobs.

“You go, too. I can’t look at you,”

Flora continues her realistic yet completely fake crying as she pulls on his arm. She’s amazing. She aims to buy time so that Jem can take Cookie and she can’t be blamed. All those Saturday drama classes that I paid for when she needed an escape from the bullies at school were worth it. “Please, Clive, don’t be angry with me. I can’t bear it.”

Clive’s eyes burn with fire, but then one of the patrons videoing whispers, “I’ve never seen him like this.” And suddenly, that mask comes down.

“I love you, little sister. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve not felt well all day.” Then he turns to those videoing him. “And, of course, your meals are all paid for tonight, and you must take an extra bottle of wine home with you. It’s the least I can do.”

“That’s so kind of you. Do we get to pick our bottles from the cellar?” I ask, but he doesn’t answer. No one’s meant to know about that cellar he insisted on filling with the expensive bottles he only offers his most prominent guests.

“Please check on Cookie,” he says to Flora. To the videoing audience, he adds, “I was mean to him and hate myself for it.”

Flora barely enters the kitchen before she calls Clive to speak to her. Kath and I follow, feigning curiosity. “Clive, he must have escaped out of the back door. Did you leave it open?”

Kath is ready to say he did if he denies it, but he grunts a noise before adding, “We can’t let anyone learn what’s happened. If the people out there find out, I’ll be cancelled.”

“You’ve lost my dog,” I cry out.

Clive rounds on me. “It’s weird that you were here when all this happened. If I find out you had anything to do with it, I’ll—”

“But I was in your sight the whole time.” I widen my eyes and fake innocence, but it’s hard not to smile.

This is why Cookie goes to the safe house where Clive can’t find him. He won’t be there forever, but he’ll be secure until I decide what to do next.

He gives me one last glare before pointing at each of us in the kitchen. “If anyone dares to speak about this, I’ll take you all down. You’ve seen how I destroyed Garett.”

I must stay in front of Clive for another ten minutes to appear utterly innocent, although I’m desperate to be reunited with my boy.

“I’m going to find him. Are you coming, Clive?” Flora says.

Clive’s blank look has my blood boiling. “Why would I? He wasn’t my dog anyway. I’ve got a restaurant to run and damage limitation to sort out.” And with that, he strides back into the restaurant, announcing to the patrons that Cookie is heading home after a rest.

I check my phone.

Jem:Cookie is safe with me. I’ll message you when I give him to Ruby. You’ve got the address where to meet her.

Garett:Thank you.

My boy is mine again.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ruby

---