Page 11 of Merry with a Single Dad

My poor man was beside himself.

After ensuring there was no need to go to urgent care, I corralled the dogs and got everything I could think of for bathtime.

I poked my head in Hudson’s room.

The stars I’d hung months ago still glowed brightly all around. I’d covered the walls and ceiling, creating an imaginary Star Wars kind of feel for the little boy who’d become my universe. My heart melted every time I looked at him.

Especially times like right now.

He was tucked under his blankets, his soft, wavy brown hair against his pillow, and his big brown eyes—just like his father’s—fighting to stay awake.

“They’re okay, sweetie,” I said. “They’re going to be just fine.”

“Okay,” he said, his voice betraying his fatigue.

“Goodnight,” Chris said. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Hudson echoed, finally shutting his eyes.

Chapter Five

Chris

“Dad, can we please take the dogs?” Hudson begged.

“No. They’re staying here. I don’t want to deal with Luke tonight, buddy. I’m sorry.”

“You’re still mad at him?”

The way my kid could make me feel like the biggest asshole in the world for being mad at the dog was a new feeling for me. I plopped down on the couch. “It’s not that I’m mad, but I don’t know how he’ll react. This is our first Halloween here, and I’m not sure how crazy things will be. Remember how many people we’d see back in Florida every year?”

“Yeah.”

“I just want to be safe, buddy. Plus, he and Rufus still kind of stink.”

Hudson laughed.

It was difficult not to see the humor of the situation now. But at the time, I thought I might actually throw up from the stench. I still couldn’t believe the aftermath of the dogs being “skunked.”

Thankfully, all the dogs were trained not to jump on the couch. The beds were a whole other story. Hudson loved to have Luke sleep with him. Luke’s nightly bedtime routine started offon Hudson’s bed. By morning, he was always in his dog bed on the floor.

Since the stench was still pungent, we replaced Hudson’s comforter with a few blankets so the smell wouldn’t filter into his bedding.

After getting sprayed, Emily and I spent three hours trying to bathe Rufus and Luke. Bathing them wasn’t the most challenging part. Blow drying the dogs took the most effort. It was like wrestling greased-up pigs still covered in shit. The heat only made the smell of skunk more prominent. People always talked about the smell of wet dog being gross. I had news for those people: the smell of a skunk-sprayed wet dog took the cake.

I felt awful holding Luke down like a wrestler on a mat, but it was the only way to keep him from running away. Even though he’d done fine when Cassie groomed him before, the noise of the blow dryer freaked him out.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” I had apologized while simultaneously blaming him for putting us in this position.

We banned the dogs to the backyard to help “air them out” the next day because Cassie couldn’t take them. Her schedule was already full, and although she offered, we refused to ask her to work overtime. So, that night after work, we went through the entire process again.

It helped, but they still reeked. And their tails only served as whooshing devices to propel the stink up to our noses when they were close by.

“Do you have your bag ready?” I asked, changing the subject.

Hudson skipped away to get his homemade trick-or-treat bag that Mom made for him. The sack was a black background covered in all kinds ofStar Warsemblems. Mom got super creative with the glow-in-the-dark paint so the bag would light up in the dark.

I checked myself over. I looked like Gotham City’s notorious villain in a vibrant purple jacket, matching pants, and a bright green tie. Emily helped me with the face paint. I looked maniacal and creepy with green eyebrows, green hair, dark eyes that she termed “smokey,” and a garish red grin. With her expert assistance, I was the perfect counterpart for my son as Batman.

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