Page 32 of Hey, Daddy

Not when I wanted to climb him like a tree.

“I think I can come back tomorrow…”

But the door closed on both my sister and Haze, and I had no other choice but to follow them.

I dragged my feet, though, finding myself staring into a line of kennels. All of which had puppies in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

“Ohhh,” I said as I stopped at the first kennel I came to and dropped down to my haunches.

It was a mutt.

But such a cute little mutt.

My smile was small when I crooned, “Hey there, buddy.”

“Nastya Semyonov, get your ass in here and drink this juice right now,” my sister snarled from somewhere beyond the kennels.

I sighed and passed all the kennels, knowing that I should just get it over with.

She’d never let me look without drinking the juice.

Apple again.

Blech.

He held it out to me as I finally found my way into the room in which they were standing.

And the stupid apple juice in his hand as he held it out to me.

I was careful to take it by the top—he’d already twisted the cap off for me—and took a drink.

I grimaced.

I loathed apple juice.

Seriously, I fucking hated it.

It always reminded me of how stupid my body was.

I took about six sips and said, “That’s enough.”

“All of it,” Milena said.

“I’m not drinking any more apple juice,” I disagreed with her. “And it’s enough, I promise.”

I disappeared out the door again, leaving the half-drunk apple juice on the counter with a “Thank you” on my tongue as I went.

I heard my sister mutter something about me being stubborn, obstinate and pig-headed, but chose to ignore her.

I wandered off in the opposite direction I’d come, hoping that she’d maybe leave me alone.

She would keep picking and picking until I was pissy, and I didn’t want to be pissy today.

I wanted to see all the sweet babies there were to see.

I took pictures of all of them, planning to post it on my blog when I got home, and came to a sudden halt when I got to a back set of kennels that were off to the left of all the other ones.

My heart stuttered in my chest as I got a good look at them.

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