Page 54 of Cash

“If you want to leave Snots here, that’s fine. I’ll be around all day. No sense in him sitting home alone. I’ll make dinner for us after your shift if you’d like,” I suggest.

“I’d like that, Cash. Anything I can bring with me?”

“Nope. Dinner around 6pm?”

“Sounds great. See you then.”

*~*~*~*

“We’re cooking dinner and that’s that,” states Lola.

“But we’ll clear out before Livi gets here,” says Lottie.

As usual, I lose when arguing with the Aunts. Bella grins at me knowing I’ve lost as well. While the Aunts are busy destroying my kitchen, Bella is sitting on the living room floor giving Snots a belly rub. I take a seat in my recliner and enjoy a moment of being still.

“Have I thanked you for letting me help the Aunts?” Bella asks, still grinning.

“A few times. You like it?”

“Love it. They’re the best. I enjoy doing little things and making life easier for them when I can. They have the best stories, and they’ve taught me how to do a lot of things,” Bella answers.

“You never said why you wanted to earn some money. Is there something you need, honey?”

“No, there’s not. I haven’t gone without anything since coming here, Cash. Nothing. If Pops or Mom wouldn’t get something for me, Pooh, Axel or Ava would. Axel would do it just to annoy Pops,” Bella says with a big smile.

“Then why do you need to earn some?” I ask her knowing there’s something she’s not saying.

“If I don’t want to answer that question, are you going to be mad at me?” Bella softly questions.

Bella’s smile is gone, and she looks concerned. I feel like an ass for taking the smile away.

“Never, Bella. Can’t ever be mad at you, doll. You don’t have to answer. Just promise me that if you ever do need something, whether it’s money or not, you’ll ask one of us. Me, Petey, Axel, Pooh, Chubs–it doesn’t matter as long as you ask. Promise?”

“Promise,” she answers swiftly with the smile back in place.

I’m still curious about her wanting money, but I’m not concerned about it. Bella’s a smart girl and knows she has a large family that loves her.

“That dog’s a little creepy,” Lottie states as she enters the living room and looks down at Snots.

“He’s not creepy. He’s cute!” insists Bella.

“He looks like he’s always smiling, and that’s just weird. He does kind of grow on a person though,” Lottie concedes.

The front door is thrown open and I watch as Gunner, Ava and the twins enter. Mia and Zoe squeal in delight when they spot Bella and head straight for her. Their sounds only increase in volume when they spot Snots. Gunner makes his way to the couch and drops down on it like he hasn’t sat all day. Ava grins as she holds up a couple of bakery boxes before entering the kitchen with them.

“Ava brought you desserts. Lola called and said you have female company coming for dinner and asked for a pie,” Gunner says with a grin.

“Appreciate it.”

“Daddy! Look at the puppy!” demands one of the twins.

“What’s the puppy’s name?” asks the other twin.

“Snots,” Bella tells her.

Both the twins giggle over the name and continue fawning over the fat bastard.

“Oh my God! Look at his smushed face!” Ava shouts as she drops down next to the girls and starts loving on Snots too. “I’ve never had an English Bulldog before.”

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