Page 21 of Through You
Apolo.
Her voice softens when she mentions my brother’s name. It bothers me. I keep eating my fruit.
“How about that, quite the humanitarian.”
“He is.”
“I thought you stopped liking dogs.”
I remember clearly, when we were much younger my dad got us a puppy. We named him Fluffy. Unfortunately, a few months later, he developed an infection that the vet couldn’t cure, and Fluffy died. Claudia and I were devastated. We even held a funeral. From then on, dogs became a touchy subject for both of us.
Claudia looks at me with empathy. “I will never forget Fluffy.”
Her mouth curves down into a sad smile. “I don’t know. It’s hard to not get attached to the dogs Apolo rescues. They’re so cute and want our love so much.”
The dog comes around the table next to me. His fur tickles my feet.
I’m lost for words and don’t know what to do. I haven’t had contact with dogs since Fluffy. But then I catch the dog raising his left leg, getting ready to pee on my foot.
“Agh!” I stand up in a flash and move away from him. I manage to get away just as he pees. “What the fuck!”
Claudia’s laughter echoes throughout the kitchen. She’s laughing so hard that she’s gasping and holding her belly. I give the dog a murderous look when I notice him coming toward me.
“No! Stay back! Bad dog!”
I can’t believe I’m retreating to avoid an animal so little it doesn’t even reach my knees. Claudia has turned red. And for a brief moment, I forget about the dog and watch her laugh. God, I missed that sound. She stops when she senses my gaze on her, and tries hard to control her laughter by taking a deep breath and pursing her lips.
“Doggy!” She calls the dog to get him away from me. “Come here, Doggy!”
She leads the puppy out of the kitchen, closing the back door behind it. When she turns to look at me, she’s squeezing her lips tight, trying hard to suppress her laughter. The amusement I see in her eyes is refreshing.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“No, sir.” A giggle escapes her lips. It’s the first time she’s called me sir jokingly and without a hint of disdain.
Acting on an impulse, I walk around the table to get close to her.
“You are definitely enjoying it. Did you train him to do that?”
She laughs some more and tries to regain her composure while backing away.
“Of course not.”
I keep advancing and she keeps moving away until she has her back against the kitchen wall. Her smile has started to fade and she looks nervous. I corner her and place my hands on the wall on either side of her face. She lifts her hands in an attempt to push me away but stops herself when she realizes her hands will make contact with my exposed skin since I am shirtless.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
I raise one eyebrow. “What happened tosir?”
She licks her lips. “I don’t like calling you that.”
“Why not?”
She fixes her eyes on mine, and there is not a sign of doubt or intimidation in them. “You’re too young to be called sir.”
“Using the title has nothing to do with my age.”
“Right. According to you, it’s a way to show respect to the bosses in this house.” She rolls her eyes. “And as I’ve told you before, you’re not my boss.”
