Page 36 of She Came Upon A Midnight Clear
“Maybe because we’re both chronic over thinkers who can’t allow ourselves to be happy.”
“Wow. That was profound. You can bill my insurance.”
She really starts laughing then, a deep belly laugh, I can’t help but laugh, too, then she drags me in for a kiss.
She tastes like coffee.
She tastes like love.
She tastes like home.
I don’t ever have to be lost again.
We sit together for a while, talking and laughing. We get up only to make toast and put some yogurt and berries in a big bowl, then eat in bed. When the rain finally stops, Dru asks, “Wanna go take Sulu and Seven for a walk?”
“Yeah. Let me get some warm clothes on.”
The pups are so excited to see us, and even more excited when we put them in coats and their harnesses—they’re both all wiggles and happy little yelps.
We just walk around the property a bit, not bothering to really do any leash training with them because it’s ChristmasEve, and this was just for them. They’re both really well-behaved for being so young, just completely adorable, grinning in the way only a happy pittie can. The sky is cloudy and looks like it’ll rain again soon, but none of us seem to mind the cold, damp air, and even in the gray winter, the vineyards on the distant hills scattered with oak trees are so beautiful. We’re all just happy to be together.
But once we get back to the kennels, my heart is breaking a little at having to leave them.
“These two are so sweet,” I tell Dru as she wipes their muddy paws down. “I wish I could keep them.”
“I feel like that about every dog who comes through here. But these two are young; they should find good homes pretty quickly. I think the only reason they haven’t already been adopted is because they’re pitbulls. There are so many housing regulations around certain breeds. But we got them so young, they don’t really have any behavioral issues. They even like cats.”
I lean down to rub Seven’s head, and she wriggles her entire back end, bumping her head into my hand, then Sulu comes over for the same treatment, and I get down on my knees to cuddle them both.
“Sweet little babies,” I tell them. “I wish you could live with me. I really do.”
Sulu licks my face, and I grimace and wipe it off, but I don’t really mind.
Something occurs to me, and I look up at Dru. “How come you haven’t had a dog since Rocky passed?”
“I’ve been waiting for the right time, I guess. I mean, I wouldn’t have adopted one while I was getting this place set up, but we’ve been open for three years.” She squats down and rubs Sulu’s head. “I have to say, I’ve had my eye on this pair since they arrived, but it felt almost selfish to keep them. They’re beautiful dogs.”
I sigh. “I understand that. I’m just so in love with them I don’t know how you could resist.”
I give them each a kiss on the forehead and stand up to leave. “’Night, babies. Merry Christmas.”
Dru and I walk hand in hand back up to her loft. Since she wasn’t expecting company and the roads are too risky to try to make it to a store, we’re having pasta for our Christmas Eve dinner. I don’t mind; I just want to be with her.
She starts moving around the kitchen, and soon the pasta water is going, she’s steaming some asparagus, and to my surprise, she whips up an alfredo sauce from scratch.
“I remember you loved to cook,” I tell her.
“I do. I’ve taken some cooking classes over the years, just for fun. They’re easy to find here in the Wine Country.”
“And now I’m getting to reap the benefits. Um, I still can’t cook, by the way. I feel like I should disclose that.”
“That’s okay, baby. You just do your work and come home and let me wait on you.”
“Home?”
I try hard to ignore the butterfly wings that are going in my chest again.
They stop what they’re doing and come around the counter, taking my hands in theirs.
