Page 184 of S is for SEX

I turned toward Sydney and grinned. My heart was racing, and I felt like a little kid again. Similar to what I remembered Christmas being like as a child, it was almost more emotion than I could contain. Holding the wiggling pup in my arms, I turned to A-Train and nodded.

“Fuck brother, we don’t have jobs, so it was no big deal. Happy Birthday. How you doing?” he asked as he patted me on the shoulder.

“I’m good, Brother,” I sighed as I looked down at the pup.

I turned toward Ripp and Shane Dekkar. “Ripp, Dekk, thanks for coming.”

They both grinned and nodded their heads.

“The puppy came from the shelter. If you don’t want him, we can take him back. We’ve got thirty days. Avery and I picked him out.” Sydney paused and studied the squirming pup. “But you should give him a chance, he’s from here.”

“Winfield?” I asked.

I hadn’t told Sydney anything about what happened with the man who owned the Pit Bulls, and she didn’t ask. To think that she may have found the dogs which were confiscated from the home on her own was almost unimaginable. As I held the pup, I studied him. He sure appeared to be a brother of the pup I had tried to save. It had been a month since the dogs were found there and hauled in to the pound. The same caliber of miracle which brought the first pup to me had happened again, bringing another just like him.

“Yeah, the guy at the Humane Society said some guy was fighting them,” she explained. “They had to put some of them down, and these little guys lived through the quarantine.”

“Well, we’re keeping him,” I said as I patted him on the head.

Otis walked up to me and smiled. As he leaned into me and hugged me, he motioned toward the door with his head.

“Be right back,” I said over my shoulder as I followed him into the hallway.

“Remember that pup?” he asked as he reached for him and scratched his neck.

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Last kennel on the right,” Otis said.

“Well, she said the guy told her they were from here, here in Winfield,” I responded.

Otis continued to scratch the dog’s neck and shifted his gaze upward. “I got a few questions, Brother.”

“I’m listening,” I responded.

“What color are Sydney’s eyes?” he asked.

“Brown, why?” I responded.

He shook his head.

“Hair color?” he asked.

“Blonde, you know that,” I snapped.

“Nail polish?” he asked.

“Nail polish is purple. Well, at least today it is. So are her toes,” I responded.

“You cocksucker, I see where you’re going,” I whispered as I shook my head.

“You’ve come a long way Toad. She’s a fine woman. Hell, I didn’t even know when your birthday was, because you don’t celebrate ‘em. She gathered up all the fellas, fuck, she called me two weeks ago; that’s a damn good woman. Just thought I’d check with ya, and make sure you knew all the essentials before I gave you my final endorsement,” he said as he slapped his hand against my bicep.

“Well?” I said.

“You’re good to go,” he said with a nod of his head as he opened the door.

I stared into the room. Everyone stood and smiled as I held the pup. As I lowered him to the floor I noticed he had a camouflage quick-release collar identical to the one I picked out at the vet the day I took the pup in. I glanced up at Sydney.

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