“That’s so sweet!” Sam exclaimed. Nick shook his head, if she only knew….
Joe joined them carrying a shoe box. He growled at the dog. “Here put him in this until they get here!”
“Dad! I’m not putting the dog in a shoe box!” Sam exclaimed, looking at her father as if he lost whatever sense he had left.
“Why the hell not?! He likes the scent of Italian Leather. I have the proof in the garbage.” He shouted defensively.
Nick glanced out the window as Luke’s truck pulled into the driveway. “They’re here.” He said, wondering how this would play out.
“Well sound the trumpets!” Joe said sarcastically and then smiled at his little girl and offered her the box again.
She rolled her eyes and looked at Deb. “Where should we put the dog? I’m sure he wants to give it to her.”
Joe turned to Nick. “Didn’t I just offer a place to put the dog?”
“You did.” Nick said and patted him on the back.
“Just put him down and maybe he’ll run to her.” Deb said as she shrugged her shoulders.
“This isn’t a Budweiser commercial, woman!” Joe said as he threw the shoebox on the floor, giving up. He shook his head. “What are you all going to do? Stand here, like a bunch of clowns when they walk in?” He mumbled as he walked into the living room.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this… but he’s right. We should pretend to be doing something.” Deb said.
Sam turned and looked at Nick with a frown. “I think it’s finally happened.”
“What’s that baby?” Nick said as he leaned against the banister, wondering if that was sufficient enough in the pretending to do something category.
“They’ve finally lost their minds.” Sam said sadly as she watched her mother pull out the vacuum from the hall closet.
Sam and Nick followed Deb into the living room and Sam bent down and let the puppy run free as Deb plugged in the vacuum. Nick sat down on the sofa beside Joe and glanced over at the front door as the doorbell rang.
“I hate to point this out. But if we’re all pretending to do something who is going to answer the door?” Nick asked pointedly.
“Come in!!” Joe shouted into Nick’s ear drum.
“How’s that?” Joe asked his future son-in-law.
*
Luke sighed and rang the doorbell again just as Ava started to knock on the front door.
“What’s taking them so long?” He asked in wonderment.
“Why don’t you try the doorknob? They never lock it.” Ava said, looking up at him. Luke shrugged his shoulders and did just that. Of course it wasn’t locked and he pushed open the door, Ava ran underneath his arm inside.
“We’re here!!!” She called out.
Luke held open the door for Cara, and stepped inside behind her. “Where is everybody?” He asked as he closed the door. Ava took her jacket off in a hurry and handed it to Luke.
“We’re in here!” Deb called from the living room and Ava ran inside.
Cara stood in the entryway frozen. The people she loved most were just a few feet away from her and she hadn’t seen them since they sat beside her hospital bed, begging her to get the help she needed. She felt Luke’s hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.
“You okay?” He asked softly searching her eyes.
She looked into his eyes and wished he could read her thoughts, and understand her fears. She had avoided them for months because she was afraid of the reminders of Jake and what they would do to her. She accepted that being around the Lanza’s would cause her to think of Jake and she was okay with that. She learned she could embrace the happy memories as a great part of her life and let go of the sadness. It would be a struggle but she was prepared to do just that. She was afraid she would be the reminder to the Lanza’s and that she’d cause them pain by being there.
“Cara!! Look!” Ava said, causing Cara to break eye contact with Luke and look down at Ava. Her eyes widened when she saw Ava cuddling a little puppy in her arms that were extended to Cara. “Surprise!!” She exclaimed happily.
Chapter Ten
Cara’s eyes grew wide and she stepped closer to Ava, bending down to her level. She reached out carefully to pet the top of the puppy’s head, he leaped out of Ava’s arms and into Cara’s. She couldn’t hold back the giggle that escaped her when the puppy started licking her face, showering her with kisses.
Ava looked up at her dad with a big smile. “I think she likes him Daddy!”
Luke watched as Cara rocked back and sat on her legs that were now tucked underneath her as she continued to caress the puppy. A big smile adorning her beautiful face. He shifted his eyes towards his daughter and winked.
Cara looked between the father and daughter, settling her eyes back on Ava, she exclaimed “I love him! Does he have a name?”