Laying my head back down on the pillow, I burrowed deeper. The warm nights of summer, of sleeping with the window open, had retired for the year. Soon, going outside during the day would require a jacket. I didn’t really care for the cold.
I tried closing my eyes wanting to sleep longer, but they popped back open on their own. Clearly awake, I knew I should really get out of bed and do something. The thought made me cringe until inspiration struck. I owed Clay for last night. This early, there’d be no one around outside, especially with this first cold snap. We needed to take advantage of the still above freezing weather and do something together. He’d like spending time together.
“Hey, Clay,” I whispered again. “Wanna go get breakfast with me?”
With a sigh, he jumped down off the bed once more. I laughed softly and rolled out from under the covers. “You could have said no.”
Grabbing my clothes, I tiptoed to the bathroom. When I stepped back out, fully dressed, Clay sat next to the back door waiting patiently. I glanced at the car keys debating. Drive or walk? Walking would save money and I enjoyed it.
“You up for a walk?” I kept my voice low not wanting to wake Rachel.
Walking outside before dawn would have given me the creeps if I didn’t have him with me. He looked like a beast. Any sane person would keep their distance. When he didn’t move away, I clipped on his leash, loosely looping it around his collar so I wouldn’t need to hold it. He turned to me with a questioning look.
“What? I’m following the law… you’re on a leash. Let’s go.”
I opened the door and we soundlessly slipped outside. As expected, crisp air engulfed us, but the lack of wind made it tolerable. After pulling the hood up over my loose hair, I tucked my hands into the pockets of my hoodie and stepped off the porch, suspiciously testing the air to see if my breath clouded. Clay trudged next to me still looking a little tired.
We walked away from the house in the direction of the campus toward a small diner open all day, six days a week, closed Sundays. Well known on campus, Ma’s Kitchen served good cheap food for the perpetually broke college kid. With ten dollars in my pocket, I figured we could stuff ourselves before walking back home.
The walk to campus offered an eclectic array of buildings. Businesses jumbled in with residences. Some so close together their shadows merged creating perfect places for hiding. Clay’s calm presence allowed me to enjoy the walk.
The sidewalks remained empty. Streetlights buzzed overhead. The soft scrape of Clay’s nails on the pavement comforted me and I filled my lungs with the cool air, relaxing. Very few cars passed us as we made our way from one pool of light to the next. The quiet of the night cocooned us.
We walked in companionable silence for a few minutes before I spoke up. “So what do you like for breakfast? Oatmeal?” I teased. He laughed making me smile in return. “Yeah, I was thinking you’re more a steak and eggs kinda guy.”
“Who you talking to dar’lin?” a man called stepping out from the shadows across the narrow street. The suddenness of his appearance made my heart race. That he appeared just after I thought how well the shadows could hide a person made me wonder.
Even though I considered this area safe, it paid to be smart. “My dog,” I called back with ease immediately whispering to Clay asking him to bark. He obliged with a deep resonating woof that almost scared me. The sound bounced off the surrounding buildings. I hoped it wouldn’t wake anyone.
“Damn,” the man called back, keeping pace with us on the opposite sidewalk. “That thing on a leash?”
“Yep, but if he really wants to go, there’s no holding him back. I’m safer letting him go or he’d just drag me along.”
The man laughed. “I bet. Have a good morning,” he called in farewell before turning at the next corner to walk around the block.
“You trust that?” I asked Clay softly watching the man’s retreating form as we continued. Clay harrumphed. “Me neither. And thanks for warning me there was someone close by,” I added sarcastically. He made a noise I interpreted between a snort and a laugh.
“Brat.” I smiled down at him.
Night sounds began to fade, and I heard the occasional bird call out, dawn still an hour away. He continued to alertly pace at my side until we reached the diner. Judging from the empty parking lot, they didn’t get much business this early. Still, the air outside smelled delicious, like frying breakfast sausage. Beside me, Clay’s stomach rumbled.
“Since they don’t allow dogs, I’ll go in and get our food carryout,” I said pulling open the door. He obediently sat just outside the glass door watching me.
When I entered, the waitress set down the basket of jellies she’d been using to refill the jelly holders on the tables and moved to the register.
“Morning,” she said with a chipper smile waiting for my order.