“That there was Zeus,” Bill says with the biggest smile painted across his face. “And you didn’t even recognize him.”
My jaw drops to the floor, and I’m about to get up to beat Bill’s ass. Grace sits and stares, and Bill smiles like a lunatic. I want to slap him.
“What did you do to him? If you hurt him, I’ll kill you, Bill. I swear on my life. I’ll kill you.”
“Oh, Lusty, relax yourself. He’s fine, just a bit embarrassed, I think.”
“Zeus,” I say. “Come here.”
He pokes his head around the metal lockers with flattened ears and sad eyes.
Grace and I still hold on to Amber who seems to be doing a little better. Her body only twitches now, no more flailing.
Zeus slowly makes his way toward us with his head down and his tail between his legs. The darkness of his fur makes it hard to distinguish him from the shadows around him.
“Turn on another light,” I say to Bill. “Now.”
Grace quickly throws a towel over Amber to cover her.
“Geez, you’re very demanding.” He laughs as he walks to the light switch. “One. Two. Three. Here we go.”
At first, the bright light causes me to squint, but after my eyes adjust, my nostrils flare in anger.
“He’s gray! No wonder I can’t see him.” Zeus is so dark, it’s hard to make out his black mask. My muscles tense, and I glare at Bill. “What’d you do to his fur?”
“Dyed it with hair coloring.”
“You’re unbelievable.” I shake my head at him because there’s not much else I can do at the moment.
Cole and Bruno storm into the bathroom with worry etched onto their faces. I’m sure they heard my blood-curdling scream.
“What happened? You all right?” Cole darts right past Bill and doesn’t even notice Zeus. But Bruno does. He cocks his head to the right and to the left before he laughs. Cole’s eyes lock on mine, and he scrunches his forehead waiting for my reply.
“No, I’m not all right.” I point toward Zeus. “Look what Bill did to him.”
Cole spins around; his back straightens as he makes his way toward Zeus. Zeus whines and runs back behind the lockers.
“He’s black?” Cole asks.
“No, it’s actually dark gray,” Bill says. “But the lighting down here sucks, so he appears much darker.”
“Bill dyed his fur,” I say. “And now Zeus is embarrassed and keeps hiding.”
“What did you do that for?” Cole spits at Bill. “He’s not your dog.”
“Camouflage.”
“Come again?” Cole furrows his brows at Bill.
“Damn … you’re good,” Bruno says to Bill.
“Stay out of this,” Cole snaps at Bruno.
“You know, man, being darker could actually save his life,” Bruno says. “Think about it. He doesn’t stick out. He blends in.”
“Bruno, sometimes I like you more when you keep your mouth shut,” Cole says.
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. My words get stuck in my throat, my lips parted.
Cole glances at me while pointing at Amber. “I’ll deal with Bill later. What’s going on with her?”
“She started seizing because her temperature got really, really high.”
He lifts his eyebrows at me. “Lexi, you’re a good person. Do you realize that? That girl wasn’t nice to you … ever, yet here you are, taking care of her.”
“She’s still human, Cole. Besides, she was just jealous of us.”
Cole smiles his crooked smile, and his dimples make my heart ache for him, for the person I know he is.
“Would you mind turning the water off for us?”
“Sure, no problem.” He turns the knobs, stopping the flow. “I’ll grab towels and clothes for the two of you.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you,” Grace says.
“There are three of us,” I remind him.
“Can’t you cover her with a sheet or something?”
“Hey, try to be nice.”
“That is being nice.” He walks toward the lockers and goes around to the back to comfort Zeus. But the next thing I hear is Cole in hysterics.
“I’m sorry, Zeus. Really I am … but you look ridiculous, buddy.”
“He looks like he’s been rolling around in a pile of ashes. He looks geriatric,” I say.
“Even better. They won’t expect his big bite,” Bruno says.
“Okay, boys, would you mind leaving us alone so we can get dressed? Please?” I add.
Bruno and Bill leave, but Cole stays.
“I’ll carry her back for you,” he says.
“I’d appreciate that, because at this point, I’d be dragging her.”
After I get dressed, I retrieve a red t-shirt that matches Amber’s hair and meet Grace in the hallway. She looks tired, with dark circles forming under her eyes.
“You should get some rest,” I say, walking back to where Amber lies. “Let’s get Amber dressed quickly, and you can go lay down. Put her arms in the shirt first, and then we’ll pull it over her head.”