Michael then started to go forward, and immediately pulled her out of the dirt with little to no effort at all.
He drug her all the way to the road where he pulled over and parked just to the side of the road and got out.
“You need a driveway,” he growled.
Hannah fell out of her Jeep because she was parked on the incline that lead to a ditch, causing her to trip and nearly fall on her face.
Her baby brother, though, saved her before she could even make it to her knees.
“You’ll need to keep parking here where it’s packed ground, otherwise you’ll keep getting stuck,” he told her, setting her on her feet.
I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to look at the dog that was peeking out the door behind me.
“Hey big boy,” I said to him.
He was old.
He was a black lab that had a white mask covering the entirety of his face.
He moved slow as he made his way to me.
I went down to my haunches, holding out my hand for him.
He nudged my hand, and I started to pet his head.
“You’re a sweet baby,” I told him, scratching behind his ears.
“That’s Mogley,” Hannah said from behind me. “He’s a sucker for some lovin’s.”
I smiled. “He’s sweet. I used to have a black lab like him named Nike. My dad had to put him to sleep when he was fifteen because he couldn’t walk anymore. Too many Frisbee tosses, I guess.”
“Mogley’s a whiz with a tennis ball. He used to be my ex’s, but Joshua didn’t want to take care of him anymore when he started to lose his desire to duck hunt,” she said sadly.
What a dick.
How could you just get rid of a dog who was too old to do what you asked of him?
Certainly not me!
I’d kill for a puppy, but my apartment’s pet deposit was outrageous, and you couldn’t have a dog over twenty five pounds.
And, although I loved small dogs, I couldn’t handle the high pitch barking that came with them.
I much preferred a dog that would protect me. Play with me. And genuinely have fun with me.
I’d have that again someday.
“He’s a sweetheart,” I told her.
Michael came up to the porch and offered Mogley a scratch on the head before he started stripping off his boots, followed quickly by his pants.
“Got anything I can change into?” He asked.
I blinked when he stripped right down to his boxer briefs.
“What would you do if I didn’t?” She asked laughingly.
He glared at her.
“Drive home in my underwear,” he said simply.
Of course he would.
Although, men could get away with that.
They could get away with almost anything.
Whereas, if a woman had tried to drive home in nothing but a bra and panties, she’d get into trouble for it.
“I have some of Joshua’s old clothes in the spare bedroom. They won’t fit you well, but I’m pretty sure there’s a pair of old shorts and a t-shirt or something,” she told him.
He grunted and walked into the house, completely ignoring me.
“Hmmm,” I said once he left.
“He’s in one of those moods,” she explained softly.
I nodded. “He’s fine.”
She looked at me carefully.
“You know,” she said simply.
I blinked. “Know what?” I asked innocently.
“That he’s bi-polar.”
I nodded. “Yeah, he told me.”
Her eyes widened in understanding.
“He loves you,” she whispered. “And you love him.”
I blinked.
“Well…” I did. I just didn’t want his sister to know.
I was waiting.
I sensed that that was somehow crucial to our budding relationship.
If I spooked him, he would run.
Which was why I was denying, with everything I had, what I sorely suspected wasn’t food poisoning or a stomach bug.
I was pregnant.
Very pregnant.
Because since I’d hooked back up with Michael, I’d not had my period.
I was so regular with my period that I could set a timer to it.
I could tell you within the hour of when I was going to start, because it started at the same time every month.
Which meant that the first time we were together we’d conceived a child.