It Was An Accident

23 - Beautiful

♕𝙽𝚒𝚌𝚔♕

I hate this fucking dog.

He won't stop barking, he never runs out of energy, he pisses almost everywhere, and he's a fucking idiot.

But Maeve loves him.

Lucky bastard.

Maeve wasn't lying when she said Malikai probably has separation anxiety. He started whining the moment Maeve and I left this morning. So, I was forced to take him with me.

"Mr. King, I—" Elizabeth pauses and stares at Malikai. Malikai immediately runs up to her. "Oh, hello." Elizabeth smiles. "Who's this?"

"Malikai." I sigh. "Come here, Malikai."

He doesn't even look at me.

"Malikai." I call again. He's too busy jumping up on Elizabeth. "Malikai, come." I try again. Malikai barks at Elizabeth, far too excited to listen to me.

"Well, hello there, Malikai. You are just the cutest." Elizabeth laughs. She walks around him and sets a pile of papers on my desk. "Hey, so..we're okay right? We can totally just..move on from what happened the other night?" Elizabeth nervously smiles.

I nod. "Yeah." I mumble. Malikai starts to run around the room and it's hard to stay serious when he bumps into one of the chairs.

"Great, and..can you tell Maeve I'm sorry?" Elizabeth asks. I look away from Malikai and at Elizabeth.

"Sorry? For what?" I ask. Elizabeth seems confused.

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Did something happen that I don't know about?

"Nothing. Can you just tell her I'm sorry, please?" Elizabeth smiles at me then turns and leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.

Malikai starts to whine. "No." I quickly say. He starts to bark at me. "Shh!" I try.

I didn't tell Dad I was bringing him in.

"Malikai, it's almost twelve. At lunch we can go see Maeve. You want that, don't you?" I try. Malikai stops and looks at me.

I wonder if he knows her name.

"Maeve." I test it out. Malikai lets out a quiet bark. "Do you want to see, Maeve?" Malikai starts to get excited.

Huh.

"Nick." I freeze when the door opens. Dad walks in and he immediately sees Malikai. Malikai doesn't jump up on him.

The smartest thing that dog has done since I met him.

"Hey." I casually say.

"What is that?" Dad points to Malikai. Malikai sits and stares up at Dad.

"I don't actually know what breed he is but—"

"Why is there a dog in your office?" Dad interrupts.

"Uh..Dad. Are you feeling okay? I don't—"

"Nick, don't make me call your mother. Why is there a dog in your office?"

"Okay, okay," I quickly say. "It's Maeve's. She can't keep him at her apartment because people complained about him so..I'm keeping him for her." I explain. Dad makes a face. "He has separation anxiety or something so.." I trial off with a shrug.

"So, it's loud." Dad huffs. "Shut it up."

"He has a name." I deadpan. Holy shit, she's rubbing off on me.