Paws

Overheating

(Slight content warning)

Sam-

Running over to the door, I flicked the lock, then turned. Panic raced through my veins as I heard the knock again, and Richard's darn bear kept pawing at his socks!

Without really thinking, I snatched a sock off the bears foot with a quiet growl. His beady little eyes rose to meet mine in an instant, surprise all over his fuzzy face. Then he leaned forward, obviously trying to get up. His body rocked, but he couldn't manage to get up. He tried again, but got the same result. Each time he moved his jaws reached for the sock.

You can't be serious.

He was though. Shaking my head, I waived the sock in his face, then moved it to his left. His eyes followed, then he fell onto his left side and slowly got onto all fours. Someone needs to work out a little.

I slowly walked backwards, keeping the sock just close enough to keep his attention. When I finally got him behind his huge desk I tossed the sock on the floor, letting him have at it as I ran back around the desk to grab his clothing. By now the knocking was getting persistent so I yelled while scooping his clothes up into my arms. "One mimute!"

Throwing the stuff behind the desk, I took one final look around, then yanked the door open with as big a smile as I could manage. Judging from the woman's face who was now staring at me, I probably looked awkward.

Well, this whole situation is awkward as hell!

"Excuse me, but I need to return these two so I can go to a meeting. Mr. Brandon sent them over for lunch."

I immediately took Coda into my arms, then motioned Jessica to come inside. My hopes were that the woman would just leave now, but she instead looked around the room, brows narrowing in confusion.

"Where is Mr. Brandon? He usually only sends his daughter over when he's extremely busy."

Brandon? Oh! Crap!

"U-Uh, he's busy. In the... Bathroom!"

Her eyes moved to a closed door, the light obviously off beneath it, then back to me.

"With the lights off?"

Why can't you just go!

Growling in my mind, I thought about what I wanted to say, then carefully steeled myself to speak correctly. "He hads a headache."

That was right? Right? That sounded right?

She gave me another look, then seemed to be thinking about what to do next. When I just stood there smiling, she looked away and sighed, then nodded. "Alright, let him know that Jessica ate, but she did give the puppy some of her food."

I nodded, waiting until the lady was gone before shutting the door and locking it. "Oh my god." My body slid to the floor as I leaned against the door, trying to keep myself from shaking. While I tried to keep myself together Jessica made her way around the back of her father's desk and then ran out from behind it with a half-eaten sock raised high above her head. I looked at her questioningly, then choked out a laugh when Richard's fuzzy bear hobbled out from behind the desk, trying to catch the sock.