A Missed Opportunity

53

✧𝙽𝚘𝚊𝚑✧

I'm not much of a dog person. Always liked a cat's vibe a little more. I mean, they're quiet—most of them—they're pretty graceful.

And—oh, yeah. They don't slobber all over the goddamn place. I asked the people. They said the dog drools as much as a normal dog would. After drinking water and, you know, when it's hot. That's normal. I'm prepared for that.

But...this is...God! I don't even know what to do. I've never seen so much drool come out of something so small.

I don't know how it happened, but somehow, Cameron convinced his mom that a puppy at Dad's house would be great. And his mom agreed because learning responsibility, love, compassion, and how to behave are all great things. And the added plus is she doesn't have a new puppy in her house that drools enough to fill a bucket in five minutes and doesn't know we wait until we can get outside to use the bathroom.

So, really, what was I supposed to do? I made the deal, and he already did his part. It would've broken his heart if I took it back. Especially since he probably spent weeks trying to convince his mom. I'm sure it helped a little that we're in trouble right now for keeping secrets.

Naturally, with this awful decision that past me made for future me, I went to my one and only friend these days. My sister's husband. He told me it was worth it to get a protective dog. He got Lucifer for the same reasons he told me. The weirdo is overprotective of pretty much everything.

Even before he met my sister and had his kids, he was apparently obsessed with the safety of his precious apartment. So, he got this dog that was supposed to be mean and scary and protective of his...I don't know. Fine China or something.

Anyway, Alex is overly protective now of his family and every little thing his wife cares about. Which means my family is now on that freak's radar. So, hearing I'm about to get a puppy for my kid, he encourages me to get a dog that's protective. A guard dog like Lucifer.

So, I took my kid and his mom to the pound in search for a dog that's going to protect. The only thing is the dog's going to be at my place. I don't need the dog to protect me, I'd need it to protect them. But whatever. It was too late by then because they were already in my car.

I went home with this little mutt of a dog. They don't know how big he's going to get but say probably pretty big telling by his paws. Say he's at least a year. His fur is spotted black, brown, and some yellowish color, and they don't know what exactly he is. Just that he drools a whole lot. And doesn't know not to piss on my fucking carpet.

"Fucker!" I call after that stupid fucking dog with no name that runs out of the living room as soon as he's lowered his leg. "Aw—Man! Come on!" I groan as I look down at the puddle soaking right on into my carpet. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you." I chant as I storm down the hall after that little asshole. I end up finding the strength to walk past him though and to go grab a fucking towel or something. "Little fucker." I whisper to him as I pass him a second time on my way back.

He follows me, tiny tail between his legs. And he sits there with his ears down as I throw the towel down on that puddle. I send him a little glare as I leave again just to go grab some Shout or something. I gotta ask Kiara what she knows. She seems to know all the little concoctions you need to get stains and things out of the carpet.

"'Kay, you get this is wrong, right?" I ask, gesturing to the towel on the floor. Very reluctantly, I lower myself down beside the towel on my knees. "We don't do this, you little fucker. It's wrong. You gotta go? Come let me know somehow. I don't care what time it is, I will go outside with you. Just tell me."

His floppy little ears droop and he dips his chin in what looks like shame. He knows, somehow, that it's wrong. I yelled at him, but they said he was just a puppy. He understands the yelling, but probably nothing more.

I let out a breath of defeat. "You don't know." I decide on a mumble as I look away and carefully lift the towel so I can basically spray the whole Shout bottle on it. Maybe I should just replace the whole carpet. "We're gonna...I mean, we gotta figure this out somehow." I reason, still spraying while he just sits there. "I wanted a cat as my companion, but I got you instead. We need to figure out how to make this work for that kid you keep seeing. My kid. He loves you already, and he wants to name you Rex. Now, I won't let that happen to you, but you gotta give me something for his sake."

I hate dogs. I thought I'd be okay with a puppy, but I'm not. I want a cat who knows to sit in a box of sand when it has to go.

I don't have any other choice but to love him though. My son loves him, and I'm the one who started this in the first place. It's too late to send him back to the pound. Awful place, by the way. The kind of place that makes you want to take each and every animal away.

I can't do it. I really can't get rid of this stupid dog. I have to love him.

He makes it really hard not to love him. He just pissed on my carpet, and I hate him for a good minute or so while I try to fix it.

But then he comes over to nudge his little head against my arm.

Damn it.