Madferit: The Novel

Chapter 114

           

"We shouldn't even be doin' this." Noel grumbled in the passenger seat. "If it weren't for me mam we wouldn't even be doin' this."

            Steve Coogan had a stand-up show in London and he invited me and Noel to attend. He even invited Peggy so back to the city we went.

            We brought Rupert with us because he was still suffering too much from separation anxiety. Anytime we tried to leave the house he'd freak, bouncing around the garage in utter panic. Noel and I really had no reason to go anywhere other than for grocery shopping and simple things like that. So when we didn't have to do that we stayed home spoiling Rupert because we couldn't seem to help ourselves...or teach him how to deal with it when we were gone.

            "C'mere, Rupe. I gotta put this on ya." Noel instructed reaching back with the lead rope.

            But Rupert got up and stepped out of his reach.

            "Fuck's sake! C'mon, Rupe! Why ya bein' like this, eh? You've been layin' down this whole time...it's not my fault ya gotta put this on." He waved the lead rope in the air. "But summat might happen to ya when we get out the...c'mon." He turned around and reached back even further.

            He grunted a little as he grabbed Rupert's collar and clipped the lead rope onto it. "Nah, mate! Ya gotta stay back there." He pushed Rupert back from jumping up into the front seat. "Addie says you're much too big to be sittin' up here now."

            I rolled my eyes. "Okay. Well, let him sit up here then so when he's full grown he can smash you!"

            He went to respond but Rupert beat him to it by burping in his face.

            "Ugh!" He exclaimed. "That's disgustin'!"

            "He's a ruminant!" I pointed out.

            "Why does he get an excuse?"

            "Because he's a ruminant!"

            "Well what the fuck does that mean?"

            "It means he's got a four-part stomach."

            "I've got a four-part stomach!" He shot back. "Four fuckin' stomachs, I have, and you make me bloody starve!"

            "Oh, please!" I scoffed.

            "It's true! Ain't it true, Rupe?" He turned to the backseat for a second. "Our Rupe says it's true." He sat back down in his seat crossing his arms.

            I snickered quietly while keeping my eyes on the road.

            Fans waited outside the gates like usual at Supernova Heights crowding around on the sidewalk.

            "Better go say hello." Noel reasoned. "Have we got a pen in here or summat?" He began digging through the glovebox and other places he thought he might find one.

            He eventually did and set to signing autographs as soon as we pulled into the driveway and got out of the car.

            "Who's that?" One of the fans asked curiously pointing at Rupert.

            "This is our poodle." Noel replied with a grin.

            "Oh, cool!"

            Everyone jumped in wanting to pet Rupert and stroke his wool that was growing and thickening with each passing day. He just stood there quietly loving every minute of the attention that came with being a member of the Gallagher clan.